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General Formats (Cont.)
The SORT Statement (Cont.)
Syntax Rules.
All Formats.
1. A Format 1 SORT statement cannot appear in the declaratives
portion of the Procedure Division, or in an input or output
procedure associated with a SORT or MERGE statement.
For MF only: A Format 2 SORT can appear in the Declaratives
Section.
2. Data-name-1 is a KEY data-name and is subject to the following
rules:
a. KEY data-names can be qualified.
b. The data items identified by KEY data-names must not be
variable length items.
c. KEY data items can be floating-point items.
d. For OSVS, VSC2, and MF only: If the KEY is an external
floating-point item, the compiler will treat the data item
as character data, rather than numeric data. The sequence
in which the records are sorted depends on the collating
sequence .
e. For OSVS, VSC2, and MF only: If the KEY data item is
internal floating-point, the sequence of key values will be
in numeric order.
Format 1.
3. File-name-1 must be described in a Sort-Merge File Description
entry in the Data Division.
4. Data-name-1 is a KEY data-name and is subject to the following
rules:
a. The data items identified by KEY data-names must be
described in records associated with file-name-1.
b. If file-name-1 has more than one record description, then
the data items identified by KEY data-names need be
described in only one of the record descriptions.
c. None of the data items identified by KEY data-names can be
described by an entry which either contains an OCCURS
clause or is subordinate to an entry which contains an
OCCURS clause.
d. If the file referenced by file-name-1 contains variable
length records, all the data items identified by key
data-names must be contained within the first xcharacter
positions of the record, where x equals the minimum record
size specified for the file referenced by file-name-1.
5. The words THRU and THROUGH are equivalent.
6. File-name-2 and file-name-3 must be described in the file
description entry, not in a sort-merge file description entry, in
the Data Division.
7. For ANS85 only: The files referenced by file-name-2 and
file-name-3 can reside on the same multiple file reel.
8. For ANS85 only: If file-name-3 references an indexed file, the
first specification of data-name-1 must be associated with an
ASCENDING phrase and the data item referenced by that data-name-1
must occupy the same character positions in its record as the
data item associated with the prime record key for that file.
9. No pair of file-names in the same SORT statement can be specified
in the SAME SORT AREA or SAME SORT-MERGE AREA clause. File-names
associated with the GIVING phrase can not be specified in the
same SAME clause.
10. For ANS85 only: If the GIVING phrase is specified and the file
referenced by file-name-3 contains variable length records, the
size of the records contained in the file referenced by
file-name-1 must not be less than the smallest record nor larger
than the largest record described for file-name-3. If the file
referenced by file-name-3 contains fixed length records, the size
of the records contained in the file referenced by file-name-1
must not be larger than the largest record described for the file
referenced by file-name-3.
For ANS85 only: If the data descriptions of the elementary items
that make up these records are not identical, it is the
programmer's responsibility to describe the corresponding records
in such a manner as to cause equal amounts of character positions
to be allocated for the corresponding records.
11. For ANS85 only: If the USING phrase is specified and the file
referenced by file-name-1 contains variable length records, the
size of the records contained in the file referenced by
file-name-2 must not be less than the smallest record nor larger
than the largest record described for file-name-1. If the file
referenced by file-name-1 contains fixed length records, the size
of the records contained in the file referenced by file-name-2
must not be larger than the largest record described for the file
referenced by file-name-1.
12. Procedure-name-1 represents the name of an input procedure.
Procedure-name-3 represents the name of an output procedure.
13. Procedure-name-1, procedure-name-2, procedure-name-3 and
procedure-name-4 must be section-names.
For ANS85 and OSVS only: This restriction is removed.
14. If you want to specify more than 10 file-names in the USING or
GIVING clause, you must use the system directive CALLSORT"EXTSM";
this allows you to specify up to 255 files.
For MF only: Format 2.
15. Data-name-2 can be qualified and must have an OCCURS clause in
the data description entry.
16. The data item referenced by data-name-1 must be the same as the
data item referenced by data-name-2, or an entry subordinate to
the data item referenced by data-name-2.
17. Unless data-name-1 and data-name-2 are the same, the data item
referenced by data-name-1 must not be described by an entry
containing an OCCURS clause. The data item referenced by
data-name-1 must not be subordinate to an entry containing an
OCCURS clause that is also subordinate to data-name-2.
18. The KEY phrase can be omitted only if the description of the
table referenced by data-name-2 contains a KEY phrase.
