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Re: common cobol errors

PostPosted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 8:23 am
by enrico-sorichetti
if we don't know who the competitors are? Basic logic, you know!


see the faqs
Advertising & Other Site Links
Putting links advertising websites (eg. New Mainframe or Job sites) or linking to auction websites is strictly forbidden. Please inform to the site Admin, before posting links to other mainframe forums. Signature links to your own websites must be made in Text format which can be set in your profile.

and
Feel free to ask the moderators before posting the downloaded materials from other sites..


here ( this forum )
and here http://ibmmainframes.com ( brother forum )
other mainframe forums are considered competitors
but the feeling is reciprocated
the link You posted is just borderline

since these sites make a living on advertising, and the <revenue> is based on the number of hits,
no reason to make a present of hits to a <competitor>
even more basic logic, You know!

mailing lists ( IBMMAIN for example ) hosted on education facilities are not considered competitors ( generally )

Re: common cobol errors

PostPosted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 11:00 am
by Quasar
Hi everyone,

I completely understand the rules and why they are there. But then, the moderators here would know, that this instance and many others might not really be an intentional effort to advertise something. What if, one really needs to refer somebody to an external URL? What's the way out? Why can't a mainframe fora refer to another one, if its meant to genuinely help somebody? Isn't that what moderation is all about?

Its just a thought, not an argument.

Thank you very much.

Re: common cobol errors

PostPosted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 1:03 pm
by enrico-sorichetti
What's the way out? Why can't a mainframe fora refer to another one, if its meant to genuinely help somebody? Isn't that what moderation is all about?


No way out

because that' s the rule set by the FORUM OWNERS who are spending
REAL money, on REAL time, on REAL equipment, with REAL resources
hosting, managing, mantaining, developing, ....

the concern help is irrelevant,
even if unintentionally the links shift revenue somewhere else
and the revenue is needed HERE to keep the forum alive,
so it is their/this way or the highway PERIOD

here the moderators ( VOLUNTEERS not paid ) edit the topic
somewhere else they just kick You out

Re: common cobol errors

PostPosted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 7:26 pm
by Ed Goodman
Basic coding mistakes I see all the time:
- A table with 100 occurrences, but an index variable with pic 99.
- A go to statement to a different paragraph exit (usually the one that was copied)
- Not resetting variables in a re-entrant program
- Calling a subroutine with the wrong parameter list
- Referencing a variable which is defined in an output file's FD after the record has been written
- IF statements using NOT and OR together incorrectly
- Missing END-IF 'tags' that make the code work differently than it looks
- A deviously hiding period int he middle of a long IF statement
- FD / JCL file length mismatches
- Confusion between goback and stop run
- Confusion between NEXT STATEMENT and CONTINUE
- Not checking return codes or status codes, but continuing with the program
- Not understanding how rounding works
- End of file handling (aka Fence Post errors)
- Not understanding the value of a VARYING target after exiting the PERFORM

These are the ones I always check for when a relatively new programmer has trouble. Or if a new program can't seem to get working.