Re: Where are spaces required in COBOL source code?

I'm hoping to get a copy of the '68 standard Real Soon Now so that I can
verify such matters.

But a copy of a Burroughs pre-ANSI-68 manual using suspiciously
"standardese" language supports this -- "The subscript, or a set of
subscripts, that identifies the table element is enclosed in parenthesis
immediately following the terminal space of the table element data-name."

IBM DOS COBOL-68 reference manual from '73 has virtually identical
wording -- it more correctly uses the plural "parentheses" and revises the
end of the phrase slightly. In the same paragraph an IBM extension is
marked as an extension; this particular wording isn't marked that way. The
fact that this wording is shared by two different vendors and the fact that
it isn't marked as an extension in IBM's manual pretty much convince me that
this wording is really, really close to what ANSI X3.23-1968 specifies.

-Chuck Stevens

"Howard Brazee" <howard@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:d77ogp$h80$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> On 27-May-2005, "Chuck Stevens" <charles.stevens@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > I see some indication that a space was required by COBOL-60 and by the
'68
> > standard between the data-name and the leading left paren. I also see
some
> > evidence that the '68 standard prohibited a space between the leading
left
> > paren and the first subscript, and between the last subscript and the
> > trailing paren.
>
> That seems to be what I remember. But it's sometimes hard to remember
what was
> a CoBOL rule, and what was a standards rule or a habit.


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