Coding Standards for Database Files › Coding Standards for COBOL Programs › Naming Standards in COBOL › COBOL Standard Indicators

COBOL Standard Indicators

Use the FILE-STATUS indicators to communicate with files. For each FILE-STATUS value, declare a Level 88 item with a meaningful name. For example, declare level 88 items for use in testing indicators, for example:

• Use the SET statement to turn indicators on or off, for example:
  • The DDS indicators (01-99, etc.) should be used as little as possible, as they are difficult to reconcile with structured programming. The number of indicators available to program with is in any case fixed, so it is best to reserve their use for the places where you are obliged to use them. Ideally, indicators should only be used to:
    • communicate with external files
    • handle errors on database files

One method you can use to do this is to declare those most commonly used indicators individually, with those remaining being manipulated, using the above method.

Thus, try to give the same meaning to indicator usage throughout a system. This makes it easier to understand programs. Use specific indicators for functions that are common to many programs, such as function keys, and use a different range of indicators for functions that are specific to a particular program, or part of a program.

Usage of standard indicators in device files should be documented in the device files using the DDS INDTXT, SETOF, CAnn or CFnn keywords. It should not need to be repeated in the COBOL program source.

Comment the use of non-volatile indicators—those which have a gl isl scope rather than a local use; for example ‘IND(87) = Company is insolvent’.