COBOL Updating a Record in Variable Length PS File Example

Scenario - Updating a record (EMP-ID = E0005) in a variable length PS (Sequential) file.

Input file -

 BROWSE    MATEPK.EMPLOYEE.VINPFILE                   Line 00000000 Col 001 080 
 Command ===>                                                  Scroll ===> CSR  
----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7----+----8
********************************* Top of Data **********************************
E0001EMPLOYEE1      MANAGER   0000200000         EMPLOYEE RECORD 1
E0002EMPLOYEE2      TL        0000150000         EMP REC 2
E0003EMPLOYEE3      SE        0000050000         EMP 3
E0004EMPLOYEE4      SSE       0000040000
E0005EMPLOYEE5      SE        0000040000         EMP 5
******************************** Bottom of Data ********************************

Code -

----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+
       IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
       PROGRAM-ID. SEQVFLUD.
       AUTHOR. MTH.
 
       ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
       INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
       FILE-CONTROL.
      * EMPFILE Definition
           SELECT EMPFILE ASSIGN TO INPUT01
           ORGANIZATION IS SEQUENTIAL
           ACCESS MODE  IS SEQUENTIAL
           FILE STATUS  IS WS-FS1.

       DATA DIVISION.
       FILE SECTION.
      * EMPFILE structure definition
       FD EMPFILE
           RECORD VARYING FROM 47 TO 80 CHARACTERS
                  DEPENDING ON EMPREC-LEN 
           RECORDING MODE  IS  V.
      * EMPFILE record structure definition
       01 EMP-RECORD80.
          05 EMP-ID        PIC X(05).
          05 EMP-NAME      PIC X(15).
          05 EMP-DESG      PIC X(10).
          05 EMP-SALARY    PIC 9(10).
          05 FILLER        PIC X(40).

       WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
       01 WS-VAR.
          05 EMPREC-LEN    PIC 9(02).
          05 WS-FS1        PIC 9(02).
          05 WS-EOF-SW     PIC X(01).
             88 WS-EOF         VALUE 'Y'.
             88 WS-NOT-EOF     VALUE 'N'.
       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
      * Opening EMPFILE for reading
           OPEN I-O EMPFILE.

      * Loop for reading all records from EMPFILE
           SET  WS-NOT-EOF      TO  TRUE.
           PERFORM UNTIL WS-EOF
                READ EMPFILE
                         AT END SET WS-EOF TO TRUE     
                     NOT AT END PERFORM 1000-UPDATE-REC
                                   THRU 1000-EXIT      
                END-READ
           END-PERFORM.
      * Closing EMPFILE
           CLOSE EMPFILE.
           STOP RUN.

       1000-UPDATE-REC.

           IF EMP-ID EQUAL "E0005"
              COMPUTE EMP-SALARY = EMP-SALARY - 5000
              REWRITE EMP-RECORD80
           END-IF.

       1000-EXIT.
            EXIT.

Run JCL -

//MATEPKF JOB MSGLEVEL=(1,1),NOTIFY=&SYSUID
//*                                                 
//STEP01  EXEC PGM=SEQVFLUD
//STEPLIB  DD  DSN=MATEPK.COBOL.LOADLIB,DISP=SHR
//INPUT01  DD  DSN=MATEPK.EMPLOYEE.VINPFILE,DISP=SHR 
//SYSOUT   DD  SYSOUT=*

File After REWRITE -

 BROWSE    MATEPK.EMPLOYEE.VINPFILE                   Line 00000000 Col 001 080 
 Command ===>                                                  Scroll ===> CSR  
********************************* Top of Data **********************************
E0001EMPLOYEE1      MANAGER   0000200000         EMPLOYEE RECORD 1
E0002EMPLOYEE2      TL        0000150000         EMP REC 2
E0003EMPLOYEE3      SE        0000050000         EMP 3
E0004EMPLOYEE4      SSE       0000040000
E0005EMPLOYEE5      SE        0000035000         EMP 5
******************************** Bottom of Data ********************************

Explaining Example -

In the above example:

• Variable length sequential file (PS file) is used as an input file and trying to update the record with employee ID (E0005).
• ORGANIZATION and ACCESS MODE should be sequential.
• File should declare with RECORD VARYING...DEPENDING clause to read the file record along with length.
• It validates the employee ID (E0005) and if it matches, the salary reduced by 5000 and rewrite record.