VALUE Clause

VALUE Clause

  • VALUE clause assigns a value to a variable at the time of declaration.
  • This initialization happens before the first statement execution in the PROCEDURE DIVISION.
  • It's a way to ensure that specific variables have initialized values when a program begins its execution.

Rules -

  • It should only code with PIC clause.
  • If the variable doesn't have a VALUE clause coded with it, the value of the variable is unpredictable.
  • Values coded should not exceed the length of the PIC clause.
  • It should not be coded with REDEFINES, JUSTIFIED, or SYNCHRONIZED clauses.

Formats -

VALUE clause has two different formats -

  • Initializing variables
  • Declaring condition names

Initializing variables -

This format is used to initialize a variable during its declaration.

Syntax -

---+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5
 level-number data-name-1 PIC ... [VALUE literal-1].
Note! All statements coded in [ ] are optional.

Parameters -

  • PIC clause - Defines the type and size of the variable.
  • literal-1 - Refers to the value we wish to assign to the variable and should be compatible with the PIC clause.

Examples -

Scenario1 - Alphanumeric Initialization.

Full Example    
 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
 01 WS-NAME      PIC X(15) VALUE 'Mainframes'.

Here, the alphanumeric variable WS-NAME is initialized with the value 'Mainframes'.

Scenario2 - Numeric Initialization.

 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
 01 WS-AGE       PIC 9(02) VALUE 25.

Here, the numeric variable WS-AGE starts with a default value of 25.

Declaring condition names -

This format declares a condition name with a value, or multiple values, or a range of values.

Syntax -

---+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5
 88 data-name-1 [VALUE [IS|ARE] literal-1 [THRU literal2].

Parameters -

  • literal-1 - Refers to the value we wish to assign to the variable. If THRU is coded, this is the starting value.
  • THRU literal-2 - Refers to the ending value we wish to assign to the variable.

Examples -

Scenario1 - Single value Initialization.

Full Example    
 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
 01 WS-GENDER       PIC X(01).
   88 MALE         VALUE 'M'.
   88 FEMALE       VALUE 'F'.

Here, MALE and FEMALE are condition names assigned with single value.

Scenario2 - Multiple values Initialization.

 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
 01 WS-GENDER       PIC X(01).
   88 VALID-GENDER    VALUE 'M' 'F'.

Here, VALID-GENDER is a condition name assigned with multiple values 'M' and 'F'.

Scenario3 - Range of values Initialization.

 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
 01 WS-MARKS       PIC 9(03).
   88 FIRST-CLASS     VALUE 60 THROUGH 100.

Here, FIRST-CLASS is a condition name assigned with range of values from 60 to 100.