TOPS-10/TOPS-20 COBOL-74

Summary:

This document is the language manual for the COBOL-74 programming language, as implemented for TOPS-10 (Version 7.01) and TOPS-20 (Version 4.1) operating systems. It provides comprehensive reference material for the COBOL-74 compiler (CBL74, Version 12C), the object-time system (C74OTS, Version 12C), and the SORT utility (Version 4C).

The manual is divided into several sections:

• Introduction: Covers symbols, syntax, source program formats (card-type and terminal-type), and the library facility.
• Identification and Environment Divisions: Details the structure of the program header and system/hardware configuration.
• Data Division: Provides detailed specifications for file and record descriptions, including various data types (ASCII, SIXBIT, EBCDIC, COMPUTATIONAL), file organizations (sequential, relative, indexed-sequential), and clauses for report writing.
• Procedure Division: Describes the syntax and usage of all COBOL statements, including arithmetic, conditional, and input/output operations.
• Utility Programs: Explains the usage of ISAM (file maintenance), LIBARY (source library maintenance), COBDDT (interactive debugger), and RERUN (program restart utility).
• File Formats: Provides in-depth technical documentation on how data is stored on external media, covering various recording modes and formats.
• Appendices: Contains supplementary information, including the differences between COBOL-68 and COBOL-74, a complete list of reserved words, collating sequences, and guidance on defining logical names in the TOPS-20 environment.

The manual includes numerous technical notes and code examples to assist programmers in creating, compiling, and running COBOL-74 programs on the specified Digital Equipment Corporation systems.