Microsoft COBOL  MS-DOS Release 2.1

REFMAN.DOC

Additions to the Microsoft COBOL Compiler
   Reference Manual

September 3, 1985





   The following information was not available when the
   Microsoft COBOL Compiler Reference Manual was printed,
   but will appear in future versions of that document.















                   CONTENTS

CHAPTER  6     DATA DIVISION

         6.2   Record Description Entry

         6.2.5 Numeric Items
             
               3. Binary Item


CHAPTER  7     PROCEDURE DIVISION

         7.2   Arithmetic Statements

         7.2.1 SIZE ERROR Option

         7.6   PROCEDURE DIVISION Statements

         7.6.1 ACCEPT Statement

         7.6.1.1 Format 1 ACCEPT Statement




CHAPTER  6     DATA DIVISION

         6.2   Record Description Entry

         6.2.5 Numeric Items
             
               3. Binary Item

      Warning: Regardless of the number of digits
               specified in the PICTURE clause for
               a COMP-0 or COMP-4 item, truncation
               and the SIZE ERROR condition occur 
               only when a value moved to such an
               item exceeds the range (described
               above) for a 2-byte (COMP-0) or 4-
               byte (COMP-4) SIGNED binary integer.
               A COMP-0 item has an implicit PICTURE
               S9(5), and a COMP-4 item has an 
               implicit PICTURE S9(10).
 
               Binary items are always considered
               to be signed, even if the PICTURE 
               omits the sign character S.



CHAPTER 7      PROCEDURE DIVISION


        7.2    Arithmetic Statements

        7.2.1  SIZE ERROR Option

      Warning: For binary items, defined with 
               USAGE COMP-0 or COMP-4, truncation
               and the SIZE ERROR condition occur 
               only when a value moved to such an 
               item exceeds the range for a 2-byte
               (COMP-0) or 4-byte (COMP-4) SIGNED 
               binary integer. A COMP-0 item has 
               an implicit PICTURE S9(5), and a 
               COMP-4 item has an implicit PICTURE
               S9(10), regardless of the number of
               digits specified in the PICTURE
               clause.


         7.6   PROCEDURE DIVISION Statements

         7.6.1 ACCEPT Statement

               The Format 1 ACCEPT obtains date or time 
	       information from the operating system. It
	       places the amount of data specified into
	       identifier, regardless of the size of
	       identifier. (For example, DATE will move
	       6 digits of information even if identifier
	       is PIC XX). Be sure identifier is large enough
	       to hold the output of ACCEPT.

         7.6.1.1 Format 1 ACCEPT Statement
	       
	       LINE NUMBER

	       a two-digit value. The ACCEPT ... FROM LINE 
	       NUMBER is provided for compatibility with
	       other COBOL's, but in Microsoft COBOL the 
	       value of LINE NUMBER is always "00".