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COBOL Tutorial

COBOL Binary Data Formats

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Introduction to Binary Data Formats

Binary data formats in COBOL represent one of the most important aspects of efficient data processing, enabling programs to store and manipulate data in its most compact and efficient form. Unlike display formats that store data as characters, binary formats store data in their native binary representation, providing significant performance and storage advantages.

Key binary data formats in COBOL include:

  • COMP-3 (Packed Decimal): Efficient decimal number storage
  • COMP-5 (Binary): Pure binary integer representation
  • COMP-1 (Single Precision): IEEE floating-point format
  • COMP-2 (Double Precision): IEEE double precision format
  • COMP-4 (Binary): Alternative binary representation

COMP-3 Packed Decimal Format

COMP-3 is the most commonly used binary format in COBOL, providing efficient storage for decimal numbers with precise decimal handling.

COMP-3 Implementation and Usage

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IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. COMP3-DEMONSTRATION.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 COMP3-DATA-EXAMPLES.
   05 WS-AMOUNT-COMP3        PIC S9(7)V99 USAGE COMP-3.
   05 WS-QUANTITY-COMP3      PIC S9(5) USAGE COMP-3.
   05 WS-PERCENTAGE-COMP3    PIC S9V9999 USAGE COMP-3.
   05 WS-LARGE-NUMBER-COMP3  PIC S9(9)V99 USAGE COMP-3.
 
01 DISPLAY-FORMAT-DATA.
   05 WS-AMOUNT-DISPLAY      PIC S9(7)V99 USAGE DISPLAY.
   05 WS-QUANTITY-DISPLAY    PIC S9(5) USAGE DISPLAY.
   05 WS-PERCENTAGE-DISPLAY  PIC S9V9999 USAGE DISPLAY.
 
01 CALCULATION-RESULTS.
   05 WS-TOTAL-AMOUNT        PIC S9(8)V99 USAGE COMP-3.
   05 WS-AVERAGE-AMOUNT      PIC S9(7)V99 USAGE COMP-3.
   05 WS-DISCOUNT-AMOUNT     PIC S9(7)V99 USAGE COMP-3.
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    DISPLAY "=== COMP-3 Packed Decimal Demonstration ==="
    PERFORM INITIALIZE-COMP3-DATA
    PERFORM DEMONSTRATE-COMP3-OPERATIONS
    PERFORM DEMONSTRATE-COMP3-CALCULATIONS
    PERFORM DEMONSTRATE-COMP3-CONVERSION
    STOP RUN.
 
INITIALIZE-COMP3-DATA.
    DISPLAY "=== Initializing COMP-3 Data ==="
    
    * Initialize COMP-3 fields
    MOVE 12345.67 TO WS-AMOUNT-COMP3
    MOVE 1000 TO WS-QUANTITY-COMP3
    MOVE 0.1250 TO WS-PERCENTAGE-COMP3
    MOVE 999999999.99 TO WS-LARGE-NUMBER-COMP3
    
    DISPLAY "Amount (COMP-3): " WS-AMOUNT-COMP3
    DISPLAY "Quantity (COMP-3): " WS-QUANTITY-COMP3
    DISPLAY "Percentage (COMP-3): " WS-PERCENTAGE-COMP3
    DISPLAY "Large Number (COMP-3): " WS-LARGE-NUMBER-COMP3.
 
DEMONSTRATE-COMP3-OPERATIONS.
    DISPLAY "=== COMP-3 Operations ==="
    
    * Arithmetic operations with COMP-3
    COMPUTE WS-TOTAL-AMOUNT = WS-AMOUNT-COMP3 * WS-QUANTITY-COMP3
    DISPLAY "Total Amount: " WS-TOTAL-AMOUNT
    
    * Division with COMP-3
    COMPUTE WS-AVERAGE-AMOUNT = WS-TOTAL-AMOUNT / WS-QUANTITY-COMP3
    DISPLAY "Average Amount: " WS-AVERAGE-AMOUNT
    
    * Percentage calculation
    COMPUTE WS-DISCOUNT-AMOUNT = WS-AMOUNT-COMP3 * WS-PERCENTAGE-COMP3
    DISPLAY "Discount Amount: " WS-DISCOUNT-AMOUNT.
 
