PROCEDURE DIVISION for defining a class instance method

You can code most COBOL statements in the PROCEDURE DIVISION of a method that you can code in the PROCEDURE DIVISION of a program. You cannot, however, code the following statements in a method:

• ENTRY
• EXIT PROGRAM
• The following obsolete elements of the 85 COBOL Standard:
  • ALTER
  • GOTO without a specified procedure-name
  • SEGMENT-LIMIT
  • USE FOR DEBUGGING

Additionally, because you must compile all COBOL class definitions with the THREAD compiler option, you cannot use SORT or MERGE statements in a COBOL method.

You can code the EXIT METHOD or GOBACK statement in an instance method to return control to the invoking client. Both statements have the same effect. If you specify the RETURNING phrase upon invocation of the method, the EXIT METHOD or GOBACK statement returns the value of the data item to the invoking client.

An implicit EXIT METHOD is generated as the last statement in the PROCEDURE DIVISION of each method.

You can specify STOP RUN in a method; doing so terminates the entire run unit including all threads executing within it.

You must terminate a method definition with an END METHOD marker. For example, the following statement marks the end of the credit method:

End method "credit".

USING phrase for obtaining passed arguments: Specify the formal parameters to a method, if any, in the USING phrase of the method's PROCEDURE DIVISION header. You must specify that the arguments are passed BY VALUE. Define each parameter as a level-01 or level-77 item in the method's LINKAGE SECTION. The data type of each parameter must be one of the types that are interoperable with Java™.

RETURNING phrase for returning a value: Specify the data item to be returned as the method result, if any, in the RETURNING phrase of the method's PROCEDURE DIVISION header. Define the data item as a level-01 or level-77 item in the method's LINKAGE SECTION. The data type of the return value must be one of the types that are interoperable with Java.