25 February 2008
Document Number:
J4/08-0043
Page
1 of 2
COBOL Technical Committee
Subject:
Logical Record Implicit Redefinition
Author:
Charles C. Stevens
References:
1. ISO/IEC 1989:20xx WD 1.9, page 163, 9.1.2, Record area
2. ISO/IEC 1989:20XX WD 1.9, page 319, 13.16.32.3, Level-number, general rule 3
3. ISO/IEC 1989:20XX WD 1.9, page 531, 14.8.29.3, READ statement, general rule 3
4. ISO/IEC 1989:20XX WD 1.9, page 537, 14.8.30, RELEASE statement
5. ISO/IEC 1989:20XX WD 1.9, page 539, 14.8.32, RETURN statement , general rule 3
6. ISO/IEC 1989:20XX WD 1.9, page 541, 14.8.33, REWRITE statement
7. ISO/IEC 1989:20XX WD 1.9, page 595, 14.8.47, WRITE statement
8. ANSI X3.23-1985 / ISO 1989-1985, page II-20, 6.2.2.1.3, Record Areas for Files
Previous versions of document:
1. J4/08-0037, Interpretation request: Logical Record Implicit Overlap
Discussion:
In the course of researching issues involving overlapping operands, the author discovered that
the long-standing custom that Level-1 records subordinate to an FD, SD or CD implicitly
redefine each others no longer appeared in Reference 1. However, it did appear in
References 3 and 5, but not in reference 4, 6 or 7. The text in Reference 8 was clear on this
subject, and this omission was deemed a defect.
Subsequent to the development of a proposal to resolve this issue by adding text to Reference
1 and deleting the text from References 3 and 5, the relevant rule was found in Reference 2.
The author believes that the current rule is adequate, but is not located where it could be
presumed to be; that statements to the same effect for READ and RETURN are unnecessary
and lack historical precedent; and that the fact that this is documented for READ and RETURN
but not for RELEASE, REWRITE or WRITE implies a fundamental difference in this regard
among these various statements, which is not in fact the case. .
24 February 2008
Document Number:
J4/ 08-0043
Page
2 of 2
Solution proposed by submitter:
Add a NOTE to Reference 1 to include an indication that related information can be found at
Reference 2. Delete the associated text from READ and RETURN general rules.
Changes recommended in a revision to the standard:
Make the following changes to ISO/IEC 1989:20XX WD 1.9:
1. Page 163, 9.1.2, Record area: Add the following after all normative text:
NOTE 13.16.32.3, Level-number, general rule 3 specifies that all record description
entries subordinate to a file description entry (FD or SD) implicitly redefine the same
storage area.
2. Page 531, 14..8.29.3, READ statement, general rules: Delete the first sentence of general
rule 3.
3. Page 539, 14.8.32.3, RETURN statement, general rules: Delete the first sentence of
general rule 2.