19. If data-name-2 references a data item subordinate to a data item
that contains an OCCURS clause, an index-name must be associated
with each data item containing an OCCURS clause to which the data
item referenced by data-name-2 is subordinate.
General Rules.
All Formats.
1. The words ASCENDING and DESCENDING are transitive across all
occurrences of data-name-1 until another word ASCENDING or
DESCENDING is encountered.
2. The data items referenced by the specifications of data-name-1 are
the key data items which determine the order in which records are
returned from the file referenced by file-name-1 or the order in
which the table elements are stored after sorting takes place.
The order of significance of the keys is the order in which they
are specified in the SORT statement, without regard to their
association with ASCENDING or DESCENDING phrases.
3. If the DUPLICATES phrase is specified and the contents of all the
key data items associated with one data record or table element
are equal to the contents of the corresponding key data items
associated with one or more other data records or table elements,
the order of return of these records is:
a. The order of the associated input files as specified in the
SORT statement, or by means of a run-time switch. See your
COBOL System Reference for details of run-time switches.
Within a given input file the order is that in which the
records are accessed from that file.
b. The order in which these records are released by an input
procedure, when an input procedure is specified.
c. The relative order of the contents of these table elements
before sorting takes place.
4. If the DUPLICATES phrase is not specified and the contents of all
the key data items associated with one data record or table
element are equal to the contents of the corresponding key data
items associated with one or more other data records or table
elements, the order of return of these records or the relative
order of the contents of these table elements is undefined.
5. The collating sequence that applies to the comparison of the
nonnumeric key data items specified is determined at the beginning
of the execution of the SORT statement in the following order of
precedence:
a. First, the collating sequence established by the COLLATING
SEQUENCE phrase, if specified, in the SORT statement.
b. Second, the collating sequence established as the program
collating sequence.
Format 1.
6. The SORT statement releases all the records in the file
referenced by file-name-2 or released by an input procedure to
the file referenced by file-name-1, and returns them to an output
procedure, or to the file referenced by file-name-3, in an order
determined by the ASCENDING and DESCENDING phrases and the values
of the data items referenced by the specifications of
data-name-1.
7. To determine the relative order in which two records returned
from the file referenced by file-name-1, the contents of
corresponding key data items are compared according to the rules
for comparison of operands in a relation condition, starting with
the most significant key data item:
a. If the contents of the corresponding key data items are
not equal and the key is associated with the ASCENDING
phrase, the record containing the key data item with the
lower value is returned first.
b. If the contents of the corresponding key data items are
not equal and the key is associated with the DESCENDING
phrase, the record containing the key data item with the
higher value is returned first.
c. If the contents of the corresponding key data items are
equal, the determination is made on the contents of the
next most significant key data item.
8. The execution of the SORT statement consists of three distinct
phases as follows:
a. Records are made available to the file referenced by
file-name-1. This is achieved either by the execution of
RELEASE statements in the input procedure or by the
implicit execution of READ statements for file-name-2.
When this phase commences, the file referenced by
file-name-2 must not be in the open mode. When this phase
terminates, the file referenced by file-name-2 is not in
the open mode.
b. The file referenced by file-name-1 is sequenced. No
processing of the files referenced by file-name-2 and
file-name-3 takes place during this phase.
c. The records of the file referenced by file-name-1 are made
available in sorted order. The sorted records are either
written to the file referenced by file-name-3, or, by the
execution of a RETURN statement, are made available for
processing by the output procedure. When this phase
commences, the file referenced by file-name-3 must not be
in the open mode. When this phase terminates, the file
referenced by file-name-3 is not in the open mode.
9. The input procedure can consist of any procedure needed to
select, modify or copy the records that are made available one at
a time by the RELEASE statement to the file referenced by
file-name-1. The range includes all statements that are executed
as a result of a transfer of control by CALL, EXIT without the
optional PROGRAM phrase, GO TO and PERFORM statements in the
range of the input procedure. The range of the input procedure
must not cause the execution of any MERGE, RETURN or SORT
statement.
10. If an input procedure is specified, control is passed to the
input procedure before the file referenced by file-name-1 is
sequenced by the SORT statement. The compiler inserts a return
mechanism at the end of the last statement in the input procedure
and when control passes the last statement in the input
procedure, the records that have been released to the file
referenced by file-name-1 are sorted.
