DELETE statement
The DELETE statement removes a record from an indexed or relative file. For indexed files, the key can then be reused for record addition. For relative files, the space is then available for a new record with the same RELATIVE KEY value.
When the DELETE statement is executed, the associated file must be open in I-O mode.
- file-name-1
- Must be defined in an FD entry in the DATA DIVISION and must be the name of an indexed or relative file.
After successful execution of a DELETE statement, the record is removed from the file and can no longer be accessed.
Execution of the DELETE statement does not affect the contents of the record area associated with file-name-1 or the content of the data item referenced by the data-name specified in the DEPENDING ON phrase of the RECORD clause associated with file-name-1.
If the FILE STATUS clause is specified in the file-control entry, the associated file status key is updated when the DELETE statement is executed.
The file position indicator is not affected by execution of the DELETE statement.
Sequential access mode
For a file in sequential access mode, the previous input/output statement must be a successfully executed READ statement. When the DELETE statement is executed, the system removes the record that was retrieved by that READ statement.
For a file in sequential access mode, the INVALID KEY and NOT INVALID KEY phrases must not be specified. An EXCEPTION/ERROR procedure can be specified.
Random or dynamic access mode
In random or dynamic access mode, DELETE statement execution results depend on the file organization: indexed or relative.
When the DELETE statement is executed, the system removes the record identified by the contents of the prime RECORD KEY data item for indexed files, or the RELATIVE KEY data item for relative files. If the file does not contain such a record, an INVALID KEY condition exists. (See Invalid key condition.)
Both the INVALID KEY phrase and an applicable EXCEPTION/ERROR procedure can be omitted.
Transfer of control after the successful execution of a DELETE statement, with the NOT INVALID KEY phrase specified, is to the imperative statement associated with the phrase.
END-DELETE phrase
This explicit scope terminator serves to delimit the scope of the DELETE statement. END-DELETE permits a conditional DELETE statement to be nested in another conditional statement. END-DELETE can also be used with an imperative DELETE statement.
For more information, see Delimited scope statements.