COBOL Realtime (Scenario based) Interview Questions (31 - 40)

31. What is the length of variables declared as S9(06) COMP and S9(08) COMP?

S9(06) COMP occupies 4 bytes which is same as S9(08) COMP. It has the difference only in the value. i.e., S9(08) can store bigger value than S9(06).

32. I have declared a variable as shown below. What is the length of the variable?

01 WS-A   USAGE IS COMP-1.

WS-A will occupy 4 bytes in memory. A COMP-1 variable always takes 4 bytes, regardless of the numeric value stored.

33. I have declared a variable as shown below. What is the length of the variable?

01 WS-A   USAGE IS COMP-2.

WS-A will occupy 8 bytes in memory. A COMP-2 variable always takes 8 bytes, regardless of the numeric value stored.

34. What is the length of variables declared as 9(07) COMP-3 and 9(08) COMP-3?

9(07) COMP-3 → 4 bytes (7/2=3.5 bytes. i.e., rounded value 4 bytes) and 9(08) COMP-3 → 4 bytes (8/2=4 bytes).

35. What is the length of variable declared as S9(07) COMP-3?

S9(07) COMP-3 → 4 bytes. i.e., (7+1)/2=4 bytes. 7 bytes is for numeric and 1 byte is for sign.

36. What is the length of variable declared as S9(07) COMP-3 SIGN IS LEADING SEPARATE CHARACTER?

S9(07) COMP-3 → 4 bytes. i.e., (7+1)/2=4 bytes. 7 bytes is for numeric and 1 byte is for sign. SIGN IS LEADING SEPARATE CHARACTER makes no difference in COMP-3.

37. What is the output of the below code?

       ...
       DATA DIVISION.
       WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
       01 WS-VAR.
          05 WS-NAME        PIC X(20).
       ...
       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
      * Receiving name from JCL
           ACCEPT WS-NAME.
		   ...
		   DISPLAY WS-NAME.

//MATEPKRJ JOB MSGLEVEL=(1,1),NOTIFY=&SYSUID
//**
//STEP01  EXEC PGM=ACCPTST
//STEPLIB  DD  DSN=MATEPK.COBOL.LOADLIB,DISP=SHR
//SYSIN    DD  *
PAWAN
10
/* 

Ans:

PAWAN

"PAWAN" is stored in WS-NAME. The second line "10" is not read and ignored.

38. What is the output of the below code?

       ...
       DATA DIVISION.
       WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
       01 WS-VAL     PIC 9(03).
       ...
       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
           MOVE 99000
		     TO WS-VAL.
		   ...
		   DISPLAY WS-VAL.

Ans:

000

Since WS-VAL can store only 3 digits, the leftmost digits (99) are truncated, and only 000 is stored and displayed.

39. What is the output of the below code?

       ...
       DATA DIVISION.
       WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
       01 WS-NAME    PIC X(10).
       ...
       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
           MOVE "MAINFRAMES ARE LEGACY"
		     TO WS-NAME.
		   ...
		   DISPLAY WS-NAME.

Ans:

MAINFRAMES

Since WS-NAME is only 10 bytes long, the extra characters are truncated, and only "MAINFRAMES" is displayed.

40. What is the output of the below code?

       ...
       DATA DIVISION.
       WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
       01 WS-NAME     PIC X(10) JUSTIFIED RIGHT.
       ...
       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
           MOVE "MAINFRAMES IS LEGACY"
		     TO WS-NAME.
		   ...
		   DISPLAY WS-NAME.

Ans:

S IS LEGACY

Since WS-NAME is right-justified and limited to 10 characters, the rightmost 10 characters of the original string ("S IS LEGACY") are stored and displayed.

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