DEMONSTRATE-COMP3-CALCULATIONS.
    DISPLAY "=== COMP-3 Complex Calculations ==="
    
    * Complex financial calculation
    COMPUTE WS-TOTAL-AMOUNT = WS-AMOUNT-COMP3 * (1 + WS-PERCENTAGE-COMP3)
    DISPLAY "Amount with percentage increase: " WS-TOTAL-AMOUNT
    
    * Rounding demonstration
    COMPUTE WS-AVERAGE-AMOUNT = WS-TOTAL-AMOUNT / WS-QUANTITY-COMP3 ROUNDED
    DISPLAY "Rounded average: " WS-AVERAGE-AMOUNT.
 
DEMONSTRATE-COMP3-CONVERSION.
    DISPLAY "=== COMP-3 to Display Conversion ==="
    
    * Convert COMP-3 to DISPLAY format
    MOVE WS-AMOUNT-COMP3 TO WS-AMOUNT-DISPLAY
    MOVE WS-QUANTITY-COMP3 TO WS-QUANTITY-DISPLAY
    MOVE WS-PERCENTAGE-COMP3 TO WS-PERCENTAGE-DISPLAY
    
    DISPLAY "Amount (Display): " WS-AMOUNT-DISPLAY
    DISPLAY "Quantity (Display): " WS-QUANTITY-DISPLAY
    DISPLAY "Percentage (Display): " WS-PERCENTAGE-DISPLAY.

COMP-5 Binary Format

COMP-5 provides pure binary representation of integers, offering maximum efficiency for integer arithmetic operations.

COMP-5 Implementation and Performance

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IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. COMP5-DEMONSTRATION.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 COMP5-DATA-EXAMPLES.
   05 WS-COUNTER-COMP5       PIC S9(9) USAGE COMP-5.
   05 WS-INDEX-COMP5        PIC S9(5) USAGE COMP-5.
   05 WS-LARGE-INTEGER-COMP5 PIC S9(10) USAGE COMP-5.
   05 WS-SMALL-INTEGER-COMP5 PIC S9(3) USAGE COMP-5.
 
01 DISPLAY-INTEGERS.
   05 WS-COUNTER-DISPLAY    PIC S9(9) USAGE DISPLAY.
   05 WS-INDEX-DISPLAY      PIC S9(5) USAGE DISPLAY.
 
01 PERFORMANCE-METRICS.
   05 WS-ITERATION-COUNT     PIC S9(6) USAGE COMP-5.
   05 WS-START-TIME          PIC 9(14).
   05 WS-END-TIME            PIC 9(14).
   05 WS-PROCESSING-TIME     PIC 9(6).
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    DISPLAY "=== COMP-5 Binary Format Demonstration ==="
    PERFORM INITIALIZE-COMP5-DATA
    PERFORM DEMONSTRATE-COMP5-OPERATIONS
    PERFORM DEMONSTRATE-COMP5-PERFORMANCE
    STOP RUN.
 
INITIALIZE-COMP5-DATA.
    DISPLAY "=== Initializing COMP-5 Data ==="
    
    * Initialize COMP-5 fields
    MOVE 1000000 TO WS-COUNTER-COMP5
    MOVE 500 TO WS-INDEX-COMP5
    MOVE 999999999 TO WS-LARGE-INTEGER-COMP5
    MOVE 100 TO WS-SMALL-INTEGER-COMP5
    
    DISPLAY "Counter (COMP-5): " WS-COUNTER-COMP5
    DISPLAY "Index (COMP-5): " WS-INDEX-COMP5
    DISPLAY "Large Integer (COMP-5): " WS-LARGE-INTEGER-COMP5
    DISPLAY "Small Integer (COMP-5): " WS-SMALL-INTEGER-COMP5.
 
