COBOL Tutorial

COBOL END-CLASS Clause - Quick Reference

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Overview

The END-CLASS clause is used to terminate a class definition in object-oriented COBOL. This clause marks the end of a class scope and completes the class structure, working in conjunction with the CLASS-ID clause to define complete class definitions.

Purpose and Usage

Class termination - Mark the end of a class definition
Scope management - Close class scope properly
Structure completion - Complete class structure
OOP support - Support object-oriented programming
Compilation aid - Help compiler understand class boundaries

Class Structure Concept

Class Definition: [CLASS-ID] → [Class Content] → [END-CLASS]

Class Scope: [Start of Class] → [Methods/Properties] → [End of Class]

Structure: [CLASS-ID class-name] → [Class Body] → [END-CLASS]

END-CLASS properly terminates the class definition

END-CLASS provides proper class termination and scope management.

Syntax

The END-CLASS clause follows specific syntax patterns and is used to terminate class definitions in object-oriented COBOL.

Basic Syntax

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* Basic END-CLASS clause syntax
CLASS-ID class-name.
    * Class content goes here
    * Methods, properties, etc.
END-CLASS.
 
* Examples
CLASS-ID CustomerClass.
    * Customer class methods and properties
END-CLASS.
 
CLASS-ID BankAccount.
    * Bank account class methods and properties
END-CLASS.
 
* Complete example
CLASS-ID EmployeeClass.
    ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
    CONFIGURATION SECTION.
    
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 EMPLOYEE-NAME PIC X(50).
    01 EMPLOYEE-ID PIC 9(5).
    
    METHOD-ID CONSTRUCTOR.
    DATA DIVISION.
    LINKAGE SECTION.
    01 EMP-NAME PIC X(50).
    01 EMP-ID PIC 9(5).
    PROCEDURE DIVISION USING EMP-NAME EMP-ID.
        MOVE EMP-NAME TO EMPLOYEE-NAME
        MOVE EMP-ID TO EMPLOYEE-ID
    END METHOD.
    
    METHOD-ID GET-NAME.
    DATA DIVISION.
    LINKAGE SECTION.
    01 RETURN-NAME PIC X(50).
    PROCEDURE DIVISION RETURNING RETURN-NAME.
        MOVE EMPLOYEE-NAME TO RETURN-NAME
    END METHOD.
END-CLASS.

END-CLASS terminates a class definition that was started with CLASS-ID.

Class Structure Requirements

Component	Required	Purpose
CLASS-ID	Yes	Start class definition
Class content	Optional	Methods, properties, data
END-CLASS	Yes	Terminate class definition
Methods	Optional	Class behavior implementation

Multiple Classes Example

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* Multiple classes in a single program
CLASS-ID CustomerClass.
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 CUSTOMER-NAME PIC X(50).
    01 CUSTOMER-ID PIC 9(5).
    
    METHOD-ID CONSTRUCTOR.
    DATA DIVISION.
    LINKAGE SECTION.
    01 CUST-NAME PIC X(50).
    01 CUST-ID PIC 9(5).
    PROCEDURE DIVISION USING CUST-NAME CUST-ID.
        MOVE CUST-NAME TO CUSTOMER-NAME
        MOVE CUST-ID TO CUSTOMER-ID
    END METHOD.
END-CLASS.
 
CLASS-ID OrderClass.
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 ORDER-NUMBER PIC 9(10).
    01 ORDER-AMOUNT PIC 9(8)V99.
    
    METHOD-ID CREATE-ORDER.
    DATA DIVISION.
    LINKAGE SECTION.
    01 ORD-NUM PIC 9(10).
    01 ORD-AMT PIC 9(8)V99.
    PROCEDURE DIVISION USING ORD-NUM ORD-AMT.
        MOVE ORD-NUM TO ORDER-NUMBER
        MOVE ORD-AMT TO ORDER-AMOUNT
    END METHOD.
END-CLASS.
 
* Main program
PROGRAM-ID MainProgram.
    * Main program logic here
END PROGRAM.

Each class must be properly terminated with its own END-CLASS clause.

Common Use Cases

END-CLASS is commonly used in specific scenarios where object-oriented programming with classes is needed.

Business Object Classes

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* Business object class definition
CLASS-ID CustomerClass.
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 CUSTOMER-NAME PIC X(50).
    01 CUSTOMER-ID PIC 9(5).
    01 CUSTOMER-ADDRESS PIC X(100).
    01 CUSTOMER-PHONE PIC X(15).
    
