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Status Needs more information
Workspace COBOL Compilers
Categories z/OS
Created by Guest
Created on Aug 28, 2025

RELATED IDEAS

SECTION name special register

A common challenge in CBL development is the need to add program references in error handling including of course the Procedure Section where the issue has originated from.

Developers often manage to incorrectly set this, the classic invalid method being to set a working storage field, e.g. WS-SECTION-NAME at the start of every section.

Would it be possible please to have a special register which returns the value of the current SECTION ?

Edit. Surprised that I can't see an IDEAtion for this. Apologies if its a commonly asked enhancement in the past !

Idea priority Medium
  • Admin
    Basil Kanneth
    Oct 22, 2025

    Hi John/Denis,

    Overall, we think this could be a valid idea. A possible implementation would be for us to use Intrinsic Functions (to conform to the Standard) like we do for PROGRAM-ID. Using a special register value would be a performance concern.


    Can you (John) please provide a detailed use case of your scenario for us to get a better understanding of your requirements? Thanks.

    Reply
  • Guest
    Sep 28, 2025

    Hi,

    It would also probably be necessary to have the program name in a special register, (I previously created a request to this, on the old Request For Enhancement website).

    Reply
  • Admin
    Basil Kanneth
    Sep 24, 2025

    Hi John, thanks for submitting the idea. We are currently evaluating it and will update it once a decision is made.

    Regards,

    Basil

    Reply
  • Guest
    Aug 28, 2025

    Basic idea is to reduce hard-coding and further modernise Cobol)

    Reply

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