Cobol Read Command

[klophockey]

MOVE 901DCM0000         TO MSGKEY.
           READ MSGFILE WITH LOCK.

           MOVE 0000000000             TO MSGKEY.
           START MSGFILE KEY NOT < MSGKEY.

Does the above START command unlock the record read referenced in the “READ MSGFILE” command ?

 

[k5tm]

Depends on the COBOL product you are using.

Tom Morrison
Consultant

 

[klophockey]

IS COBOL

 

[johnherman]

The START command positions the pointer within the file, nothing more. (for every version of COBOL I've used).

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[k5tm]

The START command positions the pointer within the file, nothing more. (for every version of COBOL I've used).

In the (default) automatic single record locking mode in RM/COBOL, the lock established by the READ is released when any I/O statement on the file is executed. Therefore, in that mode, START would release the record.

Now, the question is, does IS COBOL behave that way? Could be, due to the facts (well, perhaps opinion informed by facts) that (1) AcuCOBOL was created to act as an RM/COBOL clone, and (2) IS COBOL was created to act as an AcuCOBOL clone. In reality, almost all COBOL products now have two or more locking modes, and the rules are complex enough that the simple question asked above cannot be answered without considerably more context.

Tom Morrison
Consultant

 

[johnherman]

just as fyi, I have never used RM Cobol or Acu Cobol. My experience is with Concurrent Cobol, Microfocus Cobol, and a bunch of old proprietary Cobols, like Burroughs/Unisys, DEC, etc.

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