CODEWITHSUNDEEP
cobol
Sutty1000
Sutty1000

Reputation: 805

How to move a multiple elements of a table (array) in cobol

I have an array which holds a record from a CSV file. Can I for example use the move statement to move elements 5 to 10 out into working storage? Something like: MOVE ExampleArray(5:10) TO WS-TEST. I have been told this is possible instead of having to loop through the array. But I can not seem to get it to compile this way.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 6334

Answers (1)

Joe Zitzelberger
Joe Zitzelberger

Reputation: 4263

The syntax you are using is called Reference Modification. It is the equivalent of substring() in other languages. Your example code would try to move 10 bytes from ExampleArray+5.

There is a "ALL" subscript concept that is supported. It has limitations, but it MIGHT do what you want. Try something like:

Move ExampleArray(ALL) to WS-Test

Depending upon your compiler, it MIGHT work. I think the spec limits its use to integer functions, but not all compilers do.

Seriously though, perform loops are very simple and easy, just code this:

Perform varying II from 1 by 1
  until II > (Length of ExampleArray-Area / Length of ExampleArray(1))

  Move ExampleArray(II) to WS-Test(II) 

End-Perform

Upvotes: 1

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