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COBC(1) User Commands COBC(1)

cobc - manual page for cobc (GnuCOBOL) 2.2.0

cobc [options]... file...

GnuCOBOL compiler for most COBOL dialects with lots of extensions

display this help and exit
display compiler version and exit
display compiler information (build/environment) and exit
display compiler version and the commands invoked by the compiler
like -v but additional pass verbose option to assembler/compiler
like -vv but additional pass verbose option to linker
reduced displays, commands invoked not shown
-###
like -v but commands not executed
build an executable program
build a dynamically loadable module (default)
run program after build, passing <args>
warnings/features for a specific dialect <dialect> can be one of: default, cobol2014, cobol2002, cobol85, xopen, ibm-strict, ibm, mvs-strict, mvs, mf-strict, mf, bs2000-strict, bs2000, acu-strict, acu, rm-strict, rm; see configuration files in directory config
use free source format
use fixed source format (default)
enable optimization
enable C compiler debug / stack check / trace
enable all run-time error checking
place the output into <file>
combine all input files into a single dynamically loadable module
preprocess only; do not compile or link
translation only; convert COBOL to C
compile only; output assembly file
compile and assemble, but do not link
generate and place a wide program listing into <file>
generate and place a program listing into <file>
specify lines per page in listing, default = 55
specify symbols in listing
generate preprocessed program listing (.lst)
specify cross reference in listing
add <directory> to copy/include search path
add <directory> to library search path
link the library <lib>
add <options> to the C compile phase
add <options> to the C link phase
define <define> for COBOL compilation
generate CALL to <entry> as static
user-defined dialect configuration; see -std
display reserved words
display intrinsic functions
display mnemonic names
display system routines
save intermediate files - default: current directory
add file extension for resolving COPY

enable all warnings
enable most warnings (all except as noted below)
disable warning enabled by -W or -Wall
do not warn if unfinished features are used - ALWAYS active
do not warn if pending features are mentioned - ALWAYS active
warn if obsolete features are used
warn if archaic features are used
warn incompatible redefinition of data items
warn field truncation from constant assignments
warn possible field truncation - NOT set with -Wall
warn overlapping MOVE items
warn MOVE items that may overlap depending on variables - NOT set with -Wall
warn lack of parentheses around AND within OR
warn type mismatch strictly
warn implicitly defined data items
warn CORRESPONDING with no matching items
warn if initial VALUE clause is ignored
warn missing FUNCTION prototypes/definitions
warn if arithmetic expression precision has changed
warn non 01/77 items for CALL params - NOT set with -Wall
warn expressions that always resolve to true/false
warn text after program-text area, FIXED format - NOT set with -Wall
warn lack of scope terminator END-XXX - NOT set with -Wall
warn dangling LINKAGE items - NOT set with -Wall
warn likely unreachable statements - NOT set with -Wall
treat all warnings as errors
treat specified <warning> as error

- default: machine native
fold COPY subject to value - default: no transformation
fold PROGRAM-ID, CALL, CANCEL subject to value - default: no transformation
- decimal 0..255 or any quoted character - default: initialize to picture
- default: 100
intrinsics to be used without FUNCTION keyword
disable check of recursive program call; effectively compiling as RECURSIVE program
generate trace code - executed SECTION/PARAGRAPH
generate trace code - executed SECTION/PARAGRAPH/STATEMENTS - turned on by -debug
syntax error checking only; don't emit any output
enable debugging lines - 'D' in indicator column or floating >>D
generate source location code - turned on by -debug/-g/-ftraceall
automatic initialization of the COBOL runtime system
PERFORM stack checking - turned on by -debug or -g
use AFTER 1 for WRITE of LINE SEQUENTIAL - default: BEFORE 1
'*' or '/' in column 1 treated as comment - FIXED format only
'$' in indicator area treated as '*', '|' treated as floating comment
allow numeric field overflow - non-ANSI behaviour
adjust items following OCCURS DEPENDING - requires implicit/explicit relaxed syntax
use a single quote (apostrophe) for QUOTE - default: double quote
treat all files as OPTIONAL - unless NOT OPTIONAL specified