DEMONSTRATE-COMP5-OPERATIONS.
    DISPLAY "=== COMP-5 Operations ==="
    
    * Integer arithmetic operations
    ADD WS-INDEX-COMP5 TO WS-COUNTER-COMP5
    DISPLAY "Counter after addition: " WS-COUNTER-COMP5
    
    * Multiplication
    MULTIPLY WS-SMALL-INTEGER-COMP5 BY WS-INDEX-COMP5
    DISPLAY "Index after multiplication: " WS-INDEX-COMP5
    
    * Division
    DIVIDE WS-LARGE-INTEGER-COMP5 BY WS-SMALL-INTEGER-COMP5
       GIVING WS-COUNTER-COMP5
    DISPLAY "Counter after division: " WS-COUNTER-COMP5.
 
DEMONSTRATE-COMP5-PERFORMANCE.
    DISPLAY "=== COMP-5 Performance Test ==="
    
    ACCEPT WS-START-TIME FROM DATE YYYYMMDD
    ACCEPT WS-START-TIME(9:6) FROM TIME
    
    * Performance test with COMP-5
    PERFORM VARYING WS-ITERATION-COUNT FROM 1 BY 1
       UNTIL WS-ITERATION-COUNT > 100000
       
       ADD 1 TO WS-COUNTER-COMP5
       MULTIPLY WS-INDEX-COMP5 BY 2
       DIVIDE WS-LARGE-INTEGER-COMP5 BY 2 GIVING WS-LARGE-INTEGER-COMP5
    END-PERFORM
    
    ACCEPT WS-END-TIME FROM DATE YYYYMMDD
    ACCEPT WS-END-TIME(9:6) FROM TIME
    
    COMPUTE WS-PROCESSING-TIME = WS-END-TIME - WS-START-TIME
    
    DISPLAY "Performance test completed"
    DISPLAY "Iterations: " WS-ITERATION-COUNT
    DISPLAY "Processing time: " WS-PROCESSING-TIME " milliseconds"
    DISPLAY "Final counter value: " WS-COUNTER-COMP5.

Floating-Point Formats (COMP-1 and COMP-2)

COMP-1 and COMP-2 provide IEEE floating-point representation for scientific and engineering calculations requiring decimal precision.

Floating-Point Operations

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IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. FLOATING-POINT-DEMO.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 FLOATING-POINT-DATA.
   05 WS-SINGLE-PRECISION    PIC S9V999999 USAGE COMP-1.
   05 WS-DOUBLE-PRECISION    PIC S9V999999999 USAGE COMP-2.
   05 WS-SCIENTIFIC-VALUE    PIC S9V999999 USAGE COMP-1.
   05 WS-ENGINEERING-VALUE   PIC S9V999999999 USAGE COMP-2.
 
01 CALCULATION-RESULTS.
   05 WS-SQUARE-ROOT         PIC S9V999999 USAGE COMP-1.
   05 WS-LOGARITHM           PIC S9V999999 USAGE COMP-1.
   05 WS-POWER-RESULT        PIC S9V999999 USAGE COMP-1.
   05 WS-TRIGONOMETRIC       PIC S9V999999 USAGE COMP-1.
 
01 PRECISION-TEST-DATA.
   05 WS-PRECISION-TEST-1    PIC S9V999999 USAGE COMP-1.
   05 WS-PRECISION-TEST-2    PIC S9V999999999 USAGE COMP-2.
   05 WS-PRECISION-DIFFERENCE PIC S9V999999999 USAGE COMP-2.
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    DISPLAY "=== Floating-Point Format Demonstration ==="
    PERFORM INITIALIZE-FLOATING-POINT-DATA
    PERFORM DEMONSTRATE-FLOATING-POINT-OPERATIONS
    PERFORM DEMONSTRATE-PRECISION-DIFFERENCES
    STOP RUN.
 
