Please explain me this two READ for the same file

TG Murphy · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:36 pm

sh_moni,

It is very common to see 2 READS as shown in your email. In fact that is the way I code it myself. Reason why is that the PERFORM UNTIL is actually a DOWHILE construct - not a DOUNTIL as the COBOL syntax would suggest. The condition gets tested first and then the logic within the loop only executes if the condition is true.

The alternative coding that would let you code just a single READ would look something like this:

PERFORM WITH TEST AFTER UNTIL EOF
PERFORM READ
IF NOT EOF
PERFORM PROCESS-RECORD
END-IF
END-PERFORM

And this is also a perfectly fine way to do it.

However, there are few common types of programs where you need special logic that executes ONLY for the first record that you read. (ie control break logic) For these programs, the "2 READ" approach is perfectly suited to doing this. So there is a good reason why you bump into the "2 READ" approach so often.

ramfrom84 · New User Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 93 Location: chennai

Hi,
Mostly READ can be used for TWO times , only if we want the prevoius record value for comparison or rolling up the records , then they will read one time at the begining , for next time onwards u can read and do the process with operation(having previous value).

It is suggestion since u have mention only few code, u can trace the program for better understanding.

socker_dad · Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:46 am

To put it in ancient terminology (cause I am an old fart and read and write this kinf od code all day!), this is what your code does.

The first read is called an initial read. It reads the file and loads the first record for subsequent processing. If there is no first record, the end of file condition is set, in your case, ENDOFBSF. The END-READ closes this statement.

The PERFORM UNTIL is a separate piece of logic. It basically states that we are going to test the NORMALSALE condition and Release the Workrec from the BSF-RECORD if it is true. Then we read the next record in the Book Sale File, setting ENDOFBSF to true when we reach the end of the file.

Once the condition ENDOFBSF is true, we drop out of the PERFORM UNTIL statement. This could happen on the first record or on the ninety-first record.

The idea is that you use the first Read once to open the file and get the first record, perform processing on the record, then read the next record. The UNTIL logic keeps your program from attempting to perform operations on records that do not exist. And the Read at the bottom of the Perform logic allows you to read the next record and set an end of file condition before attempting to do any work on the record.

As previously mentioned, this is very, very common logic and if you work a lot with batch programs, you will find many of them use this basic logic.

Hope that was clear.

William Thompson · Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 3:43 am

To add to Dad's post.....

When you program, there are three parts of the logic. The main and primary is the central logic - the read/write sort of thing. Before and after that are the "boundary conditions", how to start and how to finish....the initial read set up the program so that it could loop through the central section seamlessly.

Personally, when I code such logic, I always start with the loop and then figure out how to start and stop it....

Good luck.

sh_moni · New User Joined: 30 Apr 2007 Posts: 7 Location: pune

hi all,

many thanks for your explanations,its quite clear to me know.