Microsoft KB Archive/49260

COBOL 2.x File Size Limitations under DOS 2.x and 3.x

PSS ID Number: Q49260 Article last modified on 04-20-1993

2.00 2.10 2.20 MS-DOS

Summary: When running under DOS Versions 2.x or 3.x, the maximum ISAM (i.e., indexed) file size for Microsoft COBOL Versions 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 is 16 MB (megabytes). The maximum size of a SEQUENTIAL, LINE SEQUENTIAL, or RELATIVE file in Microsoft COBOL 2.x is 32 MB. This limitation occurs because versions of DOS prior to DOS Version 4.0 cannot create a disk partition larger than 32 MB. The COBOL 2.x compiler was designed within this DOS limitation. Microsoft COBOL 2.x may be able to access larger files if you are running under DOS 4.0, or under OS/2 (in real mode only), and you partition your disk to be larger than 32 MB. However, Microsoft has not tested this with COBOL 2.x. Microsoft COBOL Versions 2.x were released prior to DOS 4.0 and OS/2 and haven’t been confirmed by Microsoft to work under MS-DOS 4.0 or under MS OS/2 real mode (the DOS 3.x compatibility box).

Additional reference words: 2.00 2.10 2.20 Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1993.