RENAMES Clause

RENAMES Clause

The RENAMES clause is used to define an alternative name to an existing group of items. It gives another name to a range of elementary items, allowing for more flexible referencing of those items based on the requirement. RENAMES does not alter or reinterpret storage. Instead, it provides an alternative grouping for items that are already defined.

Special purpose level number 66 is used to code the RENAMES clause.

Syntax -

----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+
       01 WS-VAR-GRP1.
          05 WS-VAR-A         PIC ... 
          05 WS-VAR-B         PIC ... 
             . 
             . 
          05 WS-VAR-N         PIC ...
          05 WS-VAR-O         PIC ...
             . 
             . 
          05 WS-VAR-Z         PIC ...
 
       66 WS-VAR-GRP2      RENAMES VAR-A THRU VAR-N.

In the above syntax,

  • WS-VAR-GRP1 - Specifies source group variable.
  • WS-VAR-A, ..., WS-VAR-N - Specifies starting and ending elementary variables to be renamed.
  • WS-VAR-GRP2 - Specifies target variable.

Points to note -

  • THRU or THROUGH keyword is used only when renaming some elementary variables.
  • THRU or THROUGH can be ignored when renaming the entire group.

Rules to Remember -

  • Renaming elementary variables should be in sequential order.
  • 66 level number shouldn't have a PIC or PICTURE clause.
  • The RENAMES clause should follow the target variable in the declaration.
  • Level-01, level-77, level-88, or other level-66 entries can't be renamed.
  • Elementary variables that are declared with the OCCURS clause should not be renamed.

Explaining in detail -

Scenario1 - Renaming group variable.

The declaration of the group variable and renaming of the group variable are as follows -

02 A.
   05 ITEM1  		PIC X(5).
   05 ITEM2  		PIC X(5).
   05 ITEM3  		PIC X(5).
   05 ITEM4  		PIC X(5).
   05 ITEM5  		PIC X(5).
66 B RENAMES A.

In the above example, group variable A is declared with five elementary variables from ITEM1 to ITEM5. B is defined as the renaming of A without the THROUGH clause. Here, B is just a renaming variable for the data in variable A and uses the same memory location used by A.

The below diagram can explain how A and B represent memory -

RENAMES Example

Scenario2 - Renaming some elementary variables under a group.

The declaration of group variables and renaming of some elementary variables as follows -

02 A.
   05 ITEM1  		PIC X(5).
   05 ITEM2  		PIC X(5).
   05 ITEM3  		PIC X(5).
   05 ITEM4  		PIC X(5).
   05 ITEM5  		PIC X(5).
   05 ITEM6  		PIC X(5).
   05 ITEM7  		PIC X(5).
   05 ITEM8  		PIC X(5).
   05 ITEM8  		PIC X(5).
   05 ITEM10 		PIC X(5).
66 B RENAMES ITEM1 THRU ITEM6.

In the above example, group variable A is declared with ten elementary variables from ITEM1 to ITEM10. B is defined as the renaming of A with six elementary variables from ITEM1 to ITEM6. Here, B is just a renaming variable for the data from ITEM1 to ITEM6 and uses the same memory location used by A.

The below diagram can explain how A and B represent memory -

RENAMES Example

Practical Example -

Scenario - Variable declaration using 66-level number and the variable usage in PROCEDURE DIVISION.

Code -

----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+
       IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
       PROGRAM-ID. RENAME.
       AUTHOR. MTH.
 
       DATA DIVISION. 
       WORKING-STORAGE SECTION. 
       01 WS-VAR.
          02 WS-GRP-ITEM1. 
             05 WS-VAR1       PIC X(10) VALUE "MAINFRAMES". 
             05 FILLER        PIC X(01). 
             05 WS-VAR2       PIC X(08) VALUE "ARE VAST".
             05 FILLER        PIC X(01).
             05 WS-VAR3       PIC X(01) VALUE "&". 
             05 FILLER        PIC X(01). 
             05 WS-VAR4       PIC X(10) VALUE "LEGENDARY". 
             05 FILLER        PIC X(01).
             05 WS-VAR5       PIC X(10) VALUE "SYSTEMS".
      * Renaming WS-GRP-ITEM1
          66 WS-GRP-ITEM2   RENAMES WS-VAR1 THROUGH WS-VAR2.

       01 WS-VAR2.
          02 WS-GRP-ITEM3. 
              05 WS-VAR31      PIC X(10) VALUE "MAINFRAMES".
              05 FILLER        PIC X(01).
              05 WS-VAR32      PIC X(03) VALUE "ARE". 
              05 FILLER        PIC X(01).
              05 WS-VAR33      PIC X(10) VALUE "LEGENDARY". 
              05 FILLER        PIC X(01). 
              05 WS-VAR34      PIC X(10) VALUE "SYSTEMS".
       * Renaming WS-GRP-ITEM3
          66 WS-GRP-ITEM4   RENAMES WS-GRP-ITEM3.

       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
           DISPLAY "GROUP ITEM1: " WS-GRP-ITEM1.
           DISPLAY "GROUP ITEM2: " WS-GRP-ITEM2.
           DISPLAY "GROUP ITEM3: " WS-GRP-ITEM3.
           DISPLAY "GROUP ITEM4: " WS-GRP-ITEM4.

           STOP RUN.

Output -

GROUP ITEM1: MAINFRAMES ARE VAST & LEGENDARY  SYSTEMS
GROUP ITEM2: MAINFRAMES ARE VAST
GROUP ITEM3: MAINFRAMES ARE LEGENDARY  SYSTEMS
GROUP ITEM3: MAINFRAMES ARE LEGENDARY  SYSTEMS

Explaining Example -

In the above example:

  • WS-GRP-ITEM1 is a group item with multiple variables. WS-GRP-ITEM2 is defined as the renaming of WS-GRP-ITEM1 from WS-VAR1 THROUGH WS-VAR2. So, WS-GRP-ITEM2 displays the data from WS-VAR1 to WS-VAR2.
  • WS-GRP-ITEM4 is defined as renaming the entire group item WS-GRP-ITEM3. So, WS-GRP-ITEM4 displays the data the same as WS-GRP-ITEM3 displays.