Hour 2Writing Your First Program in COBOL
In Hour 1, “Getting Started,” you learned about the history of COBOL. You also installed and tested the compiler. In this hour, you learn the basic layout of a COBOL program and write your first program. This hour covers the following basics:
• The divisions of a COBOL program
• How to key a simple program into the editor
• Compiling, linking, and running your program
• What to do when the program won't compile
COBOL Program Layout
The layout, or format, of a COBOL program follows certain simple rules, which originated long ago when programs were punched onto 80-column punch cards. With COBOL, columns 1–6 are reserved for line numbering. Line numbers are not mandatory, nor do they have to be in sequence. ...
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