Passing 100 characters using PARM from JCL to COBOL

Amb · New User Joined: 12 Mar 2010 Posts: 64 Location: India

Hi,

100 characters is the maximum limit that we can pass using PARM to a COBOL program.I am passing 100 characters using PARM from JCL to COBOL program.

In COBOL program I collect it as follows

01 Parm-parameter.
05 Length-of-parm s9(4) Comp.
05 Data-of-param X(100).

How does the length-of-parm variable get populated in my COBOL program? I want to know this out of curosity.

Bill Woodger · Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 11:42 am

You have your PARM data specified in the Linkage Section. You have it specified on the Procedure Division Using. And the operating sytem "calls" your program with one parameter, the PARM, the first part of which it previously calculated to be the lenght of the data you supplied on the PARM in the JCL.

Nic Clouston · Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 8:35 pm

Amb · New User Joined: 12 Mar 2010 Posts: 64 Location: India

Ok. So the operating system loads the length.

Can I conclude the below:
Pls correct me if I am wrong.

As the max number of bytes that can be passed from JCL to COBOL using PARM is 100.
So if I pass 100 bytes using PARM from the JCL to COBOL program. Then the COBOL program will receive 102 bytes. 100 bytes from the JCL and 2 bytes by the operating system.

enrico-sorichetti · Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 10:44 pm

the payload is still only 100 bytes , the extra bytes are control info

again... 100 vs. 102 is just useless tetrapyloctomy

Bill Woodger · Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 2:20 am

As enrico says, 100 bytes, no more.

If you need more space, you probably have to use a file.

This is the way the Cobol compiler does it. If you want to give options on a PARM, but the PARM is too long, then you can tell the comiler to read form a file instead.

enrico-sorichetti · Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 3:41 am

Follow on

Bill Woodger · Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 3:53 am

To re-phrase what I wrote so badly:

[Reading a file] is the way the Cobol compiler does it [when you want to specificy many options which takes you over 100 characters]. If you want to give options [to the compiler] on a PARM, but the PARM is too long, then you can tell the compiler to read form a file instead. [So even the IBM Cobol compiler is unable to break the 100 character limit].

Amb · New User Joined: 12 Mar 2010 Posts: 64 Location: India

In one of the IBM interviews I was asked this question:

What is the mximum limit of the number of characters that can be passed from JCL via PARM? Is it 98 or 100?

So I wonder if it is 98 as 2 bytes are for holding the length of the PARM.. (98+2=100)
Or is it 100 as additional as 2 bytes are loaded by the operating system..(100+2=102)

I will not have access to mainframe till end of this week..If any body has already tried it, pls post the reply.

Robert Sample · Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 8:23 am

100 bytes can be passed. Not 99, not 101, not 98, not 102 -- 100, period. The length of the data is not considered part of what is being passed -- the merely allows you to avoid possible storage abends.

Amb · New User Joined: 12 Mar 2010 Posts: 64 Location: India

Thanks Robert

CuriousMainframer · New User Joined: 28 Feb 2012 Posts: 9 Location: India

Hi ,

Bill mentioned that we can tell the compiler to read from a file when the PARM is too long.

Can anyone tell me how this can be done ?.

expat · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:59 pm

How do you currently read data from a dataset ?

Dsingh29 · Active User Joined: 16 Dec 2008 Posts: 132 Location: IBM

Hi CuriousMainframer,

you have to read dataset as an input file to your program or alternatively you can use SYSIN to pass data your cobol program.

enrico-sorichetti · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:15 pm

the question was really ...
How do i write the compilation jcl/
what do I have to put in the source program
in order to have the cobol compiler accept/use more than 98 chars of parms

see here
publibz.boulder.ibm.com/cgi-bin/bookmgr_OS390/BOOKS/igy3pg40/2.1.5?ACTION=MATCHES&REQUEST=parm&TYPE=FUZZY&SHELF=IGY3SH40.bks&DT=20071214180654&CASE=&searchTopic=TOPIC&searchText=TEXT&searchIndex=INDEX&rank=RANK&ScrollTOP=FIRSTHIT#FIRSTHIT

or, if Your compiler does not support the SYSOPTF ddname, here
publibz.boulder.ibm.com/cgi-bin/bookmgr_OS390/BOOKS/igy3pg32/2.1.5?ACTION=MATCHES&REQUEST=parm&TYPE=FUZZY&SHELF=IGY3SH33&DT=20061117131343&CASE=&searchTopic=TOPIC&searchText=TEXT&searchIndex=INDEX&rank=RANK&ScrollTOP=FIRSTHIT#FIRSTHIT

Bill Woodger · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:15 pm

This is the PARM to the compiler, not any old PARM to some program you've written, yes?

In which case there is a compiler option to tell the compiler to use a file to look for more options. If your version of Cobol is late enough. Have a look at the Programmer's Guide for your version. It is best if you look yourself to discover the value, as you get the practice and might pick up other things. It is in 4.2 of Enterprise Cobol, not in 3.2.