had a decimal point in the rightmost position.
The zero characters are inserted, so there is
only room in the data for four of the sending
field’s digits. After decimal-point alignment,
digits 765 are truncated.
Size = 6 characters.
PIC 9(4)V999 7654329
PIC 999.009
654.003
The assumed decimal point aligns with the actual
decimal point in the receiving field, causing the
most significant digit (7) to be truncated. The
zero characters are inserted after the decimal
point, which only leaves room for one digit; so
the digits 29 are truncated on the left.
Size= 7 characters.
186
Chapter 9 ■ edited piCtures
Special-Insertion Editing
The only special-insertion symbol is the decimal point. The decimal-point insertion symbol has the effect of inserting an actual decimal point into the edited item. This type of editing is called special insertion because of the effect on data moved into the edited item. Data sent to the edited field is aligned along the decimal point, with zero-filling or truncation as required. The decimal point is inserted in the character position where the symbol occurs, and there may be only one decimal point. The decimal-point symbol cannot be mixed with either the V (assumed decimal point) or the P (scaling position) symbol. The purpose and operation of the P symbol is explored later in this chapter.
Special-Insertion Examples
Table 9-4 gives some special-insertion example picture strings and shows the formatting that these edited pictures apply to data values. You probably noticed that the last example in Table 9-3 was an example of special insertion as well as simple insertion.
Table 9-4. Special-Insertion Editing Examples
Sending
Receiving
Comments
Picture
Data
Picture
Result
PIC 9(3)V99
63485 PIC 9999.99
0634.85
The decimal point is inserted; and after
alignment, the digits of the sending item are
inserted to the left and right of the decimal
point, with the result that there is zero-filling
on the left.
Size = 7 characters.
PIC 9(4)V99
063485 PIC 9999.9
0634.8
The decimal point is inserted; and after
alignment, the digits of the sending item are
inserted to the left and right of the decimal
point, with the result that there is truncation on
the right (5).
Size = 6 characters.
PIC 9(4)V99
363485 PIC 999.99
634.85
The decimal point is inserted; and after
alignment, the digits of the sending item are
inserted to the left and right of the decimal
point with the result that there is truncation on
the left (3).
Size = 6 characters.
PIC 9(4)
3485 PIC 999.99
485. 00
The decimal point is inserted. The sending
field is treated as if it had a decimal point in
the rightmost position. After alignment, there
is truncation of the leftmost digit (3) and
zero-filling on the left.
Size = 6 characters.
187
Chapter 9 ■ edited piCtures
Fixed-Insertion Editing
Fixed-insertion editing is so named because it inserts the edit symbol in a fixed position at the beginning or end of the edited item. The fixed insertion editing symbols are as follows:
• The plus (+) and minus (-) signs
• The letters CR and DB, representing credit and debit
• The currency symbol (usually the $ sign)
Like the other insertion edit symbols, the fixed-insertion symbols count toward the size of the printed item.
Plus and Minus Symbols
The plus (+) and minus (-) symbols must be placed in the first or last character position of the PICTURE string. The operation of the plus and minus edit symbols is not as straightforward as it may appear. The rules governing their operation are as follows:
• If the plus symbol is specified, then a minus sign is inserted if the value is negative and a plus
sign is inserted if the value is positive.
• If the minus symbol is specified, then a minus sign is inserted if the value is negative but a
space is inserted if the value is positive. So the minus symbol is only used to highlight negative values. If you always want the appropriate sign to be inserted, use the plus symbol.
CR and DB
CR and DB stand for credit and debit, respectively. But what a credit is and what a debit is depends on which side of the balance sheet you are on. Therefore, the rule with the CR and DB symbols is that both are inserted only if the value is negative. CR and DB count toward the data-item size, occupy two character positions, and may only appear in the last character position of the edit PICTURE string.
The Currency Symbol
The currency symbol (usually $) must be one of the leading characters of the edit PICTURE string. It may be preceded by a plus or a minus sign.
The default currency symbol is the dollar sign ($); but as shown in Listing 9-2, it may be changed to a different symbol by the CURRENCY SIGN IS clause, in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph, CONFIGURATION SECTION, ENVIRONMENT
DIVISION.
Listing 9-2. Using the CURRENCY SIGN Clause to Change the Currency Symbol
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. Listing9-2.
AUTHOR. Michael Coughlan.
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
CONFIGURATION SECTION.
SPECIAL-NAMES.
188
Chapter 9 ■ edited piCtures
CURRENCY SIGN IS "£".
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 Edit1 PIC £££,££9.99.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
Begin.