    METHOD-ID CONSTRUCTOR.
    DATA DIVISION.
    LINKAGE SECTION.
    01 CUST-NAME PIC X(50).
    01 CUST-ID PIC 9(5).
    01 CUST-ADDR PIC X(100).
    01 CUST-PHONE PIC X(15).
    PROCEDURE DIVISION USING CUST-NAME CUST-ID CUST-ADDR CUST-PHONE.
        MOVE CUST-NAME TO CUSTOMER-NAME
        MOVE CUST-ID TO CUSTOMER-ID
        MOVE CUST-ADDR TO CUSTOMER-ADDRESS
        MOVE CUST-PHONE TO CUSTOMER-PHONE
    END METHOD.
    
    METHOD-ID GET-CUSTOMER-INFO.
    DATA DIVISION.
    LINKAGE SECTION.
    01 RETURN-NAME PIC X(50).
    01 RETURN-ID PIC 9(5).
    PROCEDURE DIVISION RETURNING RETURN-NAME RETURN-ID.
        MOVE CUSTOMER-NAME TO RETURN-NAME
        MOVE CUSTOMER-ID TO RETURN-ID
    END METHOD.
END-CLASS.

Define business objects with proper class termination.

Utility Classes

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* Utility class for common operations
CLASS-ID StringUtilityClass.
    METHOD-ID CONCATENATE-STRINGS.
    DATA DIVISION.
    LINKAGE SECTION.
    01 STRING1 PIC X(50).
    01 STRING2 PIC X(50).
    01 RESULT-STRING PIC X(100).
    PROCEDURE DIVISION USING STRING1 STRING2 RETURNING RESULT-STRING.
        STRING STRING1 DELIMITED BY SPACE
               STRING2 DELIMITED BY SPACE
               INTO RESULT-STRING
    END METHOD.
    
    METHOD-ID CONVERT-TO-UPPERCASE.
    DATA DIVISION.
    LINKAGE SECTION.
    01 INPUT-STRING PIC X(50).
    01 OUTPUT-STRING PIC X(50).
    PROCEDURE DIVISION USING INPUT-STRING RETURNING OUTPUT-STRING.
        MOVE FUNCTION UPPER-CASE(INPUT-STRING) TO OUTPUT-STRING
    END METHOD.
    
    METHOD-ID VALIDATE-EMAIL.
    DATA DIVISION.
    LINKAGE SECTION.
    01 EMAIL-ADDRESS PIC X(100).
    01 IS-VALID PIC X.
    PROCEDURE DIVISION USING EMAIL-ADDRESS RETURNING IS-VALID.
        IF EMAIL-ADDRESS CONTAINS "@"
            MOVE "Y" TO IS-VALID
        ELSE
            MOVE "N" TO IS-VALID
        END-IF
    END METHOD.
END-CLASS.

Create utility classes with multiple methods.

Data Access Classes

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* Data access class for database operations
CLASS-ID DatabaseAccessClass.
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 CONNECTION-STRING PIC X(200).
    01 SQL-STATEMENT PIC X(500).
    
    METHOD-ID CONNECT-DATABASE.
    DATA DIVISION.
    LINKAGE SECTION.
    01 CONN-STRING PIC X(200).
    01 SUCCESS-FLAG PIC X.
    PROCEDURE DIVISION USING CONN-STRING RETURNING SUCCESS-FLAG.
        MOVE CONN-STRING TO CONNECTION-STRING
        * Database connection logic here
        MOVE "Y" TO SUCCESS-FLAG
    END METHOD.
    
    METHOD-ID EXECUTE-QUERY.
    DATA DIVISION.
    LINKAGE SECTION.
    01 QUERY-STRING PIC X(500).
    01 RESULT-SET PIC X(1000).
    PROCEDURE DIVISION USING QUERY-STRING RETURNING RESULT-SET.
        MOVE QUERY-STRING TO SQL-STATEMENT
        * Query execution logic here
        MOVE "Query results" TO RESULT-SET
    END METHOD.
    
    METHOD-ID CLOSE-CONNECTION.
    PROCEDURE DIVISION.
        * Close database connection logic here
    END METHOD.
END-CLASS.

Define data access classes with database operations.

Best Practices and Tips

Following these best practices ensures effective use of the END-CLASS clause for proper class structure and termination.

