Data Items

The term data item, as used here, includes data-names, conditions (level-88 items), constants (level-78 items) and files.

To query a data item, enter its name in the Quick Browse dialog box. Querying a data item returns the following information in the Output window's COBOL Source Information tab:

Number of references

The number of references to this data item that have been located in the source.

Usage Indication

A letter follows the number of references, as follows:

d	The data item has no references in the Procedure Division
u	The data item is referenced in the Procedure Division, but none of these references causes modification of the item
m	The data item has references in the Procedure Division that cause modification.

Related items

The data items related to the target data item are listed.

Additional information is returned for the following types of data item:

• Data-name:
  • Size in bytes.
  • Section containing the data item's definition (File, Working-Storage, Linkage, Local or Special, where Special indicates a special register).
  • Level indicator for level-01 or level-77 items.
  • Subscripted indicator for items subject to an OCCURS clause.
• Filename:
  • Type of file.
  • Minimum and maximum record sizes.
• Level-78 item:
  • Size of the item (in alphanumeric characters).
  • The value of the constant (up to a maximum of 30 characters).

In addition to a simple data item query you can specify a complex data item query (to include only certain types of COBOL verb and/or a range of lines or procedures) or a qualified data item query.