INITIALIZE-FLOATING-POINT-DATA.
    DISPLAY "=== Initializing Floating-Point Data ==="
    
    * Initialize floating-point values
    MOVE 3.14159 TO WS-SINGLE-PRECISION
    MOVE 3.141592653589 TO WS-DOUBLE-PRECISION
    MOVE 2.71828 TO WS-SCIENTIFIC-VALUE
    MOVE 1.414213562373 TO WS-ENGINEERING-VALUE
    
    DISPLAY "Single Precision Pi: " WS-SINGLE-PRECISION
    DISPLAY "Double Precision Pi: " WS-DOUBLE-PRECISION
    DISPLAY "Scientific Value (e): " WS-SCIENTIFIC-VALUE
    DISPLAY "Engineering Value (sqrt(2)): " WS-ENGINEERING-VALUE.
 
DEMONSTRATE-FLOATING-POINT-OPERATIONS.
    DISPLAY "=== Floating-Point Operations ==="
    
    * Square root calculation
    COMPUTE WS-SQUARE-ROOT = FUNCTION SQRT(WS-SINGLE-PRECISION)
    DISPLAY "Square root of Pi: " WS-SQUARE-ROOT
    
    * Logarithm calculation
    COMPUTE WS-LOGARITHM = FUNCTION LOG(WS-SCIENTIFIC-VALUE)
    DISPLAY "Natural logarithm of e: " WS-LOGARITHM
    
    * Power calculation
    COMPUTE WS-POWER-RESULT = WS-SINGLE-PRECISION ** 2
    DISPLAY "Pi squared: " WS-POWER-RESULT
    
    * Trigonometric function
    COMPUTE WS-TRIGONOMETRIC = FUNCTION SIN(WS-SINGLE-PRECISION)
    DISPLAY "Sine of Pi: " WS-TRIGONOMETRIC.
 
DEMONSTRATE-PRECISION-DIFFERENCES.
    DISPLAY "=== Precision Differences ==="
    
    * Demonstrate precision differences
    MOVE 1.234567890123 TO WS-PRECISION-TEST-1
    MOVE 1.234567890123 TO WS-PRECISION-TEST-2
    
    COMPUTE WS-PRECISION-DIFFERENCE = WS-PRECISION-TEST-2 - WS-PRECISION-TEST-1
    
    DISPLAY "Single precision value: " WS-PRECISION-TEST-1
    DISPLAY "Double precision value: " WS-PRECISION-TEST-2
    DISPLAY "Precision difference: " WS-PRECISION-DIFFERENCE.

Data Conversion and Interoperability

Converting between different binary formats and ensuring interoperability is crucial for modern COBOL applications.

Format Conversion Techniques

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IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. DATA-CONVERSION-DEMO.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 SOURCE-DATA.
   05 WS-SOURCE-COMP3        PIC S9(7)V99 USAGE COMP-3.
   05 WS-SOURCE-COMP5        PIC S9(7) USAGE COMP-5.
   05 WS-SOURCE-DISPLAY      PIC S9(7)V99 USAGE DISPLAY.
 
01 TARGET-DATA.
   05 WS-TARGET-COMP3        PIC S9(7)V99 USAGE COMP-3.
   05 WS-TARGET-COMP5        PIC S9(7) USAGE COMP-5.
   05 WS-TARGET-DISPLAY      PIC S9(7)V99 USAGE DISPLAY.
 
01 CONVERSION-CONTROL.
   05 WS-CONVERSION-COUNT    PIC 9(4) VALUE ZERO.
   05 WS-CONVERSION-ERRORS   PIC 9(3) VALUE ZERO.
   05 WS-CONVERSION-SUCCESS  PIC 9(3) VALUE ZERO.
 