11. If the USING phrase is specified, all the records in the file(s)
referenced by file-name-2 are transferred to the file referenced
by file-name-1. For each of the files referenced by file-name-2
the execution of the SORT statement causes the following actions
to be taken:
a. The processing of the file is initiated. The initiation
is performed as if an OPEN statement with the INPUT phrase
had been executed.
b. The logical records are obtained and released to the sort
operation. Each record is obtained as if a READ statement
with the NEXT and AT END phrases had been executed. If
the file referenced by file-name-1 contains fixed length
records, any record in the file referenced by file-name-2
containing fewer character positions than that specified
for file-name-1 is space-filled on the right, beginning
with the first character position after the last character
in the record, when that record is released to the file
referenced by file-name-1. If the file referenced by
file-name-1 is described with variable-length records, the
size of any record written to file-name-1 is the size of
that record when it was read from file-name-2 or
file-name-3, regardless of the contents of the data item
referenced by a RECORD VARYING DEPENDING ON or OCCURS
DEPENDING ON clause specified in the File Description
entry for file-name-1.
c. The processing of the file is terminated. The termination
is performed as if a CLOSE statement without optional
phrases had been executed. This termination is performed
before the file referenced by file-name-1 is sequenced by
the SORT statement.
For a relative file, the content of the Relative Key data
item is undefined after the execution of a SORT statement
if file-name-2 is not referenced in the GIVING phrase.
These implicit functions are performed such that any
associated USE AFTER EXCEPTION procedures are executed;
however, the execution of such a USE procedure must not
cause the execution of any statement manipulating the file
referenced by file-name-2 or accessing the record area
associated with file-name-2.
The value of the data item referenced by a RECORD VARYING
DEPENDING ON clause specified in the File Description
entry for file-name-2 is undefined upon completion of the
SORT statement.
12. The output procedure can consist of any procedure needed to
select, modify or copy the records that are made available one at
a time by the RETURN statement in sorted order from the file
referenced by file-name-1. The range includes all statements
that are executed as a result of a transfer of control by CALL,
EXIT without the optional PROGRAM phrase, GO TO and PERFORM
statements in the range of the output procedure, as well as all
statements in the Declarative procedures that are executed as a
result of the execution of statements in the range of the output
procedure. The range of the input procedure must not cause the
execution of any MERGE, RELEASE or SORT statement.
13. If an output procedure is specified, control passes to it after
the file referenced by file-name-1 has been sequenced by the SORT
statement. The compiler inserts a return mechanism at the end of
the last statement in the output procedure and when control
passes the last statement in the output procedure, the return
mechanism provides for termination of the sort and then passes
control to the next executable statement after the SORT
statement. Before entering the output procedure, the sort
procedure reaches a point at which it can select the next record
in sorted order when requested. The RETURN statements in the
output procedure are the requests for the next record.
14. If the GIVING phrase is specified, all the sorted records are
written on the file referenced by file-name-3 as the implied
output procedure for the SORT statement. For each of the files
referenced by file-name-3, the execution of the SORT statement
causes the following actions to be taken:
a. The processing of the file is initiated. The initiation
is performed as if an OPEN statement with the OUTPUT
phrase had been executed. This initiation is performed
after the execution of any input procedure.
b. The logical records are returned and written onto the
file. The records are written as if a WRITE statement
without any optional phrases had been executed. If the
file referenced by file-name-3 is described with
fixed-length records, any record in the file referenced by
file-name-1 containing fewer character positions than that
specified for file-name-3 is space-filled on the right,
beginning with the first character position after the last
character in the record, when that record is returned
to the file referenced by file-name-3. If the
file referenced by file-name-3 is described with
variable-length records,the size of any record written to
file-name-3 is the size of that record when it was read
from file-name-1, regardless of the contents of the data
item referencedby a RECORD VARYING DEPENDING ON or OCCURS
DEPENDING ON clause specified in the File Description
entry for file-name-3.
For a relative file, the Relative Key data item for the
first record returned contains the value "1"; for the
second record returned, the value "2", and so on. The
content of the Relative Key data item is undefined after
execution of a SORT statement.
c. The processing of the file is terminated. The termination
is performed as if a CLOSE statement without optional
phrases had been executed.
