On 16 Apr 2012 14:25:19 -0700, in bit.listserv.ibm-main you wrote: >I have many years' experience writing COBOL code and have used GO TO and >THRU only as a means of exiting a paragraph. I frequently code paragraph >subroutines that perform a series of related edits, and would use them like >this: > > Perform 2000-Validate-Input thru 2000-exit. >* test resultant switch settings here... > > > 2000-Validate-Input. > > If some-test-here-failed > Set indicator-switch to true > Go to 2000-exit > End-if. > > If some-other-test-fails > Set indicator-different-switch to true > Go to 2000-exit > End-if. > >* Blah, blah, blah > >* When you get here, all tests are good and action can be taken > > 2000-exit. > Exit. > > >The THRU clause is only to support an "exit paragraph" ability. Because I >follow some rules with this technique, it has never caused me a problem. >The rules? They are simple: > >- Only "go to" the exit point for the current paragraph. I never span. >This means that the "go to" statements are always pointed downward - the >same way my perform statements always point. > >- I verify that this rule is observed by F GO WORD in ISPF (with comments >excluded). Each time I find a GO, I then look for P'####-' 8 to ensure that >the exit paragraph is the next paragraph. > >I, too, believe that "thru" and "section" is a preference that can't be >persuaded in most people. I personally hate to use sections and view them >as evil. When forced to use sections, such as when performing an internal >sort, I just code unreferenced "dummy" sections around my input and output >sections. > >It would be nice if an "exit paragraph" statement existed. When it does, >I'll never need a THRU or GO TO again - and good riddance! > It has existed in the COBOL standard since 2002, just not in any IBM compiler. Add it to the list of SHARE requirements for functions that exist in the 2002 standard.
Clark Morris ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