use of complete/fixed reserved words
set number of spaces that are asumed for tabs
set right margin for source (fixed format only)
maximum number of characters allowed in the character-string
maximum word-length for COBOL words / Programmer defined words
maximum literal size in general
maximum numeric literal size
set way of interpreting ASSIGN
binary byte size - defines the allocated bytes according to PIC
binary byte order
resolve file names at run time using environment variables.
alternate formatting of numeric fields
numeric truncation according to ANSI
allow complex OCCURS DEPENDING ON
allow REDEFINES to other than last equal level number
allow larger REDEFINES items
allow certain syntax variations (e.g. REDEFINES position)
allow non-matching level numbers
LINKAGE-SECTION items remain allocated between invocations
MOVE operates as on IBM (left to right, byte by byte)
exit point of any currently executing perform is recognized if reached
limit precision in intermediate results to precision of final result (less accurate)
evaluate constant expressions at compile time
allow hexadecimal value 'F' for NUMERIC test of signed PACKED DECIMAL field
program names don't lead to a reserved identifier
set WITH UPDATE clause as default for ACCEPT dest-item, instead of WITH NO UPDATE
set WITH AUTO clause as default for ACCEPT dest-item, instead of WITH TAB
assume CONSOLE IS CRT if not set otherwise
NO-ECHO hides input with asterisks like SECURE
comment paragraphs in IDENTIFICATION DIVISION (AUTHOR, DATE-WRITTEN, ...)
MEMORY-SIZE clause

-fmultiple-file-tape-clause=<support> MULTIPLE-FILE-TAPE clause

LABEL-RECORDS clause
VALUE-OF clause
DATA-RECORDS clause
OCCURS clause on top-level
SYNCHRONIZED clause
GOTO statement without name
STOP-literal statement

-fstop-identifier-statement=<support> STOP-identifier statement

DEBUGGING MODE and debugging indicator

-fuse-for-debugging=<support> USE FOR DEBUGGING

PADDING CHARACTER clause
NEXT SENTENCE phrase
listing-directive statements EJECT, SKIP1, SKIP2, SKIP3
listing-directive statement TITLE
ENTRY statement
move noninteger to alphanumeric
move figurative constants to numeric
move figurative constant QUOTE to numeric
OCCURS DEPENDING ON without to
section segments
ALTER statement
OVERFLOW clause for CALL
boolean literals (B'1010')
hexadecimal-boolean literals (BX'A')

-fnational-literals=<support> national literals (N'UTF-16 string')

hexadecimal-national literals (NX'265E')
ACUCOBOL-GT literals (#B #O #H #X)

-fword-continuation=<support> continuation of COBOL words

NOT ON EXCEPTION before ON EXCEPTION

-faccept-display-extensions=<support> extensions to ACCEPT and DISPLAY

RENAMES of 01-, 66- and 77-level items
constant with level 78 item (note: has left to right precedence in expressions)
constant with level 01 CONSTANT AS/FROM item
CALL/CANCEL with program-prototype-name
references to sections not in DECLARATIVES from within DECLARATIVES
numeric literals in VALUE clause of numeric-edited items
incorrect order of CONFIGURATION SECTION paragraphs

-fdefine-constant-directive=<support> allow >> DEFINE CONSTANT var AS literal

where <support> is one of the following: 'ok', 'warning', 'archaic', 'obsolete', 'skip', 'ignore', 'error', 'unconformable'
word to be taken out of the reserved words list
word to be added to reserved words list
word to be added to reserved words list as alias

Written by Keisuke Nishida, Roger While, Ron Norman, Simon Sobisch, Edward Hart Built Jul 17 2018 20:29:40 Packaged Sep 06 2017 18:48:43 UTC C version "7.3.0"

Report bugs to: bug-gnucobol@gnu.org or (preferably) use the issue tracker via the home page.
GnuCOBOL home page: <http://www.gnu.org/software/gnucobol/>
General help using GNU software: <http://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>

Copyright © 2017 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

The full documentation for cobc is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and cobc programs are properly installed at your site, the command

info gnucobol

should give you access to the complete manual.

July 2018 cobc (GnuCOBOL) 2.2.0