How to find the string length in COBOL

jagadeshdvn

Hi,

Please let me know, How to find the length of a string in COBOL? Appreciate if you can explain the syntax with an example.

Thanks in advance!!

thanooz · Active User Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 105

hi

there is interensic function

function length(variablename).

thanooz

jagadeshdvn

Thanks Thanooz. It nice of u buddy!!

Just to add for reference

Finding the length of data items
You can use the LENGTH function in many contexts (including numeric data and tables) to determine the length of string items.
The following COBOL statement demonstrates moving a data item into that field in a record that holds customer names:
Move Customer-name To Customer-record(1:Function Length(Customer-name))
You could also use the LENGTH OF special register. Coding either Function
Length(Customer-Name) or LENGTH OF Customer-Name returns the same result: the length of Customer-Name in bytes.
You can use the LENGTH function only where arithmetic expressions are allowed. However, you can use the LENGTH OF special register in a greater variety of contexts. For example, you can use the LENGTH OF special register as an argument to an intrinsic function that allows integer arguments. (You cannot use an intrinsic function as an operand to the LENGTH OF special register.) You can also use the LENGTH OF special register as a parameter in a CALL statement.

mmwife · Super Moderator Joined: 30 May 2003 Posts: 1504

Here's another take on the question.

Rameshs · Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2005 12:31 pm Post subject: Getting error

"Length of dataname" is working But if i use Function Reverse(dataname) i am getting the error as follows

GYPS2121-S "FUNCTION" was not defined as a data-name.

pruthvi · New User Joined: 05 Mar 2005 Posts: 4

hi,

for me the above code is working fine and i got the correct output.
i tested the code in visual age ccobol

Rameshs

Hai pruthvi,

I am coding on mainframe environment using IGYWCL cobol compiler

mmwife · Super Moderator Joined: 30 May 2003 Posts: 1504

Intrinsic functions were introduced to mainframe COBOL with COBOLII.

Anurag Singh · New User Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 21 Location: India

Hi,
How to use the interensic function

function length(variablename).

where it will give the length of the variable??

dick scherrer · Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 11:00 pm Post subject:

Hello,

It will "give the length" into whatever field you tell it to. . . What you posted is only part of the code needed to retrieve the length.

Bill O'Boyle

mmwife · Super Moderator Joined: 30 May 2003 Posts: 1504

Thanx Bill. My bad.

Aji · Active User Joined: 03 Feb 2006 Posts: 53 Location: Mumbai

Hi
This method is without using 'Function'.

Inspect Text1 Tallying L For Trailing Spaces.
Lenght = Length of Text1 - L.

Aji