MOVE 12345.95 TO Edit1
DISPLAY "Edit1 = " Edit1
STOP RUN.
In Listing 9-3, multiple currency sign declarations are used to create a currency converter program. Several CURRENCY SIGN declarations are made (note that while there are several clauses there is only one sentence and hence one period) and then each edited picture uses the appropriate currency symbol.
Listing 9-3. Using Multiple CURRENCY SIZE clauses
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. Listing9-3.
AUTHOR. Michael Coughlan.
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
CONFIGURATION SECTION.
SPECIAL-NAMES.
CURRENCY SIGN IS "£"
CURRENCY SIGN IS "$"
CURRENCY SIGN IS "¥".
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 DollarValue PIC 9999V99.
01 PrnDollarValue PIC $$$,$$9.99.
01 PrnYenValue PIC ¥¥¥,¥¥9.99.
01 PrnPoundValue PIC £££,££9.99.
01 Dollar2PoundRate PIC 99V9(6) VALUE 0.640138.
01 Dollar2YenRate PIC 99V9(6) VALUE 98.6600.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
Begin.
DISPLAY "Enter a dollar value to convert :- " WITH NO ADVANCING
ACCEPT DollarValue
MOVE DollarValue TO PrnDollarValue
COMPUTE PrnYenValue ROUNDED = DollarValue * Dollar2YenRate
COMPUTE PrnPoundValue ROUNDED = DollarValue * Dollar2PoundRate
189
Chapter 9 ■ edited piCtures
DISPLAY "Dollar value = " PrnDollarValue
DISPLAY "Yen value = " PrnYenValue
DISPLAY "Pound value = " PrnPoundValu
e
STOP RUN.
Fixed-Insertion Examples
Table 9-5 gives examples of fixed insertion using the plus and minus edit symbols. Table 9-6 does the same for the CR
and DB edit symbols.
Table 9-5. Fixed-Insertion Editing with the Plus and Minus Symbols
Sending
Receiving
Comments
Picture
Data
Picture
Result
PIC S9(4)
–4174
PIC –9999
–4174
A negative value moved into an item edited
with a minus sign inserts the minus sign.
Size = 5 characters.
PIC S9(4)
–4174
PIC 9999–
4174–
When the minus sign is in the last character
position, the minus is inserted into the last
character position.
Size = 5 characters.
PIC S9(4)
+4174
PIC –9999
4174
A positive value moved into an item edited
with a minus sign inserts a space character in
the position of the minus symbol.
Size = 5 characters.
PIC S9(4)
+4174
PIC +9999
+4174
A positive value moved into an item edited
with a plus sign inserts a plus sign.
Size = 5 characters.
PIC S9(4)
–174
PIC +9999
–0174
A negative value moved into an item edited
with a plus sign inserts a minus sign.
Size = 5 characters.
PIC S9(4)
–174
PIC 9999+
0174–
A negative value moved into an item edited
with a plus sign inserts a minus sign in the
character position of the plus symbol.
Size = 5 characters.
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Chapter 9 ■ edited piCtures
Table 9-6. Fixed-Insertion Editing with CR, DB, and the Currency Symbol
Sending
Receiving
Comments
Picture
Data
Picture
Result
PIC 999
174
PIC $9999
$0174
The $ sign is inserted.
Size = 5 characters.
PIC S999
–174
PIC –$9999
–$0174
The minus symbol is used before the $ and the
value is negative, so both are inserted.
Size = 6 characters.
PIC S999
–174
PIC –$9999CR
–$0174CR
The minus symbol is used at the start of the edit
string and CR at the end. The value is negative,
so the minus and CR are both inserted.
Size = 8 characters.
PIC S999
+174
PIC +$9999CR
+$0174
A plus sign is used before the $ and the value
is positive, so a plus sign is inserted. The
CR symbol is used; but because the value is
positive, spaces are inserted.
Size = 8 characters.
PIC S9(4)
-4174
PIC 9999CR
4174CR
The value is negative, so CR is inserted.
Size = 6 characters.
PIC S9(4)
+4174
PIC 9999CR
4174
The value is positive, so spaces are inserted.
Size = 6 characters.
PIC S9(4)
–4174
PIC 9999DB
4174DB
The value is negative, so DB is inserted.
Size = 6 characters.
PIC S9(4)
+4174
PIC 9999DB
4174
The value is positive, so spaces are inserted.
Size = 6 characters.
PIC S9(4)
–174
PIC 9999+
0174–
A negative value moved into an item edited
with a plus sign inserts a minus sign in the
character position of the plus symbol.
Size = 5 characters.
