cobc - Man Page
manual page for cobc (GnuCOBOL) 3.1.2.0
Synopsis
cobc [options]... file...
Description
GnuCOBOL compiler for most COBOL dialects with lots of extensions
Options
- -h, -help
display this help and exit
- -V, -version
display compiler version and exit
- -i, -info
display compiler information (build/environment) and exit
- -v, -verbose
verbose mode, display additional information; multiple -v options increase the verbosity, the maximum is 3 as follows: (1) display compiler version and the commands invoked by the compiler, (2) pass verbose option to assembler/compiler (3) pass verbose option to linker
- -q, -brief
reduced displays, commands invoked not shown
- -###
like -v but commands not executed
- -x
build an executable program
- -m
build a dynamically loadable module (default)
- -j [<args>], -job[=<args>]
run program after build, passing <args>
- -std=<dialect>
warnings/features for a specific dialect <dialect> can be one of: default, cobol2014, cobol2002, cobol85, xopen, ibm-strict, ibm, mvs-strict, mvs, mf-strict, mf, bs2000-strict, bs2000, acu-strict, acu, rm-strict, rm; see configuration files in directory config
- -F, -free
use free source format
- -fixed
use fixed source format (default)
- -O, -O2, -O3, -Os
enable optimization
- -O0
disable optimization
- -g
enable C compiler debug and stack check
- -d, -debug
enable all run-time error checking, equal to -fstack-check -fec=EC-ALL
- -fec=<exception-name> enable code generation for <exception-name>,
sets -fsource-location
- -fno-ec=<exception-name>
disable code generation for <exception-name>
- -o <file>
place the output into <file>
- -b
combine all input files into a single dynamically loadable module
- -E
preprocess only; do not compile or link
- -C
translation only; convert COBOL to C
- -S
compile only; output assembly file
- -c
compile and assemble, but do not link
- -T <file>
generate and place a wide program listing into <file>
- -t <file>
generate and place a program listing into <file>
- --tlines=<lines>
specify lines per page in listing, default = 55
- -P[=<dir or file>]
generate preprocessed program listing (.lst)
- -Xref
generate cross reference through 'cobxref' (V. Coen's 'cobxref' must be in path)
- -I <directory>
add <directory> to copy/include search path
- -L <directory>
add <directory> to library search path
- -l <lib>
link the library <lib>
- -A <options>
add <options> to the C compile phase
- -Q <options>
add <options> to the C link phase
- -D <define>
define <define> for COBOL compilation
- -K <entry>
generate CALL to <entry> as static
- -conf=<file>
user-defined dialect configuration; see -std
- -list-reserved
display reserved words
- -list-intrinsics
display intrinsic functions
- -list-mnemonics
display mnemonic names
- -list-system
display system routines
- -save-temps[=<dir>]
save intermediate files * default: current directory
- -ext <extension>
add file extension for resolving COPY
Warning options
- -Wall
enable most warnings (all except as noted below)
- -Wextra
like -Wall but enable some extra warning flags
- -w
disable all warnings
- -Wno-<warning>
- -Wadditional
additional warnings only raised with -Wall
- -Wno-unfinished
do not warn if unfinished features are used * ALWAYS active
- -Wno-pending
do not warn if pending features are mentioned * ALWAYS active
- -Wno-ignored-error
do not warn about errors in unreachable code parts and so normally ignored * ALWAYS active
- -Wobsolete
warn if obsolete features are used
- -Warchaic
warn if archaic features are used
- -Wredefinition
warn about non-referenced ambiguous data items
- -Wtruncate
warn about field truncation from constant assignments
- -Wpossible-truncate
warn about possible field truncation * NOT set with -Wall
- -Woverlap
warn about overlapping MOVE of items
- -Wpossible-overlap
warn about MOVE of items that may overlap depending on variables * NOT set with -Wall
- -Wparentheses
warn about lack of parentheses around AND within OR
- -Wstrict-typing
warn strictly about type mismatch
- -Wimplicit-define
warn about implicitly defined data items * NOT set with -Wall
- -Wno-corresponding
do not warn about CORRESPONDING with no matching items * ALWAYS active
- -Winitial-value
warn if initial VALUE clause is ignored
- -Wprototypes
