Editing COBOL Std 2 Source-Code Layout (section)

== 2. Source-Code Layout ==

=== 2.1 Column Format ===

All programs use fixed-format COBOL unless the project explicitly adopts free-format (<code>cobc -free</code>). In fixed format:

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%"
! Columns !! Area !! Rule
|-
| 1–6 || Sequence || Leave blank or use numeric sequence; never use for logic.
|-
| 7 || Indicator || Asterisk (<code>*</code>) = full-line comment. Hyphen (<code>-</code>) = continuation. Blank = code.
|-
| 8–11 || Area A || Division / section / paragraph headers; 01 and 77 level items; FD entries.
|-
| 12–72 || Area B || All other data definitions and procedural statements.
|}

=== 2.2 Indentation ===

Indent subordinate levels by 4 spaces relative to their parent. Do not use tab characters.

<syntaxhighlight lang="cobol">
       01 WS-CUSTOMER-RECORD.
           05 WS-CUST-ID         PIC X(6).
           05 WS-CUST-NAME       PIC X(40).
           05 WS-CUST-BALANCE    PIC S9(9)V99 COMP-3.
</syntaxhighlight>

Nested IF / EVALUATE constructs add 4 spaces per level:

<syntaxhighlight lang="cobol">
           EVALUATE TRUE
               WHEN dal-method-ok
                   PERFORM R080-PROCESS-RECORD
               WHEN OTHER
                   PERFORM E000-HANDLE-ERROR
           END-EVALUATE
</syntaxhighlight>

=== 2.3 Line Length ===

Keep all code within columns 8–72 (Area A/B combined). Comments may use columns 8–72 as well. Do not rely on the reference area (73–80).

=== 2.4 Blank Lines and Section Separators ===

* One blank comment line before every paragraph header.
* Three asterisk-border comment lines before every major section (see [[#3. Comment Standards|§3]]).
* Use the compiler directive <code>/</code> (slash in column 7) to eject to a new listing page between major sections.

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