COBOL Tutorial

COBOL DESTINATION Clause - Quick Reference

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Overview

The DESTINATION clause is used to specify output destinations for program results, reports, or data. This clause is part of the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph in the CONFIGURATION SECTION and provides control over where program output is directed.

Purpose and Usage

Output routing - Control where program output goes
Device specification - Specify output devices
File destination - Direct output to files
Printer control - Route output to printers
Display control - Control screen output

Output Destination Concept

Program Output: [Data/Reports/Results]

DESTINATION: [File/Printer/Screen/Device]

Routing: [Program] → [DESTINATION] → [Output Device]

Controls where program output is directed

DESTINATION provides control over output routing and destination specification.

Syntax

The DESTINATION clause follows specific syntax patterns and is used in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph of the CONFIGURATION SECTION.

Basic Syntax

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* Basic DESTINATION clause syntax
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
CONFIGURATION SECTION.
SPECIAL-NAMES.
    logical-name IS DESTINATION destination-specification.
 
* Examples
    REPORT-OUTPUT IS DESTINATION "REPORT.TXT".
    PRINTER-OUTPUT IS DESTINATION "PRINTER1".
    SCREEN-OUTPUT IS DESTINATION "CONSOLE".
 
* Complete example
PROGRAM-ID. DESTINATION-EXAMPLE.
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
CONFIGURATION SECTION.
SPECIAL-NAMES.
    REPORT-FILE IS DESTINATION "REPORTS/OUTPUT.TXT".
    PRINTER-DEVICE IS DESTINATION "LPT1".
    CONSOLE-OUTPUT IS DESTINATION "CONSOLE".
    ERROR-LOG IS DESTINATION "ERRORS.LOG".

DESTINATION is used in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph to define output destinations.

Destination Types

Destination Type	Specification	Use Case
File	"filename.ext"	Output to files
Printer	"PRINTER1" or "LPT1"	Output to printers
Screen	"CONSOLE" or "SCREEN"	Output to display
Network	"NETWORK://address"	Output to network

Usage in Program

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* Using DESTINATION in program
PROGRAM-ID. DESTINATION-EXAMPLE.
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
CONFIGURATION SECTION.
SPECIAL-NAMES.
    REPORT-OUTPUT IS DESTINATION "REPORTS/DAILY.TXT".
    PRINTER-OUTPUT IS DESTINATION "PRINTER1".
    ERROR-OUTPUT IS DESTINATION "ERRORS.LOG".
 
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 REPORT-LINE PIC X(80).
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    * Output to report file
    OPEN OUTPUT REPORT-OUTPUT
    MOVE "Daily Report" TO REPORT-LINE
    WRITE REPORT-LINE
    
    * Output to printer
    OPEN OUTPUT PRINTER-OUTPUT
    MOVE "Printed Report" TO REPORT-LINE
    WRITE REPORT-LINE
    
    * Output to error log
    OPEN OUTPUT ERROR-OUTPUT
    MOVE "Error occurred" TO REPORT-LINE
    WRITE REPORT-LINE

DESTINATION allows routing output to different destinations in the program.

Common Use Cases

DESTINATION is commonly used in specific scenarios where output routing and destination control is needed.

Report Generation

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* Generating reports to different destinations
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
CONFIGURATION SECTION.
SPECIAL-NAMES.
    DAILY-REPORT IS DESTINATION "REPORTS/DAILY.TXT".
    WEEKLY-REPORT IS DESTINATION "REPORTS/WEEKLY.TXT".
    MONTHLY-REPORT IS DESTINATION "REPORTS/MONTHLY.TXT".
    PRINTER-REPORT IS DESTINATION "PRINTER1".
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    * Generate daily report to file
    OPEN OUTPUT DAILY-REPORT
    PERFORM GENERATE-DAILY-REPORT
    CLOSE DAILY-REPORT
    
    * Generate weekly report to file
    OPEN OUTPUT WEEKLY-REPORT
    PERFORM GENERATE-WEEKLY-REPORT
    CLOSE WEEKLY-REPORT
    
    * Generate monthly report to printer
    OPEN OUTPUT PRINTER-REPORT
    PERFORM GENERATE-MONTHLY-REPORT
    CLOSE PRINTER-REPORT

Route different types of reports to appropriate destinations.

Error Logging

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* Logging errors to different destinations
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
CONFIGURATION SECTION.
SPECIAL-NAMES.
    ERROR-LOG IS DESTINATION "ERRORS.LOG".
    CONSOLE-ERROR IS DESTINATION "CONSOLE".
    DEBUG-LOG IS DESTINATION "DEBUG.LOG".
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    * Log critical errors to file
    OPEN OUTPUT ERROR-LOG
    MOVE "Critical error occurred" TO ERROR-MESSAGE
    WRITE ERROR-MESSAGE
    CLOSE ERROR-LOG
    
    * Display errors on console
    OPEN OUTPUT CONSOLE-ERROR
    MOVE "Error displayed on console" TO ERROR-MESSAGE
    WRITE ERROR-MESSAGE
    CLOSE CONSOLE-ERROR
    
    * Log debug information
    OPEN OUTPUT DEBUG-LOG
    MOVE "Debug information" TO DEBUG-MESSAGE
    WRITE DEBUG-MESSAGE
    CLOSE DEBUG-LOG

Route different types of error messages to appropriate destinations.

