Microsoft KB Archive/33219

“Unknown Data Description Qualifier” with COL and MS(2)

PSS ID Number: Q33219 Article last modified on 04-21-1993

3.00 | 3.00 MS-DOS | OS/2

Summary: The word “COL” is not recognized in the SCREEN SECTION when the MS(2) compiler directive is specified in COBOL.DIR because in Microsoft COBOL Version 2.x, “COL” is a reserved word that is not allowed in the SCREEN SECTION. Using “COL” in the SCREEN SECTION, as shown in the code example further below, results in the following compiler error if you use the MS(2) directive: Error #233 : “Unknown data description qualifier.” The following are workarounds: 1. Remove the MS(2) directive, if specified (in COBOL.DIR, $SET, or the COBOL compiler command line). 2. Spell the word COLUMN completely if using the MS(2) directive.

More Information: The following example shows the usage of COL in the SCREEN SECTION that gives the problem: SCREEN SECTION. 01 SMALL-SCREEN. 05 LINE 22 COL 50 PIC 99 USING var-name. (The above code is a fragment which will need to be written into a complete program in order to compile.)

Additional reference words: 3.00 Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1993.