Can we do EOF checking for ACCEPT from SYSIN?

sureshmurali

Hi
I hava a cobol program.
In it there are three lines of input string in SYSIN.
say

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

I have a dataname VAR1 PIC IS X(80).

I need to ACCEPT these inputs using the data name VAR1 and print them out on the spool.

I know how to do this using READ statement by taking SYSIN as a dataset. While taking SYSIN as a dataset, i can use READ statement and check for End of File using AT END.

But i just want to know how it can be done using ACCEPT statement.
Is there any way of checking the End of the input when using ACCEPT statment.

PERFORM 3 TIMES
ACCEPT VAR1 FROM SYSIN
DISPLAY VAR1
END-PERFORM.

It prints all the three lines of input. But here i mentioned 3 times which represent 3 lines of input strings. But i need the system will take care of end of file at the run time. How can i do it?

Ronald Burr · Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 10:11 pm Post subject:

According to the manual ( which you should have read ):

"If EOF is encountered before any data has been moved to the
receiving area, padding will not take place and the contents of the
receiving area are unchanged"

So, the way to "test" for EOF is to pre-load the receiving area with some value that would NEVER be input via SYSIN ( e.g. low values ), and then, AFTER the ACCEPT, test to see if the area still contains that pre-loaded value - if it does, then you have reached EOF.

sureshmurali · Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 10:20 pm Post subject:

Thanks for your reply Ronald. But i dont get you.
If possible could you please explain this with a small example.
Your kind help makes me to understand the solution better.

Thanks

Ronald Burr · Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 10:41 pm Post subject:

What's to explain?

dick scherrer · Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 10:45 pm Post subject:

Hello,

Phrzby Phil · Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 3:55 am Post subject:

But it is good robust programming to check for the lack of the three parms the program is expecting via ACCEPT.

If three parms are not present, or if other validity checks fail, then the program should be appropriately terminated.

sureshmurali · Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 7:56 am Post subject:

Thanks buddies.

Jose Mateo · Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:26 pm Post subject:

You could do what Mr. Burr suggested or you could put a end-of-file marker in your sysin like 'END' which you would test for in your program to know that you have reached the end of data.