Can we use "VALUE" clause in "REDEFINES"

earsha · New User Joined: 16 Mar 2007 Posts: 17 Location: Pune

Can we use "VALUE" clause in "REDEFINES" clause?

muthuvel · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 3:37 pm

Did you have a try

earsha · New User Joined: 16 Mar 2007 Posts: 17 Location: Pune

Yes but it is giving an error.

muthuvel · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:13 pm

You cannot have VALUE clause for a REDEFINE variable

This is what the manual says

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 8:21 pm

you will receive a compiler error when trying to use the value clause in a structure that is subordinate to a redefining entry.

you will receive a compiler warning when you use the value clause for an element defined in the linkage section.

sreenivasreddyg · New User Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Posts: 39 Location: delhi

It is not a good idea to declare VALUE clause for a REDEFINES field.

SCARCEBOYZ · Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007 2:32 pm

Value Clauses should be only in Condition Names

dick scherrer · Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007 9:33 pm

Hello,

CICS Guy · Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007 9:58 pm

dick scherrer · Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007 10:10 pm

Could be

d

earsha · New User Joined: 16 Mar 2007 Posts: 17 Location: Pune

Thank you all for your replies!
I have got my answer.
we can use the value clause in redefines but it should be in the following structure

01 TTEST PIC X(10) VALUE 'MAINFRAMES'.
01 RTEST REDEFINES TTEST PIC X(10) is possible

But

01 TTEST PIC X(10).
01 RTEST REDEFINES TTEST PIC X(10) VALUE 'MAINFRAMES'.
Not possible.

dick scherrer · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 7:46 am

You're welcome

Correct

Thank you for following up with us.

TG Murphy · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 7:32 pm

About using the VALUE clause, we tell our programmers to follow these rules:

1. OK to use VALUE for 88 levels.
2. OK to use VALUE to declare constants.

All other variables must be initialized in PROCEDURE DIVISION using MOVE, INITIALIZE or SET.

There is one exception. Some variables (switches and counters) must ONLY be initialized on the first time in and the only way to do this is to use the VALUE clause. For example, a switch that keeps track of whether a table has been loaded with data.

Reason why is: VALUE only executes on first call to routine whereas MOVE statement will execute on every call. In cases where your routine gets called many times VALUE will only initialize on the first time in.

In the CICS world where you use LINK to invoke your routine, use of the VALUE clause will not cause any problems because LINK creates a new run unit - thus every LINK is like a first time CALL. Nevertheless, we urge programmers not to use VALUE to initialize variables that need to be initialized every time in.

On occasion we convert LINKs to CALLs for performance reasons and if programmers follow the rules, then they should be able to do this conversion without any problems. As well, CICS logic is often ported into the batch environment so proper use of VALUE clause will allow this to happen without much grief.

Still... many experienced COBOL programmers seem to have trouble following these rules. Misuse of the VALUE clause emerges in almost every code walkthru we do. Not sure why this is...