Blank When Zero Clause

Blank When Zero Clause Example

Data Item Declaration Tutorial   

Scenario - Explaining how the BLANK WHEN ZERO is used in COBOL programming.

Code -

----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+
       IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
       PROGRAM-ID. BWHENZER.
       AUTHOR. MTH.

       DATA DIVISION.
       WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
       01 WS-VAR.
          05 WS-REAL-DV    PIC 9(5).9(2).
          05 WS-NED-VAR    PIC ZZ,ZZ9.9(2).
      * Declaring a variable with BLANK WHEN ZERO 
          05 WS-BWZ-VAR    PIC ZZ,ZZ9.9(2) BLANK WHEN ZERO.

       PROCEDURE DIVISION.                                 

           MOVE ZEROES         TO WS-REAL-DV               
                                  WS-NED-VAR               
                                  WS-BWZ-VAR.              

           DISPLAY "WS-REAL-DV: " WS-REAL-DV. 
           DISPLAY "WS-NED-VAR: " WS-NED-VAR. 
           DISPLAY "WS-BWZ-VAR: " WS-BWZ-VAR. 
           DISPLAY " ".                       

           MOVE 20000          TO WS-REAL-DV  
                                  WS-NED-VAR  
                                  WS-BWZ-VAR. 

           DISPLAY "WS-REAL-DV: " WS-REAL-DV. 
           DISPLAY "WS-NED-VAR: " WS-NED-VAR. 
           DISPLAY "WS-BWZ-VAR: " WS-BWZ-VAR. 

           STOP RUN.

Output -

WS-REAL-DV: 00000.00 
WS-NED-VAR:      0.00
WS-BWZ-VAR:          
                     
WS-REAL-DV: 20000.00 
WS-NED-VAR: 20,000.00
WS-BWZ-VAR: 20,000.00

Explaining Example -

In the above example:

  • Initially, ZEROES assigned to all variables. WS-BWZ-VAR displays as spaces because it has zeroes.
  • Next, 20000 value assigned to all variables. All variables displays 20000 including WS-BWZ-VAR.