COBOL COLUMN and COLUMNS

The COLUMN and COLUMNS clauses in COBOL are used for report formatting and column definition in Report Writer and screen sections. They provide precise control over horizontal positioning of data elements in reports, forms, and display screens.

Overview and Purpose

The COLUMN clause is fundamental to creating well-formatted reports and screen displays in COBOL. It specifies the exact horizontal position where data should appear, enabling precise alignment of text, numbers, and other data elements. This capability is essential for creating professional reports, forms, and user interfaces that present information in a clear, organized manner.

Basic Report Column Definition

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01  DETAIL-LINE.
    05  FILLER              PIC X(5) VALUE SPACES.
    05  CUSTOMER-ID-OUT     PIC X(8) COLUMN 10.
    05  CUSTOMER-NAME-OUT   PIC X(30) COLUMN 20.
    05  BALANCE-OUT         PIC Z,ZZZ,ZZ9.99 COLUMN 55.

This example shows how COLUMN is used in report line definitions to position different data elements. The customer ID starts at column 10, the customer name at column 20, and the balance at column 55. This creates a structured report layout where each piece of information appears at a predictable location, making the report easy to read and understand. The COLUMN clause ensures consistent alignment across all report lines.

Report Header with Column Alignment

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01  REPORT-HEADER.
    05  FILLER              PIC X(20) VALUE "CUSTOMER REPORT" 
                            COLUMN 30.
    05  FILLER              PIC X(6) VALUE "DATE: "
                            COLUMN 65.
    05  REPORT-DATE         PIC X(10) COLUMN 71.

This header definition demonstrates how COLUMN positioning creates professional report headers with multiple aligned elements. The main title "CUSTOMER REPORT" is centered at column 30, while the date label and actual date are right-aligned starting at columns 65 and 71 respectively. This type of header formatting is standard in business reports and provides essential information while maintaining visual appeal.

Dynamic Column Positioning

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01  WS-COLUMN-VARS.
    05  WS-NAME-COLUMN      PIC 99 VALUE 15.
    05  WS-AMOUNT-COLUMN    PIC 99 VALUE 45.
    05  WS-DATE-COLUMN      PIC 99 VALUE 65.

This approach uses variables to define column positions, providing flexibility in report layout design. By storing column positions in variables, you can easily adjust the entire report layout by changing these values, or even calculate column positions dynamically based on data content or user preferences. This technique is particularly useful when creating configurable reports or when column positions need to adapt to different data sizes.

Screen Section Column Definition

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SCREEN SECTION.
01  CUSTOMER-ENTRY-SCREEN.
    05  BLANK SCREEN.
    05  FILLER LINE 5 COLUMN 20 VALUE "Customer Entry Form".
    05  FILLER LINE 8 COLUMN 10 VALUE "Customer ID:".
    05  CUSTOMER-ID-FIELD LINE 8 COLUMN 25 PIC X(8).

In screen sections, COLUMN works with LINE to position screen elements precisely. This example creates a customer entry form where the title appears at line 5, column 20, the field label at line 8, column 10, and the input field at line 8, column 25. This precise positioning creates a professional data entry screen with clear field labels and logical data flow that guides users through the input process.

Tutorial: Creating Professional Reports

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*> Column Planning:
*> ID: Columns 1-8 (8 characters)
*> Name: Columns 15-44 (30 characters)  
*> Amount: Columns 50-62 (13 characters)
*> Status: Columns 68-75 (8 characters)

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01  REPORT-HEADER.
    05  FILLER              PIC X(15) VALUE "SALES REPORT"
                            COLUMN 30.
01  COLUMN-HEADERS.
    05  FILLER              PIC X(8) VALUE "ID"
                            COLUMN 1.
    05  FILLER              PIC X(4) VALUE "NAME"
                            COLUMN 15.

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01  DETAIL-LINE.
    05  CUSTOMER-ID-OUT     PIC X(8) COLUMN 1.
    05  CUSTOMER-NAME-OUT   PIC X(30) COLUMN 15.
    05  AMOUNT-OUT          PIC ZZZ,ZZ9.99 COLUMN 50.
    05  STATUS-OUT          PIC X(8) COLUMN 68.

Practical Exercises

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01  INVOICE-DETAIL.
    05  ITEM-CODE-OUT       PIC X(10) COLUMN 1.
    05  DESCRIPTION-OUT     PIC X(25) COLUMN 15.
    05  QUANTITY-OUT        PIC ZZ9 COLUMN 45.
    05  UNIT-PRICE-OUT      PIC ZZZ.99 COLUMN 52.
    05  TOTAL-OUT           PIC Z,ZZZ.99 COLUMN 65.

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SCREEN SECTION.
01  EMPLOYEE-SCREEN.
    05  BLANK SCREEN.
    05  FILLER LINE 3 COLUMN 25 VALUE "Employee Data Entry".
    05  FILLER LINE 6 COLUMN 10 VALUE "Employee ID:".
    05  EMP-ID-FIELD LINE 6 COLUMN 25 PIC X(8).
    05  FILLER LINE 8 COLUMN 10 VALUE "Name:".
    05  EMP-NAME-FIELD LINE 8 COLUMN 25 PIC X(30).

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01  FINANCIAL-DETAIL.
    05  ACCOUNT-NAME-OUT    PIC X(25) COLUMN 1.
    05  CURRENT-YEAR-OUT    PIC ZZZ,ZZZ,ZZ9.99 COLUMN 35.
    05  PREVIOUS-YEAR-OUT   PIC ZZZ,ZZZ,ZZ9.99 COLUMN 55.
    05  VARIANCE-OUT        PIC +ZZZ,ZZZ,ZZ9.99 COLUMN 75.

Advanced Column Techniques

Conditional Column Positioning

Implement conditional logic to adjust column positions based on data content or report requirements. This technique allows for flexible layouts that adapt to different scenarios while maintaining professional appearance.

Column Overflow Handling

Plan for situations where data might exceed expected column widths. Implement truncation, wrapping, or overflow indicators to handle long data gracefully without disrupting the overall report layout.

Multi-Page Column Consistency

Ensure column positions remain consistent across multiple pages of reports. Use standardized column definitions and header structures to maintain alignment throughout long reports.