01 VALIDATION-DATA.
   05 WS-ORIGINAL-VALUE      PIC S9(7)V99 USAGE COMP-3.
   05 WS-CONVERTED-VALUE     PIC S9(7)V99 USAGE COMP-3.
   05 WS-VALIDATION-RESULT   PIC X(1).
      88 WS-VALIDATION-PASS  VALUE 'P'.
      88 WS-VALIDATION-FAIL  VALUE 'F'.
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    DISPLAY "=== Data Conversion Demonstration ==="
    PERFORM INITIALIZE-CONVERSION-DATA
    PERFORM DEMONSTRATE-COMP3-TO-COMP5-CONVERSION
    PERFORM DEMONSTRATE-COMP5-TO-DISPLAY-CONVERSION
    PERFORM DEMONSTRATE-DISPLAY-TO-COMP3-CONVERSION
    PERFORM VALIDATE-CONVERSIONS
    STOP RUN.
 
INITIALIZE-CONVERSION-DATA.
    DISPLAY "=== Initializing Conversion Data ==="
    
    * Initialize source data
    MOVE 12345.67 TO WS-SOURCE-COMP3
    MOVE 12345 TO WS-SOURCE-COMP5
    MOVE 98765.43 TO WS-SOURCE-DISPLAY
    
    DISPLAY "Source COMP-3: " WS-SOURCE-COMP3
    DISPLAY "Source COMP-5: " WS-SOURCE-COMP5
    DISPLAY "Source DISPLAY: " WS-SOURCE-DISPLAY.
 
DEMONSTRATE-COMP3-TO-COMP5-CONVERSION.
    DISPLAY "=== COMP-3 to COMP-5 Conversion ==="
    
    * Convert COMP-3 to COMP-5 (integer part only)
    MOVE WS-SOURCE-COMP3 TO WS-TARGET-COMP5
    DISPLAY "COMP-3 to COMP-5: " WS-TARGET-COMP5
    
    ADD 1 TO WS-CONVERSION-COUNT.
 
DEMONSTRATE-COMP5-TO-DISPLAY-CONVERSION.
    DISPLAY "=== COMP-5 to DISPLAY Conversion ==="
    
    * Convert COMP-5 to DISPLAY
    MOVE WS-SOURCE-COMP5 TO WS-TARGET-DISPLAY
    DISPLAY "COMP-5 to DISPLAY: " WS-TARGET-DISPLAY
    
    ADD 1 TO WS-CONVERSION-COUNT.
 
DEMONSTRATE-DISPLAY-TO-COMP3-CONVERSION.
    DISPLAY "=== DISPLAY to COMP-3 Conversion ==="
    
    * Convert DISPLAY to COMP-3
    MOVE WS-SOURCE-DISPLAY TO WS-TARGET-COMP3
    DISPLAY "DISPLAY to COMP-3: " WS-TARGET-COMP3
    
    ADD 1 TO WS-CONVERSION-COUNT.
 
VALIDATE-CONVERSIONS.
    DISPLAY "=== Conversion Validation ==="
    
    * Validate conversion accuracy
    MOVE 1000.50 TO WS-ORIGINAL-VALUE
    MOVE WS-ORIGINAL-VALUE TO WS-CONVERTED-VALUE
    
    IF WS-ORIGINAL-VALUE = WS-CONVERTED-VALUE
       SET WS-VALIDATION-PASS TO TRUE
       ADD 1 TO WS-CONVERSION-SUCCESS
    ELSE
       SET WS-VALIDATION-FAIL TO TRUE
       ADD 1 TO WS-CONVERSION-ERRORS
    END-IF
    
    DISPLAY "Original value: " WS-ORIGINAL-VALUE
    DISPLAY "Converted value: " WS-CONVERTED-VALUE
    DISPLAY "Validation result: " WS-VALIDATION-RESULT
    DISPLAY "Total conversions: " WS-CONVERSION-COUNT
    DISPLAY "Successful conversions: " WS-CONVERSION-SUCCESS
    DISPLAY "Conversion errors: " WS-CONVERSION-ERRORS.

Performance Optimization with Binary Formats

Using binary formats effectively can significantly improve application performance and resource utilization.

Performance Comparison

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IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. PERFORMANCE-COMPARISON-DEMO.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 PERFORMANCE-DATA.
   05 WS-DISPLAY-NUMBERS OCCURS 1000 TIMES.
      10 WS-DISPLAY-VALUE   PIC S9(7)V99 USAGE DISPLAY.
   