END-CLASS Design Principles

Always include END-CLASS - Never forget to terminate class definitions
Match CLASS-ID and END-CLASS - Ensure proper class scope closure
Use meaningful class names - Choose descriptive class names
Organize class content - Structure class methods and properties logically
Document class purpose - Clearly document what each class does
Test class structure - Verify that classes compile and work correctly

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Pitfall	Problem	Solution
Missing END-CLASS	Compilation errors, undefined class scope	Always include END-CLASS after class definition
Mismatched CLASS-ID/END-CLASS	Class structure errors	Ensure each CLASS-ID has corresponding END-CLASS
Poor class organization	Difficult to maintain and understand	Organize class content logically
Unclear class names	Confusing code structure	Use descriptive and meaningful class names
Not documenting classes	Difficult to understand class purpose	Document class purpose and functionality

Performance Considerations

Class instantiation overhead - Creating class instances has overhead
Method call overhead - Method calls may have performance impact
Memory usage - Classes consume additional memory
Compilation time - Object-oriented features may increase compilation time
Runtime performance - Consider performance impact of OOP features
Class hierarchy complexity - Complex inheritance may affect performance

When to Use END-CLASS

Use Case	END-CLASS Suitability	Reasoning
Object-oriented programming	Essential	Required for proper class structure
Business object modeling	Excellent	Perfect for modeling business entities
Code organization	Good	Helps organize code into logical units
Traditional COBOL	Not applicable	Only for object-oriented COBOL
Simple programs	Poor	Unnecessary complexity for simple logic

END-CLASS Clause Quick Reference

Usage	Syntax	Example
Basic class termination	END-CLASS.	END-CLASS.
Complete class structure	CLASS-ID name. ... END-CLASS.	CLASS-ID MyClass. ... END-CLASS.
Multiple classes	Multiple CLASS-ID/END-CLASS pairs	CLASS-ID Class1. ... END-CLASS. CLASS-ID Class2. ... END-CLASS.
Class with methods	CLASS-ID name. ... METHOD-ID. ... END METHOD. END-CLASS.	CLASS-ID MyClass. ... METHOD-ID MyMethod. ... END METHOD. END-CLASS.
Class with data	CLASS-ID name. DATA DIVISION. ... END-CLASS.	CLASS-ID MyClass. DATA DIVISION. ... END-CLASS.

Test Your Knowledge

1. What is the primary purpose of the END-CLASS clause in COBOL?

To define data types
To terminate a class definition in object-oriented COBOL
To control file operations
To perform calculations

2. What must precede the END-CLASS clause?

Any COBOL statement
A CLASS-ID clause
A PROCEDURE DIVISION
A DATA DIVISION

3. What is the relationship between CLASS-ID and END-CLASS?

They are independent
CLASS-ID starts a class, END-CLASS ends it
They serve the same purpose
They are optional

4. When is END-CLASS most useful?

In traditional COBOL programs
In object-oriented COBOL programs with classes
Only during compilation
Only during program termination

5. How does END-CLASS relate to object-oriented programming?

They are completely independent
END-CLASS is essential for proper class structure in OOP
END-CLASS overrides OOP features
They serve the same purpose

COBOL Tutorial

COBOL END-CLASS Clause - Quick Reference

Overview

Purpose and Usage

Class Structure Concept

Syntax

Basic Syntax

Class Structure Requirements

Multiple Classes Example

Common Use Cases

Business Object Classes

Utility Classes

Data Access Classes

Best Practices and Tips

END-CLASS Design Principles

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Performance Considerations

When to Use END-CLASS

END-CLASS Clause Quick Reference

Test Your Knowledge

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Concepts

CLASS-ID Clause

METHOD-ID Clause

END-METHOD Clause

Object-Oriented COBOL

Program Structure

Related Pages

COBOL Tutorial

COBOL END-CLASS Clause - Quick Reference

Overview

Purpose and Usage

Class Structure Concept

Syntax

Basic Syntax

Class Structure Requirements

Multiple Classes Example

Common Use Cases

Business Object Classes

Utility Classes

Data Access Classes

Best Practices and Tips

END-CLASS Design Principles

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Performance Considerations

When to Use END-CLASS

END-CLASS Clause Quick Reference

Test Your Knowledge

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between END-CLASS and END-PROGRAM?

Can END-CLASS be used in traditional COBOL programs?

What happens if you forget to include END-CLASS?

Can you have multiple classes in a single COBOL program?

What comes after END-CLASS in a COBOL program?

Related Concepts

CLASS-ID Clause

METHOD-ID Clause

END-METHOD Clause

Object-Oriented COBOL

Program Structure

Related Pages