warn about missing FUNCTION prototypes/definitions
- -Warithmetic-osvs
warn if arithmetic expression precision has changed
- -Wcall-params
warn about non 01/77 items for CALL parameters * NOT set with -Wall
- -Wconstant-expression
warn about expressions that always resolve to true/false
- -Wcolumn-overflow
warn about text after program-text area, FIXED format * NOT set with -Wall
- -Wterminator
warn about lack of scope terminator END-XXX * NOT set with -Wall
- -Wlinkage
warn about dangling LINKAGE items * NOT set with -Wall
- -Wunreachable
warn about likely unreachable statements * NOT set with -Wall
- -Wno-dialect
do not warn about dialect specific issues * ALWAYS active
- -Wdangling-text
warn source text after program-area * NOT set with -Wall
- -Wno-others
do not warn about different issues * ALWAYS active
- -Werror
treat all warnings as errors
- -Wno-error
don't treat warnings as errors
- -Werror=<warning>
treat specified <warning> as error
- -Wno-error=<warning>
don't treat specified <warning> as error
Compiler options
- -fsign=[ASCII|EBCDIC] define display sign representation
* default: machine native
- -ffold-copy=[UPPER|LOWER]
fold COPY subject to value * default: no transformation
- -ffold-call=[UPPER|LOWER]
fold PROGRAM-ID, CALL, CANCEL subject to value * default: no transformation
- -fdefaultbyte=<value> initialize fields without VALUE to value
* decimal 0..255 or any quoted character * default: initialize to picture
- -fmax-errors=<number> maximum number of errors to report before
compilation is aborted * default: 128
- -fintrinsics=[ALL|intrinsic function name(,name,...)]
intrinsics to be used without FUNCTION keyword
- -fdump=<scope>
dump data fields on abort, <scope> may be a combination of: ALL, WS, LS, RD, FD, SC, LO
- -fcallfh=<name>
specifies <name> to be used for I/O as external provided EXTFH interface module
- -fno-remove-unreachable
disable remove of unreachable code * turned off by -g
- -ftrace
generate trace code * scope: executed SECTION/PARAGRAPH
- -ftraceall
generate trace code * scope: executed SECTION/PARAGRAPH/STATEMENTS
- -fsyntax-only
syntax error checking only; don't emit any output
- -fdebugging-line
enable debugging lines * 'D' in indicator column or floating >>D
- -fsource-location
generate source location code * turned on by -debug/-g/-ftraceall/-fec
- -fimplicit-init
automatic initialization of the COBOL runtime system
- -fno-recursive-check
disable check of recursive program call; effectively compiling as RECURSIVE program
- -fstack-check
- -fwrite-after
use AFTER 1 for WRITE of LINE SEQUENTIAL * default: BEFORE 1
- -fmfcomment
'*' or '/' in column 1 treated as comment * FIXED format only
- -facucomment
'$' in indicator area treated as '*', '|' treated as floating comment
- -fnotrunc
allow numeric field overflow * non-ANSI behaviour
- -fodoslide
adjust items following OCCURS DEPENDING * implies -fcomplex-odo
- -fsingle-quote
use a single quote (apostrophe) for QUOTE * default: double quote
- -foptional-file
treat all files as OPTIONAL * unless NOT OPTIONAL specified
- -fstatic-call
output static function calls for the CALL statement
- -fno-gen-c-decl-static-call
disable generation of C function declations for subroutines with static CALL
- -fgen-c-line-directives
generate source location directives in C code; * turned on by -g
- -fgen-c-labels
generate extra labels in C sources; * turned on by -g
- -fno-theaders
suppress all headers and output of compilation options from listing while keeping page breaks
- -fno-tsource
suppress source from listing
- -fno-tmessages
suppress warning and error summary from listing
- -ftsymbols
specify symbols in listing
- -fno-diagnostics-show-option
suppress output of option that directly controls the diagnostic
Compiler dialect configuration options
- -freserved-words=<value>
use of complete/fixed reserved words
- -ftab-width=1..12
set number of spaces that are assumed for tabs
- -ftext-column=72..255
set right margin for source (fixed format only)
- -fpic-length=<number>
maximum number of characters allowed in the PICTURE character-string
- -fword-length=1..63
maximum word-length for COBOL (= programmer defined) words
- -fliteral-length=<number>
maximum literal size in general
- -fnumeric-literal-length=1..38
