CODEWITHSUNDEEP
cobol
Emil Lintag
Emil Lintag

Reputation: 1

COBOL: syntax error, unexpected SORT, expecting Identifier and continuation character expected

I just started using COBOL for my COBOL class and I don't know what's wrong with lines 9, 30, and 62. Hope you could help me. Thank you.

  ******************************************************************
  * Author: Emil
  * Date: 12/02/21
  * Purpose: Sorting and Debugging
  * Tectonics: cobc
  ******************************************************************
   PROGRAM-ID. InputSort.
   PROCEDURE DIVISION
   Using SORT and INPUT PROCEDURE. The program accepts records
* from the user and RELEASEs them to the work file
*      where they are sorted. This program
*      allows student records to be entered in any order but
*      produces a file sequenced on ascending StudentId.

   ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
   INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
   FILE-CONTROL.
   SELECT StudentFile ASSIGN TO "SORTSTUD.DAT"
    ORGANIZATION IS LINE SEQUENTIAL.
   SELECT WorkFile ASSIGN TO "WORK.TMP".


   DATA DIVISION.
   FILE SECTION.
FD StudentFile.
01 StudentDetails      PIC X(30).

* The  StudentDetails record has the description shown below.
* But  in this program we don't need to refer to any of the items in
* the  record and so we have described it as PIC X(32)
* 01   StudentDetails
*      02  StudentId       PIC 9(7).
*      02  StudentName.
*        03 Surname      PIC X(8).
*        03 Initials     PIC XX.
*      02  DateOfBirth.
*        03 YOBirth      PIC 9(4).
*        03 MOBirth      PIC 9(2).
*        03 DOBirth      PIC 9(2).
*      02  CourseCode      PIC X(4).
*      02  Gender          PIC X.

   SD WorkFile.
   01 WorkRec.
       02  WStudentId       PIC 9(7).
       02  FILLER           PIC X(23).


   PROCEDURE DIVISION.
Begin.
   SORT WorkFile ON ASCENDING KEY WStudentId
    INPUT PROCEDURE IS GetStudentDetails
    GIVING StudentFile.
   STOP RUN.


GetStudentDetails.
   DISPLAY "Enter student details using template below."
   DISPLAY "Enter no data to end.".
   DISPLAY "Enter - StudId, Surname, Initials, YOB, MOB, DOB, Course, Gender"
   DISPLAY "NNNNNNNSSSSSSSSIIYYYYMMDDCCCCG"
   ACCEPT  WorkRec.
   PERFORM UNTIL WorkRec = SPACES
   RELEASE WorkRec
   ACCEPT WorkRec
   END-PERFORM.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 639

Answers (1)

Scott Nelson
Scott Nelson

Reputation: 616

General note: Watch your periods (full stops). They mean something. In COBOL many of them are optional but some are not. Be consistent about where you put them. In the procedure division, this is especially important!

Line 8, PROCEDURE DIVISION. Okay, this is the first problem. The divisions are IDENTIFICATION, ENVIRONMENT, DATA and PROCEDURE, in that order. Having PROCEDURE DIVISION here is way out of order and was missing the required period. Perhaps you meant IDENTICATION DIVISION. but even then it should be the first statement but for comments.

Line 9 and following: Typically remarks such as these are proceeded by a REMARKS. heading, or make them all (including line 9) into comments.

Line 30: I don't see a problem with a comment. Did you mean some other line?

Line 62: I don't see a problem. What was the error message?

BUT your perform loop will either never start or never end because nothing inside of the loop (PERFORM through END-PERFORM) changes WorkRec. Perhaps you want add an additional ACCEPT statement inside of the loop, use the WITH TEST AFTER clause on the PERFORM statement and move the ACCEPT statement into the loop.

Upvotes: 1

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