How to find the length of a String in COBOL

jagadeshdvn

Hi,

Please let me know, How to find the length of a string in COBOL? Appreciate if you can explain the syntax with an example.

thanooz · New User Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 99

hi

there is interensic function

function length(variablename).

thanooz

jagadeshdvn

Thanks Thanooz. It nice of u buddy!!

Just to add for reference

Finding the length of data items
You can use the LENGTH function in many contexts (including numeric data and tables) to determine the length of string items.
The following COBOL statement demonstrates moving a data item into that field in a record that holds customer names:
Move Customer-name To Customer-record(1:Function Length(Customer-name))
You could also use the LENGTH OF special register. Coding either Function
Length(Customer-Name) or LENGTH OF Customer-Name returns the same result: the length of Customer-Name in bytes.
You can use the LENGTH function only where arithmetic expressions are allowed. However, you can use the LENGTH OF special register in a greater variety of contexts. For example, you can use the LENGTH OF special register as an argument to an intrinsic function that allows integer arguments. (You cannot use an intrinsic function as an operand to the LENGTH OF special register.) You can also use the LENGTH OF special register as a parameter in a CALL statement.

mmwife · Super Moderator Joined: 30 May 2003 Posts: 1592

Here's another take on the question.

Rameshs · Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2005 12:31 pm Post subject: Getting error

"Length of dataname" is working But if i use Function Reverse(dataname) i am getting the error as follows

GYPS2121-S "FUNCTION" was not defined as a data-name.

pruthvi · New User Joined: 05 Mar 2005 Posts: 4

hi,

for me the above code is working fine and i got the correct output.
i tested the code in visual age ccobol

Rameshs

Hai pruthvi,

I am coding on mainframe environment using IGYWCL cobol compiler

mmwife · Super Moderator Joined: 30 May 2003 Posts: 1592

Intrinsic functions were introduced to mainframe COBOL with COBOLII.

Anurag Singh · New User Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 25 Location: India

Hi,
How to use the interensic function

function length(variablename).

where it will give the length of the variable??

dick scherrer · Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 11:00 pm Post subject:

Hello,

It will "give the length" into whatever field you tell it to. . . What you posted is only part of the code needed to retrieve the length.

Bill O'Boyle

mmwife · Super Moderator Joined: 30 May 2003 Posts: 1592

Thanx Bill. My bad.

Aji · New User Joined: 03 Feb 2006 Posts: 53 Location: Mumbai

Hi
This method is without using 'Function'.

Inspect Text1 Tallying L For Trailing Spaces.
Lenght = Length of Text1 - L.

Aji

meen · New User Joined: 23 Jun 2008 Posts: 15 Location: bangalore

Hi I tried implementing this:

Inspect Text1 Tallying L For Trailing Spaces.
Lenght = Length of Text1 - L.

But it is giving Maxxcc12 "TRAILING" was found in the "INSPECT" statement. The statement was discarded.

dick scherrer · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:16 pm Post subject:

Hello,

Yup, you are not allowed to make up your own syntax. . .

At the top of the page is a link to "IBM Manuals" among which are the COBOL Language Reference and Programming Guide.

You might find REVERSE of interest. . .

meen · New User Joined: 23 Jun 2008 Posts: 15 Location: bangalore

I Tried REVERSE also
INSPECT FUNCTION REVERSE(TEXT1) TALLYING L FOR LEADING SPACES
COMPUTE L = LENGTH OF TEXT1 - L

Again getting MAXCC12
"FUNCTION" was specified as an informational word in the current reserved word table. The reserved word table used may be different from the IBM-supplied default. Refer to VS COBOL II Application Programming Language
"FUNCTION" was not defined as a data-name.

dick scherrer · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:33 pm Post subject:

Hello,

Bill O'Boyle

Use reference-modification in an IN-LINE PERFORM, starting at the last byte of the STRING and proceed backwards, until the SUB is less than 1.

Define two WS fields, such as WS-SUB and WS-POS, as PIC 9(08) COMP fields, setting WS-SUB to THE LENGTH OF THE STRING and setting WS-POS to zero.

As you proceed backwards, when you find the position with the SPACE, move WS-SUB to WS-POS and MOVE zero to WS-SUB, which will terminate the PERFORM early.

After you come out of the PERFORM, WS-POS will equal zero (no SPACES found) or it will be non-zero, which will contain the position of first SPACE found beginning at the end of the STRING, proceeding backwards.

This is actually very rudimentary....

Bill

Craq Giegerich

Use reference-modification in an IN-LINE PERFORM, starting at the last byte of the STRING and proceed backwards, until the SUB is less than 1.

Define two WS fields, such as WS-SUB and WS-POS, as PIC 9(08) COMP fields, setting WS-SUB to THE LENGTH OF THE STRING and setting WS-POS to ZERO.

As you proceed backwards, IF THE CHARACTER IS NOT = SPACE MOVE WS-SUB TO WS-POS AND MOVE zero to WS-SUB, which will terminate the PERFORM early.

After you come out of the PERFORM, WS-POS WILL BE CONTAIN THE LENGTH OF STRING EXCLUDING ANY TRAILING SPACES.

Bill O'Boyle

Craig,

Oops! Logic was bass-ackwards!

Thanks for the correction.