   05 WS-COMP3-NUMBERS OCCURS 1000 TIMES.
      10 WS-COMP3-VALUE     PIC S9(7)V99 USAGE COMP-3.
   
   05 WS-COMP5-NUMBERS OCCURS 1000 TIMES.
      10 WS-COMP5-VALUE     PIC S9(7) USAGE COMP-5.
 
01 PERFORMANCE-METRICS.
   05 WS-DISPLAY-TIME       PIC 9(6) VALUE ZERO.
   05 WS-COMP3-TIME         PIC 9(6) VALUE ZERO.
   05 WS-COMP5-TIME         PIC 9(6) VALUE ZERO.
   05 WS-START-TIME         PIC 9(14).
   05 WS-END-TIME           PIC 9(14).
   05 WS-ITERATION-COUNT    PIC 9(4) VALUE 1000.
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    DISPLAY "=== Performance Comparison Demonstration ==="
    PERFORM INITIALIZE-PERFORMANCE-DATA
    PERFORM TEST-DISPLAY-PERFORMANCE
    PERFORM TEST-COMP3-PERFORMANCE
    PERFORM TEST-COMP5-PERFORMANCE
    PERFORM DISPLAY-PERFORMANCE-RESULTS
    STOP RUN.
 
INITIALIZE-PERFORMANCE-DATA.
    DISPLAY "=== Initializing Performance Test Data ==="
    
    * Initialize test data
    PERFORM VARYING WS-ITERATION-COUNT FROM 1 BY 1
       UNTIL WS-ITERATION-COUNT > 1000
       MOVE WS-ITERATION-COUNT TO WS-DISPLAY-VALUE(WS-ITERATION-COUNT)
       MOVE WS-ITERATION-COUNT TO WS-COMP3-VALUE(WS-ITERATION-COUNT)
       MOVE WS-ITERATION-COUNT TO WS-COMP5-VALUE(WS-ITERATION-COUNT)
    END-PERFORM.
 
TEST-DISPLAY-PERFORMANCE.
    DISPLAY "=== Testing DISPLAY Format Performance ==="
    
    ACCEPT WS-START-TIME FROM DATE YYYYMMDD
    ACCEPT WS-START-TIME(9:6) FROM TIME
    
    * Test DISPLAY format performance
    PERFORM VARYING WS-ITERATION-COUNT FROM 1 BY 1
       UNTIL WS-ITERATION-COUNT > 1000
       ADD 1 TO WS-DISPLAY-VALUE(WS-ITERATION-COUNT)
       MULTIPLY WS-DISPLAY-VALUE(WS-ITERATION-COUNT) BY 2
    END-PERFORM
    
    ACCEPT WS-END-TIME FROM DATE YYYYMMDD
    ACCEPT WS-END-TIME(9:6) FROM TIME
    
    COMPUTE WS-DISPLAY-TIME = WS-END-TIME - WS-START-TIME.
 
TEST-COMP3-PERFORMANCE.
    DISPLAY "=== Testing COMP-3 Format Performance ==="
    
    ACCEPT WS-START-TIME FROM DATE YYYYMMDD
    ACCEPT WS-START-TIME(9:6) FROM TIME
    
    * Test COMP-3 format performance
    PERFORM VARYING WS-ITERATION-COUNT FROM 1 BY 1
       UNTIL WS-ITERATION-COUNT > 1000
       ADD 1 TO WS-COMP3-VALUE(WS-ITERATION-COUNT)
       MULTIPLY WS-COMP3-VALUE(WS-ITERATION-COUNT) BY 2
    END-PERFORM
    
    ACCEPT WS-END-TIME FROM DATE YYYYMMDD
    ACCEPT WS-END-TIME(9:6) FROM TIME
    
    COMPUTE WS-COMP3-TIME = WS-END-TIME - WS-START-TIME.
 
