Comparing two files using cobol program

mohan.andaluri · New User Joined: 06 Mar 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Hyderabad

Hi!

i have been asked a question in my recent interview, please let me know the answer to this question.

i have a two files lets say FILEA, FILEB

FILEA FILEB

1 2
2 5
3 5
5 6
6 7
8 8
9 9
10 9
13 9
18 18
20 22

now my requirement is matched records should be write in FILE3 with out duplecates.

so answer should be

FILE3

2
5
6
8
9
18

this task i have do using only cobol program, without any JCL sorts.
So Please tell me the logic.

Regards,
Murali Mohan

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 1:09 pm

Hi Mohan,

Hope you did well in the interview...

Here in these forums for interview questions, we usually encourage the topic starter to tell his answer first and then we take it from there to provide any suggestion/s (if required).

However, for the question you posted -- we've a sample sticky in the "Mainframe COBOL" part of the Forum. You can refer that, in case you were not satisfied with your answer there in the interview. After going thorugh the sticky, if you still find some queries, ask away.

Good Luck.

mohan.andaluri · New User Joined: 06 Mar 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Hyderabad

Hi Anuj,

i have given this answer....

If FILEA > FILEB

Read FILEB

If FILEA < FILEB

Read FILEA

If FILEA = FILEB

Write FILEC

i guess this code wont eleminate duplicates. So Please let me know where should i change the code to eleminate duplicates.

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:22 pm

If FileA has no duplicates and both the files are sorted (as your example shows), your answer is good enough.

deepali33 · New User Joined: 21 Sep 2008 Posts: 4 Location: pune

Hi Anuj,

I think following are the steps to do it.

1. FILEA & FILEB should be sorted before it process.
2. perform loop for FILEA until EOF
read FILEA
perform loop for FILEB until EOF
read FILEB
compare FILEA = FILEB
if it matches then write it into FILEC, but before writing
it check that the value is not present in FILEC.

mohan.andaluri · New User Joined: 06 Mar 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Hyderabad

Hi Anuj,

What will be the change if FILEA has duplicates.
in my interview she said your code gives duplicates, how can i eleminate the duplicates.

dick scherrer · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 7:46 pm

Hello,

Near the top of the COBOL part of the forum is a "Sticky" that is working 2-file match/merge code. It will handle (as is) duplicate keys in either file (but not both - many to many requires additional consideration). The code in the "sticky" is more comprehensive that a couple of simple compares - it will work all of the time and is not data dependent.

Suggest you review that code for a better understanding.

If you become comfortable with the method used in the sticky, you will have match/merge code that will work for longer than you will probably be coding (that particular bit of code is over 40 years old and has been implemented successfully thousands of times across hundreds of systems).