Reference Format Representation

The reference format for a line is represented as shown below:

• Margin L is immediately to the left of the leftmost character position of a line.
• Margin C is between the 6th and 7th character positions of a line.
• Margin A is between the 7th and 8th character positions of a line.
• Margin B is between the 11th and 12th character positions of a line.
•  Margin R is immediately to the right of the 72nd character position of a line. A line can extend up to the 80th character position, but any characters occupying positions 73 to 80 are ignored by your COBOL system.

The sequence number area occupies six character positions (1-6), and is between margin L and margin C.

The indicator area is the 7th character position of a line.

Area A occupies character positions 8, 9, 10 and 11, and is between margin A and margin B.

Area B occupies character positions 12 through 72 inclusive; it begins immediately to the right of margin B and terminates immediately to the left of margin R.

 The program text area consists of both area A and area B. Text-words can begin anywhere in the program text area.