WHEN COMPILED 4

[Dan01]

Hi all, Hewlett Packard Cobol has the extension WHEN-COMPILED that can be use as such:

DISPLAY "PROGRAM COMPILED " WHEN-COMPILED

Is there a standard Cobol function that will do the equivalent, or does when compiled need to be built input dates. Thanks, Dan.

 

[Crox]

Most of the compilers have such an extension.

 

[3gm]

There is an intrinsic function WHEN-COMPILED that returns a 21 character date/time/timezone and can be used thus:

MOVE FUNCTION WHEN-COMPILED TO WS-COMPILED-DATE-TIME

See:

http://publibz.boulder.ibm.com/cgi-...VR002/7.1.48?SHELF=EZ2VS121&DT=19981109165541

or

http://docs.hp.com/cgi-bin/doc3k/B3150090013.11820/159

I believe it is part of the 1990(?) addendum to ANSI 85 COBOL.

Regards.

Glenn

 

[Dan01]

When using $CONTROL,STDWARN to check for standard Cobol, this is the message I receive during compile using WHEN-COMPILED:


TALLY, CURRENT-DATE, TIME-OF-DAY, WHEN-COMPILED is nonconforming nonstandard (HP extension).

 

[3gm]

Dan -

If you use the FUNCTION WHEN-COMPILED as I described previously, you will NOT get a non-conforming message. It IS a standard function found in any ANSI 85+intrinsic function-compliant compiler.

Glenn

 

[Dimandja]

3gm is right, but so is Dan01.

HP has Special Register Word called WHEN-COMPILED and a ANSI function called WHEN-COMPILED.

Here is the definition of Special Register Word:
"A special register is a storage area in main memory that contains information primarily used in connection with specific COBOL features. The content of this area is generated automatically by the compiler. In a COBOL program, such an area is referenced by a special register word."

The Special Register Word WHEN-COMPILED is not part of ANSI COBOL, just as Dan01 says.

But the function WHEN-COMPILED is ANSI COBOL, just as 3gm says.

This references the register:
MOVE WHEN-COMPILED TO ws-field

This references the function:
MOVE FUNCTION WHEN-COMPILED TO ws-field

The results could be different though, because the register reference obtains the date and time from the software clock. But, the function retrieves it from the hardware clock.

Dimandja

 

[Dan01]

Thanks Glenn and Dimandja. I gave both of you stars for your expert postings. Glenn, I did as you stated and it was accepted as standard Cobol. Dimandja, thanks for clarifying that. I would never have guessed! Dan.