what did FILE-LIMITS mean?

From: Edward Reid (edward_at_paleo.org)
Date: 11/11/03 

Date: 11 Nov 2003 11:47:43 -0800

We are converting some COBOL68 (!!) programs that have a FILE-LIMITS
clause in the SELECT, such as

      SELECT FINDIN ASSIGN TO 20 * 1000 DISKPACKS
            FILE-LIMITS ARE FIRST-REC THRU END,
            ACCESS MODE IS SEQUENTIAL.

where FIRST-REC is in working storage, PIC 9(6) VALUE 1. Don't worry
about the ASSIGN clause; we know what that means.

We've been assuming that this worked out to a no-op -- that
FILE-LIMITS meant start at the indicated first record and continue to
the end of the file. And so we just took out the clause, as the
conversion tool was generating a bunch of funky code as a substitute
and it didn't even compile.

But we are having trouble getting the converted program to produce the
same results, and this is an obvious potential problem.

Does anyone remember this clause, and what it meant? I've found a few
references by googling it -- and it appears that Burroughs wasn't the
only vendor implementing it -- but nothing that says any more than
"can't do that any more".

Thanks for dredging into the depths of your memories,

Edward Reid

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