REDEFINES Alphanumeric to Numeric

saugata · New User Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 1

I have a code as such :

WORKING-STORAGE SECTION
01 A pic x(2).
01 B redefines A pic 9(2).

PROCEDURE DIVISION.
PARA-1.
Move 'ab' to A.
Display B.

What will be output ?

priya · Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2005 5:03 pm Post subject: Re

Ha ha ha, You will get undefined results.

MOVE <alphabetic> to <NUMERIC> is ILLEGAL in ANSI 85 Standards.

Depending on the compiler, you will get unrecognized result.

muthukumarapandian · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2005 7:46 pm Post subject:

Hi saugata,

the result will be ab why because ur datas acts like alphanumeric even if u declared that one as a numeric.

therasith · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2005 8:13 pm Post subject: Result according to cobol 85

the output is display ab.according to cobol 85.

priya · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2005 1:46 am Post subject: Re

Oh,

Sorry Friends, I didn't notice the declaration of 'ab' (Alphanumeric!).

If it's alphanumeric you will get 'ab'. If it's alphabetic, you will get error!

Am I right?

muthukumarapandian · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2005 1:37 pm Post subject: About data type of group item.

Hi priya,

In redefines or any other thing if ur using any group means ur group data type becomes alphanumeric even if ur group items declared as numeric.

gvt460 · New User Joined: 04 Mar 2005 Posts: 23

in this example we are not initializing any value to b.so we will get the out put as ab.if we initialize any value to B at that time display a&b will get b value only

mcmillan · Site Admin Joined: 18 May 2003 Posts: 923 Location: India

mmwife · Super Moderator Joined: 30 May 2003 Posts: 1508

These are NOT group items, they're elementary items. Elementary items are defined by the presence of a PIC clause, NOT their LEVEL number (01).