Another Newbie question about text files...

I have a COBOL question for you. I am attempting to create a text file
in which a COBOL program will read it in. My question is, if I have
for instance a variable defined as INPUT-IVR-DIS-GRP PIC 9(4) VALUE 0,
what would I put in the text file to signify no value for this? Would
it just be 4 spaces, 4 zeros, 4 9's? I have about 1% of knowledge in
COBOL. The program generating the text file is written in vb. Thanks
for any help you can offer.





Here are all the variables that the COBOL program is reading in from
the text file.



03 INPUT-IVR-ITEM-TEMPLATE PIC X(18) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-ALPHA PIC X(10) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-ITEM PIC X(18) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-DESC PIC X(30) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-UM PIC XXX VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-TYPE PIC X VALUE "S".

03 INPUT-IVR-BILL PIC X VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-TAX PIC X VALUE "T".

03 INPUT-IVR-SUBSTITUTE PIC X(18) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-UPC PIC X(11) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-ALTERNATE PIC X(18) VALUE
SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-ALTERNATE-CODE PIC X VALUE "0".

03 INPUT-IVR-SEASONAL PIC X VALUE
"N".

03 INPUT-IVR-OBSOLETE PIC X VALUE
"N".

03 INPUT-IVR-VENDOR PIC X(6) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-PURCH-UM PIC XXX VALUE
SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-TRADE-SERV-ZONE PIC XXX VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-TRADE-SERV-OPT PIC 9 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-PRICING-ITEM PIC X(18) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-PRICE-REC PIC 99 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-LINE-BUY.

05 INPUT-IVR-LB1 PIC X(4) VALUE SPACES.

05 INPUT-IVR-LB2 PIC X(4) VALUE SPACES.

05 INPUT-IVR-LB3 PIC X(4) VALUE SPACES.

05 INPUT-IVR-LB4 PIC X(4) VALUE SPACES.

05 INPUT-IVR-LB5 PIC X(4) VALUE SPACES.

03 FILLER REDEFINES INPUT-IVR-LINE-BUY.

05 INPUT-IVR-LB.

07 INPUT-IVR-LINE OCCURS 5 TIMES PIC X(04).

03 INPUT-IVR-SUPPLY-WARE PIC 99 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-PACK-QTY PIC S9(6) VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-PO-OFF-COST PIC S9V9(6) VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-DIS-GRP PIC 9(4) VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-OFF-LIST PIC S9V9(6) VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-TERMS PIC S99V9 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-WEIGHT PIC S9(5)V999 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-PROD PIC 9(4) VALUE 9999.

03 INPUT-IVR-COST-LIST PIC S9(5)V999 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-MISC-COST PIC S9(5)V999 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-YEAR-END-COST PIC S9(5)V999 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-LAST-YR-COST PIC S9(5)V999 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-LIFO-COST PIC S9(5)V999 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-LIFO-POOL PIC 99 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-PURCH-PRICE PIC S9(5)V999 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-CONV-FACTOR PIC S9(4)V9999 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-ADD-DATE-CENT PIC 9(8) VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-PROMO-START PIC 9(8) VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-PROMO-END PIC 9(8) VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-PROMO-PRICE PIC S9(5)V999 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-PROMO-COST PIC S9(5)V999 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-ASSORTMENT-CODE PIC X(4) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-LAST-PRICE-DATE PIC 9(8) VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-TSD-CREATE-TYPE PIC X VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-VELOCITY-CODE PIC X(5) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-SERIAL PIC X VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-COMP-LIST PIC X(10) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-SELL-FLAG PIC 9 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-SELL-QTY PIC 9(6) VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-TS-COST PIC S9(5)V999 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-OFF-LIST2 PIC S9V9(6) VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-PS-FLAG PIC X VALUE "N".

03 INPUT-IVR-WARRITY-MOS PIC 999 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-SEC-TAX PIC X VALUE "E".

03 INPUT-IVR-PURCH-PRICE-FLAG PIC X VALUE "N".

03 INPUT-IVR-SLSM PIC X(4) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-RETURN PIC X VALUE "Y".

03 INPUT-IVR-SLR-FLAG PIC X VALUE "N".

03 INPUT-IVR-MKT-CODE PIC X VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-LAST-SALE-DATE PIC 9(8) VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-FINISH PIC X(20) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-DIMENSIONS PIC X(30) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-LAMP1 PIC X(18) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-LAMP1-QTY PIC 99 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-LAMP2 PIC X(18) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-LAMP2-QTY PIC 99 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-LAMP3 PIC X(18) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-LAMP3-QTY PIC 99 VALUE 0.

03 INPUT-IVR-GRAPHIC-FILE PIC X(30) VALUE SPACES.

03 INPUT-IVR-UPDATE-SOURCE PIC X VALUE "P".

03 INPUT-IVR-EXT-DESC PIC X(90) VALUE SPACES.

.

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