COBOL Tutorial

COBOL TRAILING-SIGN - Quick Reference

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Overview

TRAILING-SIGN is set with the SIGN IS TRAILING clause to place the sign at the end of a numeric item. Use the S symbol in PICTURE to allow a sign.

Key Elements

Signed data - PICTURE contains S to allow a sign
Position - SIGN IS LEADING or SIGN IS TRAILING
Edited output - Combine with Z, $, comma for printable forms
Defaults - Be explicit to avoid platform differences

Syntax and Usage

Define signed numeric items with PICTURE and specify sign position.

Basic Signed Item

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* Signed item with trailing sign
       DATA DIVISION.
       WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
       01  AMOUNT        PIC S9(6)V99 SIGN IS TRAILING.
       01  AMOUNT-DISP   PIC $$,$$9.99 SIGN IS TRAILING.
       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
           MOVE -1234.56 TO AMOUNT
           MOVE AMOUNT   TO AMOUNT-DISP
           DISPLAY "Amount: " AMOUNT-DISP
           STOP RUN.

Negative values appear with a minus at the rightmost position of the item.

Leading vs Trailing Sign

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* Compare leading and trailing sign
       01  LEAD-AMT  PIC S9(5)V99 SIGN IS LEADING.
       01  TRAIL-AMT PIC S9(5)V99 SIGN IS TRAILING.
       MOVE -123.45 TO LEAD-AMT TRAIL-AMT
       DISPLAY "Leading: " LEAD-AMT
       DISPLAY "Trailing: " TRAIL-AMT

Best Practices

Be explicit - Always specify SIGN position for portability
Test formatting - Validate printed and displayed forms
Use edited pictures - For user-facing values
Handle zeros - Use BLANK WHEN ZERO when needed

TRAILING-SIGN Quick Reference

Aspect	Description	Example
Signed	Use S in PICTURE	PIC S9(6)V99
Position	SIGN IS TRAILING	PIC S9(6) SIGN IS TRAILING
Edited	Use $, comma, Z	PIC $$,$$9.99 SIGN IS TRAILING

Test Your Knowledge

1. What does SIGN IS TRAILING specify?

That the sign is stored separately from the number
That the sign appears at the rightmost position of the numeric item
That the number is unsigned
That the sign appears in leading position only

2. Which symbol enables signed numeric data in a PICTURE clause?

3. Which clause explicitly sets sign position?

JUSTIFIED
SIGN IS LEADING/TRAILING
USAGE COMP
BLANK WHEN ZERO

4. How are negative values shown for a TRAILING sign?

With parentheses around the number
With a minus symbol at the rightmost character of the item
With a minus symbol at the leftmost character only
They cannot be represented

5. Which best practice helps avoid ambiguity when printing signs?

Omit the S in PICTURE
Always rely on compiler defaults
Specify SIGN IS LEADING/TRAILING and test output formatting
Avoid signs entirely

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Concepts

PICTURE Editing

Using Z, $, comma and editing symbols.

Numeric Data

Numeric definitions and usage.

Formatted Output

Presenting numbers in reports.

TITLE TRUE