ILE COBOL Programmer's Guide

Describing a Subfile Transaction File

To use a TRANSACTION file in your ILE COBOL program, you must describe the file through a file description entry in the Data Division. See the WebSphere Development Studio: ILE COBOL Reference for a full description of the File Description Entry. Use the Format 6 File Description Entry to describe a TRANSACTION file.

A file description entry in the Data Division that describes a TRANSACTION file looks as follows:

FD  CUST-DISPLAY.
01  DISP-REC.
    COPY DDS-ALL-FORMATS OF CUSMINQ.

In ILE COBOL, TRANSACTION files are usually externally described. Create a DDS for the TRANSACTION file you want to use. Refer to Defining Transaction Files Using Data Description Specifications for how to create a DDS. Then create the TRANSACTION file.

Once you have created the DDS for the TRANSACTION file and the TRANSACTION file, use the Format 2 COPY statement to describe the layout of the TRANSACTION file data record. When you compile your ILE COBOL program, the Format 2 COPY will create the Data Division statements to describe the TRANSACTION file. Use the DDS-ALL-FORMATS option of the Format 2 COPY statement to generate one storage area for all formats.


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