COBOL Fundamentals: Data Types & Variables

Data Types in COBOL The COBOL standard categorizes data based on its purpose into five distinct types. These are: Alphabetic - Used when you need to include letters (e.g., A-Z, a-z). While it might seem ideal for storing names, you should be cautious, as names can contain non-alphabetic characters. This data type can also include spaces. Alphanumeric - Used when you need to include letters, numbers, and special characters (e.g., A-Z, 0-9, %, #). This type is most commonly used for storing names, coupon codes, or other mixed-type information. Numeric - Used for numbers (e.g., 0-9). This data type is designed for arithmetic operations and calculations, making it essential for financial, scientific, and statistical applications. Alphanumeric Edited - Used to format alphanumeric data for display purposes. This type allows for the insertion of fixed characters (e.g., hyphens, slashes, or spaces) into alphanumeric data. Numeric Edited - Used to format numeric data for display purposes. This type allows for the insertion of fixed characters (e.g., currency symbols, commas, or decimal points) into numeric data. A Note on Edited Data Types

Feb 22, 2025 - 02:46

The COBOL standard categorizes data based on its purpose into five distinct types. These are:

Alphabetic - Used when you need to include letters (e.g., A-Z, a-z). While it might seem ideal for storing names, you should be cautious, as names can contain non-alphabetic characters. This data type can also include spaces.
Alphanumeric - Used when you need to include letters, numbers, and special characters (e.g., A-Z, 0-9, %, #). This type is most commonly used for storing names, coupon codes, or other mixed-type information.
Numeric - Used for numbers (e.g., 0-9). This data type is designed for arithmetic operations and calculations, making it essential for financial, scientific, and statistical applications.
Alphanumeric Edited - Used to format alphanumeric data for display purposes. This type allows for the insertion of fixed characters (e.g., hyphens, slashes, or spaces) into alphanumeric data.
Numeric Edited - Used to format numeric data for display purposes. This type allows for the insertion of fixed characters (e.g., currency symbols, commas, or decimal points) into numeric data.