COBOL Essential Training

Get acquainted with the basics of COBOL, a legacy programming language that powers everything from ATM machines to government operations.

Introduction

• COBOL is alive and well
• Are you ready to get started?
• What is JCL?

1. Getting Started

• Set up a COBOL environment
• Download and install WSL
• Get started with Visual Studio Code
• Learn COBOL syntax
• Code a Hello World program
• Obtain input from the user
• Challenge: Calculate BMI
• Solution: Calculate BMI

2. Handling Data in COBOL

• COBOL naming standards
• How to define types of data
• Comp-3 data types
• Literal and figurative constants
• Editing characters for writing reports
• Challenge: Create a sales commission report
• Solution: Commission report solution

3. Verbs, Decisions, and Looping

• Introduction to verbs
• Computational verbs
• Conditional expressions
• Perform statement
• Perform thru
• Perform times
• Challenge: Write code to simulate a cash register
• Solution: Simulated cash register

4. Working with Files

• File organization and access methods
• Reading sequential files
• File error checking
• Writing records to a sequential file
• Challenge: Process payroll
• Solution: Sample program to process payroll

5. Advance Sequential Files

• Inserting records in a master data file
• Updating records in a master file
• Sorting records in COBOL
• Merging records in COBOL
• Challenge: Merge two employee files
• Solution: Create a master employee file

6. Indexed and Relative Files

• Direct access files in COBOL
• Relative files in COBOL
• Indexed files in COBOL
• Challenge: Create an indexed file
• Solution: Solution for creating an indexed file

7. Tables in COBOL

• Using tables in COBOL
• Creating tables from an input file
• Searching tables in COBOL
• Challenge: Create table of weather data
• Solution: Search table of weather data

8. String Handling

• Inspecting strings in COBOL
• Using the string command in COBOL
• Using the unstring command in COBOL

9. Troubleshooting

• Watch for numeric overflow in variables
• How to read code and find logic errors

Conclusion

• Finding answers to your COBOL questions