My task was to read a record from first file and check for the corresponding record from the second file and display it

Question

My task was to read a record from first file and check for the corresponding record from the second file and display it. this is my code:

PERFORM READ-PARA1 THRU END-PARA UNTIL WS-END-OF-FILE.   
    PERFORM READ-PARA2 THRU END-PARA UNTIL WS-END-OF-FILE.   
    CLOSE FILEX.                                             
    CLOSE FILEY.                                             
    STOP RUN.                                                
READ-PARA1.                                                  
    READ FILEX                                               
      AT END                                                 
         MOVE 'Y' TO WS-EOF-IND.                             
      DISPLAY SPACE                                          
      DISPLAY OCODE1,'    'ACODE1,'    'POLNO1,' 'EDATE1,    
              ' 'PHOLD1,' 'LOCATION1,' '.                    
READ-PARA2.                                                  
    READ FILEY                                               
     READ FILEY                                                   
       AT END                                                     
          PERFORM READ-PARA3 UNTIL R1 = 4.                        
   IF POLNO1 = POLNO2                                             
      DISPLAY '                                                ', 
              LICNO1,' 'VMAKE1,' 'VMODEL,' 'YEAR,' 'PREM          
   ELSE                                                           
      READ FILEY NEXT RECORD                                      
      GO TO READ-PARA2.                                           
 END-PARA.                                                        
       EXIT.                                                      
 READ-PARA3.                                                      
      CLOSE FILEY.                                                
      OPEN INPUT FILEY.                                           
      READ FILEY                                                  
        AT END                                                    
           MOVE 'Y' TO WS-EOF-IND.                                
   ADD 1 TO R1.                                                   
   IF POLNO1 = POLNO2                                             
      DISPLAY '                                                ', 
   DISPLAY '                                                ', 
           LICNO1,' 'VMAKE1,' 'VMODEL,' 'YEAR,' 'PREM          
ELSE                                                           
   READ FILEY NEXT RECORD                                      
   GO TO READ-PARA3.

This code works only to find the corresponding record for first record of file 1, but for rest all it displays blank, and both are sequential files.

Answer 1

I don't really know what to say here, except maybe try re-writing your program using up-to-date coding practices - your current code is a mix of pre/post COBOL-85 coding styles making it very difficult to follow. Try re-writing with the following objectives.

1. Do not use the PERFORM THRU. PERFORM is fine, the THRU bit is a pre COBOL-85 throwback and should no longer be used. If you need to preform several paragraphs/sections inside a loop, try something like:

         PERFORM UNTIL some-condition
             PERFORM PARA-A
             PEROFMR PARA-B
         END-PERFORM
   

2. Use explicit scope terminators such as END-IF, END-PERFORM etc.
3. Never use the period (.) as a conditional statement terminator. The only place a period should (must) appear is to delimit the end of paragraph/section.
4. Do not use GO TO. There are very few places where the use of GO TO is warranted. In a program of this size/complexity it should never be used.
5. Get rid of paragraphs containing only EXIT. When using scope terminators properly (see point 1 and 2). EXIT is no longer needed.
6. You have not used it, but just in case, do not use NEXT SENTENCE. This too is a pre COBOL-85 throwback and is technically obsolete.

If you manage to re-write with the above guidelines, you might just find that your problems are a lot easier to spot and fix. Give it another shot. I think it may work out a lot better on a second try.