Describe the sort file to be used for sorting or merging.
You need SELECT clauses and SD entries
even if you are sorting or merging data items only from WORKING-STORAGE or LOCAL-STORAGE.
About this task
Code as follows:
Procedure
- Write one or more
SELECT clauses in the FILE-CONTROL paragraph
of the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION to name a sort file.
For example:
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
SELECT Sort-Work-1 ASSIGN TO SortFile.
Sort-Work-1 is the name of the
file in your program. Use this name to refer to the file.
- Describe the sort file in an
SD entry
in the FILE SECTION of the DATA DIVISION.
Every SD entry must contain a record description.
For example:
DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
SD Sort-Work-1
RECORD CONTAINS 100 CHARACTERS.
01 SORT-WORK-1-AREA.
05 SORT-KEY-1 PIC X(10).
05 SORT-KEY-2 PIC X(10).
05 FILLER PIC X(80).
Results
The file described in an SD entry is
the working file used for a sort or merge operation. You cannot perform
any input or output operations on this file and
you do not need to provide a ddname definition for it.