Microsoft KB Archive/39189

How to CALL Subprograms at Desired ENTRY Points in COBOL 3.0

PSS ID Number: Q39189 Article last modified on 04-20-1993

3.00 3.00a | 3.00 3.00a MS-DOS | OS/2

Summary: In Microsoft COBOL Version 3.0 or 3.0a, the ENTRY statement defines alternate entry points into a CALLed subprogram. An example of this is provided below, where the CALLed program starts execution after the ENTRY statement, skipping the first DISPLAY statement. To use the ENTRY statement, you must compile with the VSC2 and OSVS directives. Without these directives, the COBOL Version 3.0 or 3.0a compiler gives the following error: ‘.’ MISSING The entry point itself must be a string literal, as shown in the example below. Compile and LINK the programs below with the default settings. The calling program is as follows: $SET ans85 vsc2 osvs PROCEDURE DIVISION. Main-line. CALL “point”. STOP RUN. The called subprogram is as follows: $SET ans85 vsc2 osvs IDENTIFICATION DIVISION. PROGRAM-ID. CALLED-ONE. PROCEDURE DIVISION. Main-line. DISPLAY “hi”. ENTRY “point”. DISPLAY “lo”. EXIT PROGRAM.

Additional reference words: 3.00 3.00a Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1993.