IBM Z Software
Hide about this portal


This portal is to open public enhancement requests against IBM Z Software products. To view all of your ideas submitted to IBM, create and manage groups of Ideas, or create an idea explicitly set to be either visible by all (public) or visible only to you and IBM (private), use the IBM Unified Ideas Portal (https://ideas.ibm.com).


Shape the future of IBM!

We invite you to shape the future of IBM, including product roadmaps, by submitting ideas that matter to you the most. Here's how it works:

Search existing ideas

Start by searching and reviewing ideas and requests to enhance a product or service. Take a look at ideas others have posted, and add a comment, vote, or subscribe to updates on them if they matter to you. If you can't find what you are looking for,

Post your ideas

  1. Post an idea.

  2. Get feedback from the IBM team and other customers to refine your idea.

  3. Follow the idea through the IBM Ideas process.


Specific links you will want to bookmark for future use

Welcome to the IBM Ideas Portal (https://www.ibm.com/ideas) - Use this site to find out additional information and details about the IBM Ideas process and statuses.

IBM Unified Ideas Portal (https://ideas.ibm.com) - Use this site to view all of your ideas, create new ideas for any IBM product, or search for ideas across all of IBM.

ideasibm@us.ibm.com - Use this email to suggest enhancements to the Ideas process or request help from IBM for submitting your Ideas.

Add a new idea Subscribe
Status Delivered
Workspace COBOL Compilers
Created by Guest
Created on Nov 2, 2017

RELATED IDEAS

Enterprise Cobol V4/V5/V6 - Scope of ZONECHECK / NUMCHECK limited to incoming data

See this idea on ideas.ibm.com

Hi,

The ZONECHECK and NUMCHECK options tells the compiler to generate extra code to validate numeric data items when they are used as sending data items.

We believe that these controls should only apply to data items that are "incoming" for the program:
- data item in records descriptions of files open for "read"
- data item in structures referenced in a CALL statement
- data item in Linkage Section (referenced by PROCEDURE DIVSION USING or by SET ADDRESS OF)
- data item declared EXTERN

Except in the event of a programming error (for example with a mismanaged redefine), there is no reason why a numerical data is corrupted by the program's treatments. So there is no need to control the data that is not an "input" of the program.

We believe that the ZONECHECK / NUMCHECK options are not intended to detect programming errors, but above all to detect invalid data provided to the program.
A new suboption could be added to limit the scope of the ZONECHECK / NUMCHECK options to incoming data items in the program, or as currently to all data items.

Idea priority Low
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Sep 9, 2020

    The latest NUMCHECK in COBOL V6.2 (or later) has been improved for this RFE.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Mar 5, 2018

    This RFE has been accepted and will be updated if any further changes.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Nov 30, 2017

    This RFE is currently being evaluated.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Nov 6, 2017

    Hello Denis,

    i am sure you are right.
    This could eliminate many unnecessary cpu-intensive checks, because all internal variables are preinitialized like VALUE...
    Only a Redefines, where you move a String to it and try to calculate with the numbers could fail,
    01 ITEM.
    05 STRING1 PIC X(80).
    05 MANY-NUMBERS REDEFINES STRING1.
    10 NUMBER1 PIC 9(8) PACKED-DECIMAL.
    10 NUMBER2 PIC 9(8)...
    This could go wrong, if the STRING1 was an input from extern (DB2-Call, File-input, LinkageParameter). So it depends.

    Guenter

By clicking the "Post Comment" or "Submit Idea" button, you are agreeing to the IBM Ideas Portal Terms of Use.
Do not place IBM confidential, company confidential, or personal information into any field.