Simple MOVE Statement

• It is used to move the value of the sending item(s) is moved to the receiving item.
• The sending and receiving data items should be declared with compatible data type to avoid data transferring errors.
• The simple MOVE operation is one of the most basic data manipulation statements in the COBOL language, and it's helpful in transferring values.

Syntax -

MOVE source-item TO destination-item-1
                   [destination-item-2 ...]

Parameters -

• source-item - Refers the source data item from which we wish to move the data.
• destination-item-1, destination-item-2, ... - One or more destination items to which we wish to move the data.

Notes -

• The sending item can be a numeric, alphabetic, alphanumeric, literal, or figurative constant.
• The receiving item should be a numeric, alphabetic, alphanumeric, but not a literal or a figurative constant.
• MOVE statement can have one or more receiving items.

Practical Example -

Scenario - Simple MOVE statement coding in COBOL program.

Code -

----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+
       ...
       DATA DIVISION.
       WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
       01 WS-VAR.
          05 WS-VAR1        PIC 9(04)  VALUE 2561.
          05 WS-VAR2        PIC 9(06).
          05 WS-VAR3        PIC 9(02).

       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
           MOVE WS-VAR1       TO WS-VAR2
                                 WS-VAR3.

           DISPLAY 'WS-VAR1:   ' WS-VAR1.
           DISPLAY 'WS-VAR2:   ' WS-VAR2.
           DISPLAY 'WS-VAR3:   ' WS-VAR3.
		   ...

Output -

WS-VAR1:   2561
WS-VAR2:   002561
WS-VAR3:   61