These implicit functions are performed such that any
associated USE AFTER EXCEPTION procedures are executed;
however, the execution of such a USE procedure must not
cause the execution of any statement manipulating the file
referenced by file-name-3 or accessing the record area
associated with file-name-3. On the first attempt to
write beyond the externally-defined boundaries of a file,
the USE AFTER EXCEPTION procedure, if any, associated with
the file is executed; if control is returned as specified
by the rules of the USE statement, no additional implicit
write operations are executed for that file and the
processing of the file is terminated as specified in this
part.
The value of the data item referenced by a RECORDING VARYING
DEPENDING ON clause specified in the File Description entry for
file-name-1 is undefined upon completion of the SORT statement
for which the GIVING phrase is specified.
15. Segmentation, as defined in the chapter Segmentation in your
Language Reference - Additional Topics, can be applied to
programs containing the SORT statement. However, the following
restrictions apply:
a. If a SORT statement appears in a section that is not in an
independent segment, then any input procedures or output
procedures referenced by that SORT statement must appear:
* Totally within non-independent segments, or
* Wholly contained in a single independent segment.
b. If a SORT statement appears in an independent segment,
then any input procedures or output procedures referenced
by that SORT statement must be contained:
* Totally within non-independent segments, or
* Wholly within the same independent segment as that
SORT statement.
16. For OSVS, VSC2, and MF only: The SORT-RETURN special register is
available to SORT programs. It contains a return code of of 0
(successful) or 16 (unsuccessful) at the completion of a sort
operation. You can set the SORT-RETURN special register to 16 in
an error declarative or input/output procedure to terminate a
sort operation before all records are processed. The operation
is terminated on the next RETURN or RELEASE statement.
For MF only: Format 2.
17. The SORT statement sorts the table referenced by data-name-2 and
presents the sorted table in data-name-2 either in the order
determined by the ASCENDING or DESCENDING phrases, if specified,
or in the order determined by the KEY phrase associated with
data-name-2.
18. To determine the relative order in which the table elements are
stored after sorting, the contents of the corresponding key data
items are compared according to the rules for comparison of
operands in a relation condition, starting with the most
significant key data item.
a. If the contents of the corresponding key data items are
not equal and the key is associated with the ASCENDING
phrase, the table element containing the key data item
with the lower value has the lowest occurrence number.
b. If the contents of the corresponding key data items are
not equal and the key is associated with the DESCENDING
phrase, the table element containing the key data item
with the higher value has the lowest occurrence number.
c. If the contents of the corresponding key data items are
equal, the determination is based on the contents of the
next most significant key data item.
19. The number of occurrences of table elements referenced by
data-name-2 is determined by the rules in the OCCURS clause.
20. If data-name-2 references a data item which is subordinate to a
data item which contains an OCCURS clause, the first or only
index-name associated with each such superordinate table must be
set to the desired occurrence number before the SORT statement is
executed.
21. If the KEY phrase is not specified, the sequence is determined by
the KEY phrase in the Data Description entry of the table
referenced by data-name-2.
22. If the KEY phrase is specified, it overrides any KEY phrase
specified in the Data Description entry of the table referenced
by data-name-2.
23. If the key phrase is specified but data-name-1 is omitted, the
data item referenced by data-name-2 is the key data item.
24. The sorted table elements of the table referenced by data-name-2
are placed in the table referenced by data-name-2.
25. The COLLATING SEQUENCE phrase is treated as documentary only.
The START Statement
Function.
The START statement provides a basis for logical positioning within a
relative or indexed file for subsequent retrieval of records. This
statement is not available for files with sequential organization.
General Formats.
Format 1 (Relative Files).
![[]](../../pic3k/M015064/FFN2813c50.gif)
Format 2 (Indexed Files).
![[]](../../pic3k/M015064/FFN2823c50.gif)
Note that the required relational characters ">", "<", ">=" , "<=" and
"=" are not underlined to avoid confusion with other symbols, such as ")"
(greater than or equal to).
Syntax Rules.
All Formats (Relative and Indexed Files).
1. File-name-1 must be the name of a relative or indexed file.
2. File-name-1 must be the name of a file with sequential or dynamic
access.
3. Data-name-1 can be qualified.
4. The INVALID KEY phrase must be specified if no applicable USE
procedure is specified for file-name-1.
For OSVS, VSC2, and MF only: This rule is not enforced.
Format 1 (Relative Files).
5. If the KEY phrase is specified, data-name-1 must be the data item
specified in the RELATIVE KEY phrase of the associated file
control entry.
Format 2 (Indexed Files).
