Source Formats

Terminal format is convenient for developing programs interactively. This format has the following characteristics:

• The sequence number area is eliminated.
• The indicator area is in column 1. All of the usual COBOL indicators are accepted here except for the conditional debugging line indicator D.
• Area A also starts in column 1 unless an indicator is present, in which case it starts immediately after the indicator character.
• Area B starts in column 5 and extends to the end of the line.
• The line ends when a carriage-return or new-line is found. Lines may be longer or shorter than 80 characters.

ACUCOBOL-GT Terminal format is compatible with the VAX COBOL terminal source format, except for the introduction of the identification area, which VAX COBOL does not support. ACUCOBOL-GT Terminal mode is also compatible with ICOBOL terminal source format, except that area A must start in column 1 (in ICOBOL area A may start in column 2).

Set this terminal format using the SOURCEFORMAT"TERMINAL" Compiler directive, or using the -St compiler option.