TEST-COMP5-PERFORMANCE.
    DISPLAY "=== Testing COMP-5 Format Performance ==="
    
    ACCEPT WS-START-TIME FROM DATE YYYYMMDD
    ACCEPT WS-START-TIME(9:6) FROM TIME
    
    * Test COMP-5 format performance
    PERFORM VARYING WS-ITERATION-COUNT FROM 1 BY 1
       UNTIL WS-ITERATION-COUNT > 1000
       ADD 1 TO WS-COMP5-VALUE(WS-ITERATION-COUNT)
       MULTIPLY WS-COMP5-VALUE(WS-ITERATION-COUNT) BY 2
    END-PERFORM
    
    ACCEPT WS-END-TIME FROM DATE YYYYMMDD
    ACCEPT WS-END-TIME(9:6) FROM TIME
    
    COMPUTE WS-COMP5-TIME = WS-END-TIME - WS-START-TIME.
 
DISPLAY-PERFORMANCE-RESULTS.
    DISPLAY "=== Performance Results ==="
    DISPLAY "DISPLAY format time: " WS-DISPLAY-TIME " milliseconds"
    DISPLAY "COMP-3 format time: " WS-COMP3-TIME " milliseconds"
    DISPLAY "COMP-5 format time: " WS-COMP5-TIME " milliseconds"
    
    IF WS-COMP3-TIME < WS-DISPLAY-TIME
       DISPLAY "COMP-3 is faster than DISPLAY by " 
               (WS-DISPLAY-TIME - WS-COMP3-TIME) " milliseconds"
    END-IF
    
    IF WS-COMP5-TIME < WS-DISPLAY-TIME
       DISPLAY "COMP-5 is faster than DISPLAY by " 
               (WS-DISPLAY-TIME - WS-COMP5-TIME) " milliseconds"
    END-IF.

Best Practices for Binary Data Formats

Following best practices ensures optimal use of binary formats and maintains data integrity throughout processing.

Design Guidelines

  • Use COMP-3 for decimal arithmetic and financial calculations
  • Use COMP-5 for integer operations and counters
  • Use COMP-1/COMP-2 for scientific and engineering calculations
  • Choose appropriate precision for your data requirements
  • Consider storage efficiency and performance trade-offs

Implementation Considerations

  • Be aware of precision limitations in conversions
  • Validate data after format conversions
  • Use consistent formats throughout related data structures
  • Document format choices and their rationale
  • Test performance with actual data volumes

Maintenance and Debugging

  • Use DISPLAY format for debugging and logging
  • Implement proper error handling for conversions
  • Monitor performance metrics regularly
  • Keep documentation updated with format changes
  • Use tools to analyze binary data when needed

FAQ

What are binary data formats in COBOL?

Binary data formats in COBOL refer to the internal representation of data using binary encoding schemes like COMP-3 (packed decimal), COMP-5 (binary), and other USAGE clauses that store data in binary form rather than character format for efficiency and precision.

What is the difference between COMP-3 and COMP-5 in COBOL?

COMP-3 uses packed decimal format where each digit is stored in 4 bits (nibble), with the last nibble containing the sign. COMP-5 uses pure binary format where the entire number is stored as a binary integer, similar to how integers are stored in memory.

When should you use binary data formats in COBOL?

Use binary formats for numeric data that will be used in calculations, when storage efficiency is important, for performance-critical applications, and when working with large datasets. They provide better performance and use less storage space than display formats.

How do you convert between binary and display formats in COBOL?

Conversion between binary and display formats is handled automatically by COBOL when moving data between fields with different USAGE clauses. You can also use explicit conversion routines and be aware of potential data loss during conversions.

What are the performance benefits of binary data formats?

Binary formats provide faster arithmetic operations, reduced storage requirements, better memory utilization, and improved I/O performance. They eliminate the need for character-to-numeric conversions during calculations and reduce data transfer overhead.

Data Types

Understanding COBOL data types and representations

Usage Clause

USAGE clauses for optimal data storage

Arithmetic Operations

Mathematical operations with binary data

Performance Optimization

Optimizing COBOL program performance