6. If the KEY phrase is specified, data-name-1 can reference a data
item specified as a record key associated with file-name-1. It
can also reference any data item of category alphanumeric,
subordinate to the data item specified as a record key associated
with file-name-1, whose leftmost character position corresponds
to the leftmost character position of that record key data item.
7. For MF only: Split-key-name-1 can reference one or more data
items, and is specified as a record key associated with
file-name-1.
8. For MF only: WITH SIZE specifies the number of characters in
the key to be used in the positioning process.
9. For MF only: Identifier-1 must be the name of an elementary
integer data item when used with the WITH SIZE phrase.
General Rules.
All Formats (All Files).
1. File-name-1 must be open in the INPUT or I/O mode at the time that
the START statement is executed. (See the section The OPEN
Statement earlier in this chapter.)
2. If the KEY phrase is not specified, the relational operation IS
EQUAL TO is implied.
3. Execution of the START statement causes the value of the FILE
STATUS data item, if any, associated with file-name-1 to be
updated. (See the section I/O Status earlier in this chapter.)
4. For MF only: The START statement never acquires, detects or
releases record locks.
Format 1 (Relative Files).
5. The type of comparison specified by the relational operator in
the KEY phrase occurs between a key associated with a record in
the file referenced by file-name-1 and a data item as specified
in General Rule 6.
a. If the relational operator specifies that the key must be
equal to or greater than, or greater than or equal to the
data item, then (ANS85 only) the file position indicator
is positioned to the first logical record currently
existing in the file whose key satisfies the comparison.
b. For MF only: If the relational operator specifies that
the key must be less than, or less than or equal to the
data item, then the file position indicator is positioned
to the last logical record currently existing in the file
whose key satisfies the comparison.
c. If the comparison is not satisfied by any record in the
file, an INVALID KEY condition exists. The execution of
the START statement will be unsuccessful, and the position
of the file position indicator will be undefined. (See
the section The INVALID KEY Condition in this chapter.)
6. The comparison described in General Rule 5 uses the data item
referenced by the RELATIVE KEY clause associated with
file-name-1. A RELATIVE KEY clause must be associated with a
file-name-1.
Format 2 (Indexed Files).
7. The type of comparison specified by the relational operator in
the KEY phrase occurs between a key associated with a record in
the file referenced by file-name-1 and a data item as specified
in General Rule 8. If file-name-1 references an indexed file and
the operands are of unequal size, the comparison proceeds as
though the longer one were truncated on the right so that its
length is equal to that of the shorter. All other nonnumeric
comparison rules apply except that the presence of the PROGRAM
COLLATING SEQUENCE clause will have no effect on the comparison.
(See the section Comparison Of Nonnumeric Operands earlier in
this chapter.)
a. If the relational operator specifies that the key must be
equal to or greater than, or greater than or equal to the
data item, then (ANS85 only) the file position indicator
is positioned to the first logical record currently
existing in the file whose key satisfies the comparison.
b. For MF only: If the relational operator specifies that
the key must be less than, or less than or equal to the
data item, then the file position indicator is positioned
to the last logical record currently existing in the file
whose key satisfies the comparison. If this key has
duplicate entries, the file position indicator is
positioned to the last of these entries.
c. If the comparison is not satisfied by any record in the
file, an INVALID KEY condition exists, the execution of
the START statement is unsuccessful, and the position of
the file position indicator is undefined. (See the
section The INVALID KEY Condition in this chapter.)
8. If the KEY phrase is specified, the comparison described in
General Rule 7 uses the data item referenced by data-name.
9. If the KEY phrase is not specified, the comparison described in
General Rule 7 uses the data item referenced in the RECORD KEY
clause associated with file-name-1.
10. After successful execution of the START statement, a key of
reference is established and used in subsequent Format 3 READ
statements as follows (see the section The READ Statement earlier
in this chapter):
a. If the KEY phrase is not specified, the prime record key
specified for file-name-1 becomes the key of reference.
b. If the KEY phrase is specified, and data-name-1 or
split-key-name-1 (MF only) is specified as a record key
for file-name-1, that record key becomes the key of
reference.
c. If the KEY phrase is specified, and data-name-1 or
split-key-name-1 (MF only) is not specified as a record
key for file-name-1, the record key whose leftmost
character position corresponds to the leftmost character
position of the data item specified by data-name-1 or
split-key-name-1 (MF only) becomes the key of reference.
11. If execution of the START statement is not successful, the key of
reference is undefined.