CONTROL

Comments:

• Datanames can be qualified, but cannot be subscripted or indexed, or have a subordinate data item with a variable size defined in an OCCURS clause. Each dataname must be a different data item.
• List the datanames from the highest to lowest level. An implicit FINAL is the highest control. The first dataname is the major control; the last dataname is the minor (lowest) control.
• When identifing controls in the CONTROL clause, dataname must be an elementary data name. In the following example, B cannot be used as a control variable because it is a group data item. To make B into an elementary data item, use the REDEFINES clause.

  WS01  A                         PIC X(2).
  WS01  B.
        02  B-1                   PIC 9(4).
        02  B-2                   PIC 9(4).
  WS01  B-REDEF  REDEFINES B      PIC X(8).
        .
        .
        .
  RED TEST-REPORT
      CONTROLS ARE A B-REDEF

• You can omit the CONTROL clause when the only control is FINAL.
• The first time a GENERATE builds a report, all control values are saved. The next GENERATE tests Report Writer controls for changes every time a detail line is printed, by comparing the contents with the contents saved from the last GENERATE of the same report.
  • If the control is numeric, the relation test compares two numeric operands.
  • If the control is an index, the test compares two index data items.
  • If it is neither numeric nor an index, it compares two non-numeric operands.
• A change in dataname (a control) causes a control break that
  • Prints control footings for lower level datanames, followed by the control footing for the dataname causing the control break
  • Clears counters associated with the datanames
  • Prints control headings for the dataname and lower level datanames
  • Prints the detail line causing the break