Floating Insertion
The problem with fixed-insertion editing is that data formatted using it can be somewhat unsightly. Values like $00019,825.75 and -0000135 are more acceptably presented as $19,825.75 and -135. What makes these formats more presentable is that the leading zeros have been suppressed and the editing symbol has been “floated” up against the first non-zero digit. In COBOL, this effect can be achieved using floating insertion. Floating insertion can only be applied to numeric-edited data items.
The floating-insertion symbols are the plus and minus signs and the currency symbol. Floating insertion
suppresses leading zeros and floats the insertion symbol up against the first non-zero digit. Every floating symbol counts toward the size of the printed item. Each floating-insertion symbol—with the exception of the leftmost symbol, which is always inserted—is a placeholder that may be replaced by a space or a digit. This means at least one symbol is always inserted, even though this may be at the cost of truncating the number.
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Chapter 9 ■ edited piCtures
Floating-Insertion Examples
The examples in Table 9-7 show how you can use floating-insertion editing. You should pay particular attention to how floating insertion deals with the comma when this symbol is combined with the floating-insertion symbols (see the second example).
Table 9-7. Floating-Insertion Editing with Plus, Minus, and the Currency Symbol
Sending
Receiving
Comments
Picture
Data
Picture
Result
PIC 9(4)V99
000000
PIC $$,$$9.99
****$0.00
The currency symbol floats against the
digit in the leftmost numeric position. The
zeros to the left of the currency symbol are
replaced by spaces.
Size = 9 characters.
PIC 9(4)V99
174.75
PIC $$,$$9.99
**$174.75
The currency symbol replaces the comma
because there are no digits to the left of the
comma (rule prevents $,174.75).
Size = 9 characters.
PIC 9(4)V99
4174.75
PIC $$,$$9.99
$4,174.75
A comma is inserted.
Size = 9 characters.
PIC 9(4)V99
4174.75
PIC $$,$$9.00
$4,174.00
The zeros are inserted to the right of
the decimal point. After decimal-point
alignment, the least significant digits (75)
of the value are lost.
Size = 9 characters.
PIC 9(5)V99
34174.75
PIC $$,$$9.99
$4,174.75
The leftmost currency symbol cannot be
replaced by a digit, which means after
alignment the most significant digit (3) is lost.
Size = 9 characters.
PIC S9(3)
-26
PIC +++9
*-26
The character positions to the left of the
currency symbol are occupied by spaces.
Size = 4 characters.
PIC S9(3)
+426
PIC +++9
+426
Size = 4 characters.
PIC S9(3)
/> -426
PIC ---9
-426
Size = 4 characters.
PIC S9(3)
+426
PIC ---9
426
A positive value and the minus symbol
mean the symbol is replaced by space.
Size = 4 characters.
PIC S9(4)
+6426
PIC +++9
+426
The leftmost plus symbol cannot be replaced
by a digit, which means after alignment the
most significant digit (6) is lost.
Size = 4 characters.
192
Chapter 9 ■ edited piCtures
Suppression-and-Replacement Editing
Suppression-and-replacement editing is used to replace leading zeroes from the value to be edited with the replacement symbol. Like floating insertion, suppression and replacement can only be applied to numeric-edited data items. There are two varieties of suppression-and-replacement editing:
• Suppression of leading zeros and replacement with spaces
• Suppression of leading zeros and replacement with asterisks
The suppression and replacement symbols are the letter Z and the asterisk (*). Using Z in an edited picture instructs the computer to suppress a leading zero in that character position and replace it with a space. Using * in an edited picture instructs the computer to replace a leading zero with an asterisk. The picture clause symbol 9 cannot appear to the left of the replacement symbols (Z or *). If all the character positions in a data item are Z editing symbols and the sending item is 0, then only spaces will be printed. Replacement with spaces is done for aesthetic reasons, but replacement with asterisks is often done as a security measure on checks.
Suppression-and-Replacement Examples
Table 9-8 shows how you can use suppression and replacement. As with the examples in Table 9-7, you should pay particular attention to how suppression-and-replacement editing deals with the comma when this symbol is combined with the replacement symbols.
Table 9-8. Suppression-and-Replacement Editing Examples
Sending
Receiving
Comments
Picture
Data
Picture
Result
PIC 9(4)
0000
PIC Z,ZZZ
The value is zero, and the edit string instructs the
computer to replace the leading zeros with spaces.
Size= 5 characters.
PIC 9(4)
8317
PIC Z,Z99
8,317
If there are no leading zeros, there is no replacement.
Size= 5 characters.
Michael Coughlan Page 25