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 Not under consideration
Workspace COBOL Compilers
Created by Guest
Created on Dec 22, 2021

RELATED IDEAS

Compiler support for +80 character lines

See this idea on ideas.ibm.com

With the release of the IBM Z Open Editor for Visual Studio Code, more IBM COBOL is edited in an editor not limited by 80 characters.
We request an option to the z/OS COBOL compiler, to be able to read COBOL code without a limit of 80 characters.
And a change to the IBM Z Open Editor, to support this.

Idea priority Medium
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Jan 21, 2022

    IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS is a continuous delivery offering, and aims to satisfy the needs of a rapidly evolving market segment. Product strategy evolves and requirements are continuously evaluated against that strategy. This RFE has been appraised against the wider product strategy and does not fall into IBMs delivery plans for the next 12 month. Whilst this RFE might be valid and we might look to deliver longer term, this RFE is being rejected at this time. The requirement will be kept in our internal RFE backlog and might be reassessed in the future.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Dec 27, 2021

    IBM COBOL for linux on x86 has an "extended format" :
    - sequence area from 1 to 6
    - indicateur area at 7
    - source from 7 to 252 (areas A and B)

    https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/cobol-linux-x86/1.1?topic=structure-reference-format

  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Dec 22, 2021

    For whatever its worth, this feature is supported in the current COBOL standard and is known as "free format", while the legacy format is "fixed format".

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.