Multi-Device Output

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* Output to multiple devices simultaneously
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
CONFIGURATION SECTION.
SPECIAL-NAMES.
    FILE-OUTPUT IS DESTINATION "OUTPUT.TXT".
    PRINTER-OUTPUT IS DESTINATION "PRINTER1".
    SCREEN-OUTPUT IS DESTINATION "CONSOLE".
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    * Output to file
    OPEN OUTPUT FILE-OUTPUT
    MOVE "Data written to file" TO OUTPUT-LINE
    WRITE OUTPUT-LINE
    CLOSE FILE-OUTPUT
    
    * Output to printer
    OPEN OUTPUT PRINTER-OUTPUT
    MOVE "Data sent to printer" TO OUTPUT-LINE
    WRITE OUTPUT-LINE
    CLOSE PRINTER-OUTPUT
    
    * Output to screen
    OPEN OUTPUT SCREEN-OUTPUT
    MOVE "Data displayed on screen" TO OUTPUT-LINE
    WRITE OUTPUT-LINE
    CLOSE SCREEN-OUTPUT

Send output to multiple destinations for different purposes.

Best Practices and Tips

Following these best practices ensures effective use of the DESTINATION clause for output control and routing.

DESTINATION Design Principles

Use meaningful names - Choose descriptive logical names for destinations
Specify appropriate destinations - Match destination type to output purpose
Consider file paths - Use proper file paths for file destinations
Handle device availability - Ensure specified devices are available
Document destination purposes - Clearly document what each destination is for
Test destination access - Verify that destinations are accessible

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Pitfall	Problem	Solution
Invalid file paths	Output fails to write	Use valid file paths and ensure directories exist
Unavailable devices	Output routing fails	Verify device availability before specifying
Poor naming conventions	Confusing destination usage	Use clear, descriptive logical names
Missing error handling	Program crashes on destination failure	Add proper error handling for destination operations
Not documenting usage	Difficult to understand output routing	Document all destination purposes and usage

Performance Considerations

Device performance - Different destinations have different performance characteristics
I/O overhead - File destinations may have I/O performance considerations
Network latency - Network destinations may have latency considerations
Printer speed - Printer destinations depend on printer speed
Screen refresh - Screen destinations depend on display capabilities
Concurrent access - Multiple destinations may affect overall performance

When to Use DESTINATION

Use Case	DESTINATION Suitability	Reasoning
Report generation	Excellent	Essential for routing reports to appropriate destinations
Error logging	Good	Helps route errors to appropriate logging destinations
Multi-device output	Good	Provides control over multiple output destinations
Simple output	Poor	Unnecessary complexity for simple output
Input operations	Not applicable	DESTINATION is for output only

DESTINATION Clause Quick Reference

Usage	Syntax	Example
File destination	logical-name IS DESTINATION "filename"	REPORT-FILE IS DESTINATION "REPORT.TXT"
Printer destination	logical-name IS DESTINATION "printer"	PRINTER-OUTPUT IS DESTINATION "PRINTER1"
Screen destination	logical-name IS DESTINATION "console"	SCREEN-OUTPUT IS DESTINATION "CONSOLE"
Network destination	logical-name IS DESTINATION "network://address"	NETWORK-OUTPUT IS DESTINATION "NETWORK://192.168.1.100"
Multiple destinations	Multiple DESTINATION clauses	FILE-OUTPUT IS DESTINATION "FILE.TXT" PRINTER-OUTPUT IS DESTINATION "PRINTER1"

Test Your Knowledge

1. What is the primary purpose of the DESTINATION clause in COBOL?

To define data types
To specify the output destination for program results
To control file operations
To perform calculations

2. At what level is the DESTINATION clause typically used?

01 level only
88 level only
77 level only
In SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph

3. What types of destinations can be specified with DESTINATION?

Only files
Only printers
Files, printers, screens, and other output devices
Only screens

4. When is DESTINATION most useful?

During production runs only
When you need to control where program output goes
Only during compilation
Only during program termination

5. How does DESTINATION relate to program output?

They are completely independent
DESTINATION controls where program output is directed
DESTINATION overrides all output
They serve the same purpose

COBOL Tutorial

COBOL DESTINATION Clause - Quick Reference

Overview

Purpose and Usage

Output Destination Concept

Syntax

Basic Syntax

Destination Types

Usage in Program

Common Use Cases

Report Generation

Error Logging

Multi-Device Output

Best Practices and Tips

DESTINATION Design Principles

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Performance Considerations

When to Use DESTINATION

DESTINATION Clause Quick Reference

Test Your Knowledge

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Concepts

ASSIGN Clause

SPECIAL-NAMES Paragraph

File Description (FD)

Report Writer

Working-Storage Section

Related Pages

COBOL Tutorial

COBOL DESTINATION Clause - Quick Reference

Overview

Purpose and Usage

Output Destination Concept

Syntax

Basic Syntax

Destination Types

Usage in Program

Common Use Cases

Report Generation

Error Logging

Multi-Device Output

Best Practices and Tips

DESTINATION Design Principles

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Performance Considerations

When to Use DESTINATION

DESTINATION Clause Quick Reference

Test Your Knowledge

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between DESTINATION and ASSIGN in COBOL?

Can DESTINATION be used for input operations?

What types of output destinations can be specified with DESTINATION?

How do you use DESTINATION in a COBOL program?

Are there performance implications when using DESTINATION?

Related Concepts

ASSIGN Clause

SPECIAL-NAMES Paragraph

File Description (FD)

Report Writer

Working-Storage Section

Related Pages