SUMMARY:   This course provides each student with an acquired working knowledge of the basic tools of COBOL. AUDIENCE:   Application programmers with minimal experience in COBOL who wish formal training in the basic language and programming techniques. DURATION:   4 Days APPROACH:   This course is taught using workshops that are conducted in a hands-on environment. The student will code, execute and debug a series of programs serving as an excellent example for future programming in COBOL. OBJECTIVES:   Each student will be offered a solid foundation in the fundamentals of COBOL coding, including Program Structure, Design, Execution and Debugging. The concepts of structured programming are stressed with examples and explanation. COURSE CONTENT:   INTRODUCTION TO COBOL CONCEPTS What is COBOL Programming How Does it Fit in the Environment Basic Terms and Language Structure Programming Fundamentals COBOL: THE GROUND RULES LanguagXeas and Predefined Columns Identification Division Environment Division Data Division Procedure Division COBOL Organization JCL Rules CREATING THE FIRST WORKING PROGRAM Compiling the First COBOL Program Simple Input/Output Defining Records Moving Data Debugging PARAGRAPHS AND STRUCTURED PROGRAMS Organizing Subroutines The PERFORM Statement The PERFORM UNTIL Statement Repetitive Processing Paragraphs vs. Sections COBOL 85 Concepts DEFINING AND MOVING DATA Working-Storage Concepts Level Numbers Groups and Elementary Items USAGE Clause PICTURE Clause Alphanumeric Data Numeric Data The MOVE Statement SEQUENTIAL FILE OPERATIONS The INPUT-OUTPUT Section The FILE Section The OPEN and CLOSE Statements The READ Statement The WRITE Statement Programming Sequential Files COBOL ARITHMETIC Overview of Concepts COMPUTATIONAL Usage Arithmetic Operations The COMPUTE Statement SIZE Errors and ROUNDING EDITING NUMERIC DATA Edited Data Format Implied Decimal Points Zero Suppression Floating Dollar Signs COBOL LOGIC The IF Statement The ELSE Option Nested IF's The NOT Operator Compound IF's COBOL 85 Concepts TABLE PROCESSING Array Concepts Defining Tables The OCCURS Clause The PERFORM VARYING Statement Table Searching Index Concepts The SEARCH Statement SUMMARY COBOL Future Structured Programming in COBOL COBOL 85 and the Future HW/08