COBOL Tutorial

COBOL TITLE - Quick Reference

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Overview

TITLE in COBOL is generally a concept or vendor feature used to display headings and labels in reports and terminal screens. Standard COBOL provides mechanisms (REPORT SECTION, SCREEN SECTION, and DISPLAY) to implement titles consistently.

Where TITLE Appears

Report titles - Page/report headings in REPORT SECTION
Screen headers - Literal fields or DISPLAY statements
Print headings - Top-of-page banners in batch reports
Dialogue prompts - Descriptive headings for user tasks

Syntax and Usage

Implement titles using REPORT SECTION headings, SCREEN SECTION literals, or explicit DISPLAY at specific positions.

Report Title (Report Writer)

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* Report title using Report Writer
       IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
       PROGRAM-ID. REPORT-TITLE.
       REPORT SECTION.
       RD  SALES-REPORT.
           01  PAGE-HEADING.
               03  LINE 1  COLUMN 20  VALUE "=== MONTHLY SALES REPORT ===".
               03  LINE 2  COLUMN 25  VALUE "For: ".
               03  LINE 2  COLUMN 31  PIC X(10) SOURCE REPORT-MONTH.
           01  DETAIL.
               03  LINE PLUS 2 COLUMN 5  VALUE "Customer".
               03  COLUMN 30 VALUE "Amount".
       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
       STOP RUN.

Headings serve as the report title. Exact syntax may vary by compiler.

Screen Title (DISPLAY or SCREEN SECTION)

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* Screen title centered in 80 columns
       IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
       PROGRAM-ID. SCREEN-TITLE.
       DATA DIVISION.
       WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
       01  TITLE-TEXT     PIC X(30) VALUE "Customer Maintenance".
       01  TITLE-LEN      PIC 9(3).
       01  LINE-WIDTH     PIC 9(3) VALUE 80.
       01  START-COL      PIC 9(3).
       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
           COMPUTE TITLE-LEN = FUNCTION LENGTH(TITLE-TEXT)
           COMPUTE START-COL = (LINE-WIDTH - TITLE-LEN) / 2
           DISPLAY TITLE-TEXT AT LINE 1 COLUMN START-COL
           STOP RUN.

Use arithmetic to center titles on fixed-width terminals.

Best Practices

Consistency - Use consistent title formatting across screens and reports
Clarity - Keep titles concise and descriptive
Localization - Externalize text for translation when needed
Accessibility - Ensure adequate contrast and placement

TITLE Quick Reference

Context	Technique	Example
Report	REPORT SECTION heading	PAGE-HEADING with VALUE text
Screen	DISPLAY or SCREEN SECTION literal	DISPLAY at line 1, centered
Batch print	Top-of-page banner	Constructed from literals and dates

Test Your Knowledge

1. What does TITLE most commonly refer to in COBOL contexts?

A standalone COBOL verb for printing text
A concept/attribute used for report headings and screen headers
A file organization method
A numeric editing symbol

2. Which section is most associated with report titles in COBOL?

REPORT SECTION (Report Writer)
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
FILE SECTION
LINKAGE SECTION

3. How are screen titles typically implemented in COBOL?

By setting a TITLE keyword in the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION
By placing a DISPLAY at a fixed position or using SCREEN SECTION text
By using a special TITLE file
By using a PERFORM TITLE statement

4. Is TITLE a standard COBOL reserved word with universal behavior?

Yes, across all COBOL compilers
No, behavior and availability can be vendor-specific
It only exists in JCL
It is deprecated and cannot be used

5. What is a best practice for implementing titles?

Hard-code positions without documentation
Use consistent formatting, center when needed, and keep text concise
Avoid using titles in interactive programs
Use binary fields for titles

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Concepts

REPORT SECTION

Create report and page headings.

SCREEN SECTION

Design screen literals and fields.

DISPLAY

Output text on terminal devices.

String Operations

Assemble dynamic titles from values.

Date and Time

Insert dates in title lines.

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