COBOL SIZE ERROR Phrase Example

Size Error Phrase Tutorial   

Scenario1 - No overflow

Input-        WS-A = 700, WS-B = 200

Declaration-  05 WS-A     PIC 9(03) VALUE 700.
              05 WS-B     PIC 9(03) VALUE 200.
              05 WS-C     PIC 9(03).
			  
Code-         ADD WS-A, WS-B TO WS-C 
                ON SIZE ERROR DISPLAY "OVERFLOW"
                NOT ON SIZE ERROR DISPLAY "WS-C:  " WS-C.   
				
Result-       WS-C = 900

In the above case, the result is 900. So, the NOT ON SIZE ERROR phrase gets executed and displays the the result 900.

Scenario2 - Result overflow

Input-        WS-A = 900, WS-B = 200

Declaration-  05 WS-A     PIC 9(03) VALUE 900.
              05 WS-B     PIC 9(03) VALUE 200.
              05 WS-C     PIC 9(03).
			  
Code-         ADD WS-A, WS-B TO WS-C 
                ON SIZE ERROR DISPLAY "OVERFLOW"
                NOT ON SIZE ERROR DISPLAY "WS-C:  " WS-C.     
				
Result-       OVERFLOW

In the above case, the result is 1100. However, WS-C is declared as 9(3) and the maximum value can save is 999. So, the SIZE ERROR phrase gets executed and displays the message "OVERFLOW".