The first step is to design a COBOL data structure that describes the data to be placed in a corresponding XML document. The following simple example illustrates this step using typical mailing address information. An adequate program skeleton has been included to allow the program to compile without error.
Identification Division. Program-Id. Getting-Started. Data Division. Working-Storage Section. 01 Customer-Address. 02 Cust-Name Pic X(128). 02 Address-1 Pic X(128). 02 Address-2 Pic X(128). 02 Address-3. 03 City Pic X(64). 03 State Pic X(2). 03 Zip Pic 9(5) Binary.
This structure contains only one numeric element: the zip code. For demonstration purposes, it is represented as binary.