COBOL Tutorial

COBOL END-OBJECT Clause - Quick Reference

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Overview

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

Purpose and Usage

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

Object Structure Concept

Object Definition: [OBJECT] → [Object Content] → [END-OBJECT]

Object Scope: [Start of Object] → [Properties/Data] → [End of Object]

Structure: [OBJECT object-name] → [Object Body] → [END-OBJECT]

END-OBJECT properly terminates the object definition

END-OBJECT provides proper object termination and scope management.

Syntax

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

Basic Syntax

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* Basic END-OBJECT clause syntax
OBJECT object-name.
    * Object content goes here
    * Properties, data, etc.
END-OBJECT.
 
* Examples
OBJECT CustomerObject.
    * Customer object properties and data
END-OBJECT.
 
OBJECT BankAccountObject.
    * Bank account object properties and data
END-OBJECT.
 
* Complete example
OBJECT EmployeeObject.
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 EMPLOYEE-NAME PIC X(50).
    01 EMPLOYEE-ID PIC 9(5).
    01 EMPLOYEE-SALARY PIC 9(8)V99.
    01 EMPLOYEE-DEPARTMENT PIC X(30).
    
    * Object properties and methods can be defined here
    * Additional object content
END-OBJECT.

END-OBJECT terminates an object definition that was started with OBJECT.

Object Structure Requirements

Component	Required	Purpose
OBJECT	Yes	Start object definition
Object content	Optional	Properties, data, methods
END-OBJECT	Yes	Terminate object definition
DATA DIVISION	Optional	Object data and properties

Multiple Objects Example

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* Multiple objects in a single program
OBJECT CustomerObject.
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 CUSTOMER-NAME PIC X(50).
    01 CUSTOMER-ID PIC 9(5).
    01 CUSTOMER-ADDRESS PIC X(100).
    
    * Customer object properties and methods
END-OBJECT.
 
OBJECT OrderObject.
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 ORDER-NUMBER PIC 9(10).
    01 ORDER-AMOUNT PIC 9(8)V99.
    01 ORDER-DATE PIC 9(8).
    
    * Order object properties and methods
END-OBJECT.
 
OBJECT ProductObject.
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 PRODUCT-CODE PIC X(10).
    01 PRODUCT-NAME PIC X(50).
    01 PRODUCT-PRICE PIC 9(6)V99.
    
    * Product object properties and methods
END-OBJECT.
 
* Main program
PROGRAM-ID MainProgram.
    * Main program logic here
END PROGRAM.

Each object must be properly terminated with its own END-OBJECT clause.

Common Use Cases

END-OBJECT is commonly used in specific scenarios where object-oriented programming with objects is needed.

Business Entity Objects

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* Business entity object definition
OBJECT CustomerObject.
    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).
    01 CUSTOMER-EMAIL PIC X(100).
    01 CUSTOMER-STATUS PIC X.
        88 ACTIVE-CUSTOMER VALUE "A".
        88 INACTIVE-CUSTOMER VALUE "I".
    
    * Customer object properties and validation rules
    * Business logic for customer operations
END-OBJECT.

Define business entity objects with proper object termination.

Data Container Objects

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* Data container object for structured data
OBJECT TransactionObject.
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 TRANSACTION-ID PIC 9(10).
    01 TRANSACTION-TYPE PIC X.
        88 DEBIT-TRANSACTION VALUE "D".
        88 CREDIT-TRANSACTION VALUE "C".
    01 TRANSACTION-AMOUNT PIC 9(8)V99.
    01 TRANSACTION-DATE PIC 9(8).
    01 TRANSACTION-TIME PIC 9(6).
    01 ACCOUNT-NUMBER PIC 9(10).
    01 TRANSACTION-DESCRIPTION PIC X(100).
    
    * Transaction object properties and validation
    * Data integrity rules and constraints
END-OBJECT.

Create data container objects for structured data management.

Configuration Objects

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* Configuration object for application settings
OBJECT ConfigObject.
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 DATABASE-URL PIC X(200).
    01 DATABASE-USERNAME PIC X(50).
    01 DATABASE-PASSWORD PIC X(50).
    01 LOG-LEVEL PIC X.
        88 DEBUG-LEVEL VALUE "D".
        88 INFO-LEVEL VALUE "I".
        88 ERROR-LEVEL VALUE "E".
    01 MAX-CONNECTIONS PIC 9(3).
    01 TIMEOUT-SECONDS PIC 9(3).
    01 APPLICATION-NAME PIC X(50).
    01 VERSION-NUMBER PIC X(20).
    
    * Configuration object properties and defaults
    * Application configuration management
END-OBJECT.

Define configuration objects for application settings.

Best Practices and Tips

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

END-OBJECT Design Principles

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

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

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

Performance Considerations

Object instantiation overhead - Creating objects has overhead
Memory usage - Objects consume additional memory
Compilation time - Object-oriented features may increase compilation time
Runtime performance - Consider performance impact of OOP features
Object complexity - Complex objects may affect performance
Object lifecycle management - Object creation and destruction overhead

When to Use END-OBJECT

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

END-OBJECT Clause Quick Reference

Usage	Syntax	Example
Basic object termination	END-OBJECT.	END-OBJECT.
Complete object structure	OBJECT name. ... END-OBJECT.	OBJECT MyObject. ... END-OBJECT.
Multiple objects	Multiple OBJECT/END-OBJECT pairs	OBJECT Object1. ... END-OBJECT. OBJECT Object2. ... END-OBJECT.
Object with data	OBJECT name. DATA DIVISION. ... END-OBJECT.	OBJECT MyObject. DATA DIVISION. ... END-OBJECT.
Object with properties	OBJECT name. ... properties ... END-OBJECT.	OBJECT MyObject. ... properties ... END-OBJECT.

Test Your Knowledge

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

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

2. What must precede the END-OBJECT clause?

Any COBOL statement
An OBJECT clause
A PROCEDURE DIVISION
A DATA DIVISION

3. What is the relationship between OBJECT and END-OBJECT?

They are independent
OBJECT starts an object, END-OBJECT ends it
They serve the same purpose
They are optional

4. When is END-OBJECT most useful?

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

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

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

COBOL Tutorial

COBOL END-OBJECT Clause - Quick Reference

Overview

Purpose and Usage

Object Structure Concept

Syntax

Basic Syntax

Object Structure Requirements

Multiple Objects Example

Common Use Cases

Business Entity Objects

Data Container Objects

Configuration Objects

Best Practices and Tips

END-OBJECT Design Principles

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Performance Considerations

When to Use END-OBJECT

END-OBJECT Clause Quick Reference

Test Your Knowledge

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Concepts

OBJECT Clause

CLASS-ID Clause

END-CLASS Clause

Object-Oriented COBOL

Program Structure

Related Pages

COBOL Tutorial

COBOL END-OBJECT Clause - Quick Reference

Overview

Purpose and Usage

Object Structure Concept

Syntax

Basic Syntax

Object Structure Requirements

Multiple Objects Example

Common Use Cases

Business Entity Objects

Data Container Objects

Configuration Objects

Best Practices and Tips

END-OBJECT Design Principles

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Performance Considerations

When to Use END-OBJECT

END-OBJECT Clause Quick Reference

Test Your Knowledge

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Can END-OBJECT be used in traditional COBOL programs?

What happens if you forget to include END-OBJECT?

Can you have multiple objects in a single COBOL program?

What comes after END-OBJECT in a COBOL program?

Related Concepts

OBJECT Clause

CLASS-ID Clause

END-CLASS Clause

Object-Oriented COBOL

Program Structure

Related Pages