IBM Z Software


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 Under review
Workspace COBOL Compilers
Categories z/OS
Created by Guest
Created on Oct 26, 2025

RELATED IDEAS

IBM Enterprise COBOL - Suspected error in the usage example in the documentation of the CURRENT-DATE function

Hi,

The Language Reference documentation for the CURRENT-DATE function describes a receiving structure with a WS-DIFF-FROM-GMT field declared in S9(4) DISPLAY.

By default, signed fields in DISPLAY format are zone-signed, and therefore the field will only be 4 bytes long.

However, in the format returned by the CURRENT-DATE function, there is 1 byte for the sign and 4 bytes for the timezone offset, thus 5 bytes.

The WS-DIFF-FROM-GMT field should be declared in S9(4) DISPLAY SIGN IS LEADING SEPARATE, or else declare a field for the sign and an unsigned field for the timezone offset.

Thanks.

Idea priority Low
  • Guest
    Nov 28, 2025

    Case opened: TS020876088

    Thanks.

    Reply
  • Admin
    Basil Kanneth
    Nov 19, 2025

    Hi, this is likely a doc error. Can you please open a case with IBM COBOL Compiler support to get this resolved? Thanks.

    Reply

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.