COBOL search sorted text file

[phed]

I have a sorted text, the first 12 characters is sorted as the key. This file may contain thousands of lines.
I read another file to get keys, I would like to know what is the quickest method to get the matching line from the sorted text file.

 

[nclouston]

Have both datasets in the same sort order - it is a simple 2-file match. Or convert the big dataset to VSAM or a database.
But you don't say what your environment is.


Nic