Day One

Fundamentals

• Hardware and Software
• Instructions and Programs
• Compiling and Binding
• COBOL Basics
• Computer Exercise: Starting a COBOL Program

Describing Data

• Concepts
• Records and Files
• Fields
• Structures
• Introduction to PICTURE
• Working-Storage
• Tips in Defining Data
• Computer Exercise: Defining Working-Storage

Processing Data

• File Handling
• Record Building
• Loop Control
• The PROCEDURE Division
  • Qualification of names
• OPEN, READ, WRITE, CLOSE
• Control Flow
• GO TO, EXIT PROGRAM, STOP RUN, GOBACK
• Data Manipulation
  • MOVE and MOVE CORRESPONDING
• Computer Exercise: A Complete COBOL Program

I/O Processing Options

• Buffers
• Move Mode and Locate Mode Processing
• End of File Processing
• Data Element Naming
• Computer Exercise: Variations on a Theme

Day Two

More on Data Items

• Figurative Constants
• Data Editing
• Computer Exercise: Editing Data

PERFORM Statements

• Un-structured Programming
• Alternatives to “GO TO”
• Perform Procedure
• Perform … Thru
• Perform Until
• Computer Exercise: Using Perform

Program Design

• Program Execution Principles
• Program Design Paradigms and Techniques
• Pseudocode
• Computer Exercise: Using Pseudocode

Conditional Statements

• More PERFORM statements
• Conditions and Conditional Expressions
• IF / [THEN] / ELSE
• Scope Terminators
• CONTINUE
• In-Line PERFORM
• SET … TO TRUE
• Computer Exercise: Conditional Statements

Day Three

Describing Numeric Data

• USAGE Clause
• Display data
• Packed decimal data
• Binary integer data
• Computer Exercise: Creating Numeric Fields

Data Alignment

• Slack Bytes and Sync
• Numeric Data Transmission Considerations
• Computer Exercise: Ensuring Proper Alignment

Arithmetic Instructions

• ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, DIVIDE
• Rounding
• Arithmetic expressions
• COMPUTE
• Planning calculation results
• ON SIZE ERROR
• Computer Exercise: Using Arithmetic Verbs

EVALUATE

• Syntax
• EVALUATE and conditions
• EVALUATE with ANY and ALSO
• EVALUATE and truth tables
• Points and Tips
• Computer Exercise: Using EVALUATE

Day Four

Basic string manipulation

• INITIALIZE, ACCEPT / DISPLAY
• Conceptual Data Items (DATE [YYYYMMDD], DAY [YYYYDDD], DAY-OF-WEEK, TIME)
• Reference modification
• Hex notation
• Computer Exercise: DATE, TIME, and DISPLAY

Intrinsic Functions

• Concepts and syntax
• Lists of intrinsic functions
• Date- and Time-related functions
• String related functions
• Arithmetic, Business, and Mathematical Functions
• Computer Exercise: Using Functions

Working With Print Files

• Carriage Control
• Report Dates
• Report Components
• Line Counting
• Page Break Logic
• Report Break Logic
• Report Design Pseudocode
• Computer Exercise: Report Creation

Day Five

Control Breaks

• Concepts
• Break processing
• Control break pseudocode
• Computer Exercise: Two-level Control Break Program (Optional)

Match Merge Logic

• Update in place (REWRITE)
• Match merge concepts
• Match merge pseudocode
• Computer Exercise: Match Merge Processing

Miscellaneous Topics

• File status
• REDEFINES and RENAMES
• User-defined classes
• The COPY Statement
• Advanced currency capabilities
• Line sequential files