maximum numeric literal size
- -fbinary-size=<value>
binary byte size - defines the allocated bytes according to PIC, may be one of: 2-4-8, 1-2-4-8, 1--8
- -fbinary-byteorder=<value>
binary byte order, may be one of: native, big-endian
- -fassign-clause=<value>
how to interpret 'ASSIGN word': as 'ASSIGN EXTERNAL word' or 'ASSIGN DYNAMIC word', may be one of: dynamic, external, ibm (= external), mf (= dynamic)
- -fscreen-section-rules=<value>
which compiler's rules to apply to SCREEN SECTION item clauses, may be one of: acu, gc, mf, rm, std, xopen
- -fdpc-in-data=<value>
whether DECIMAL-POINT IS COMMA has effect in XML/JSON GENERATE, may be one of: none, xml, json, all
- -ffilename-mapping
resolve file names at run time using environment variables
- -fpretty-display
alternate formatting of numeric fields
- -fbinary-truncate
numeric truncation according to ANSI
- -fcomplex-odo
allow complex OCCURS DEPENDING ON
- -findirect-redefines
allow REDEFINES to other than last equal level number
- -flarger-redefines-ok
allow larger REDEFINES items
- -frelax-syntax-checks
allow certain syntax variations (e.g. REDEFINES position)
- -fref-mod-zero-length
allow zero length reference-modification (only changed with EC-BOUND-REF-MOD active)
- -frelax-level-hierarchy
allow non-matching level numbers
- -fselect-working
require ASSIGN USING items to be in WORKING-STORAGE
- -flocal-implies-recursive
LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION implies RECURSIVE attribute
- -fsticky-linkage
LINKAGE SECTION items remain allocated between invocations
- -fmove-ibm
MOVE operates as on IBM (left to right, byte by byte)
- -fperform-osvs
exit point of any currently executing perform is recognized if reached
- -farithmetic-osvs
limit precision in intermediate results to precision of final result (less accurate)
- -fconstant-folding
evaluate constant expressions at compile time
- -fhostsign
allow hexadecimal value 'F' for NUMERIC test of signed PACKED DECIMAL field
- -fprogram-name-redefinition
program names don't lead to a reserved identifier
- -faccept-update
set WITH UPDATE clause as default for ACCEPT dest-item, instead of WITH NO UPDATE
- -faccept-auto
set WITH AUTO clause as default for ACCEPT dest-item, instead of WITH TAB
- -fconsole-is-crt
assume CONSOLE IS CRT if not set otherwise
- -fno-echo-means-secure
NO-ECHO hides input with asterisks like SECURE
- -fline-col-zero-default
assume a field DISPLAY starts at LINE 0 COL 0 (i.e. at the cursor), not LINE 1 COL 1
- -fdisplay-special-fig-consts
special behaviour of DISPLAY SPACE/ALL X'01'/ALL X'02'/ALL X'07'
- -fbinary-comp-1
COMP-1 is a 16-bit signed integer
- -fnumeric-pointer
POINTER is a 64-bit unsigned integer
- -fmove-non-numeric-lit-to-numeric-is-zero
imply zero in move of non-numeric literal to numeric items
-fimplicit-assign-dynamic-var implicitly define a variable if an ASSIGN DYNAMIC does not match any data item
- -fcomment-paragraphs=<support>
comment paragraphs in IDENTIFICATION DIVISION (Author, DATE-WRITTEN, ...)
- -fmemory-size-clause=<support>
MEMORY-SIZE clause
-fmultiple-file-tape-clause=<support> MULTIPLE-FILE-TAPE clause
- -flabel-records-clause=<support>
LABEL-RECORDS clause
- -fvalue-of-clause=<support>
VALUE-OF clause
- -fdata-records-clause=<support>
DATA-RECORDS clause
- -ftop-level-occurs-clause=<support>
OCCURS clause on top-level
- -fsame-as-clause=<support>
SAME AS clause
- -ftype-to-clause=<support>
TYPE TO clause
- -fusage-type=<support>
USAGE type-name
- -fsynchronized-clause=<support>
SYNCHRONIZED clause
- -fspecial-names-clause=<support>
SPECIAL-NAMES clause
- -fgoto-statement-without-name=<support>
GOTO statement without name
- -fstop-literal-statement=<support>
STOP-literal statement
-fstop-identifier-statement=<support> STOP-identifier statement
- -fdebugging-mode=<support>
DEBUGGING MODE and debugging indicator
-fuse-for-debugging=<support> USE FOR DEBUGGING
- -fpadding-character-clause=<support>
PADDING CHARACTER clause
- -fnext-sentence-phrase=<support>
NEXT SENTENCE phrase
- -flisting-statements=<support>
listing-directive statements EJECT, SKIP1, SKIP2, SKIP3
- -ftitle-statement=<support>
listing-directive statement TITLE
- -fentry-statement=<support>
ENTRY statement
- -fmove-noninteger-to-alphanumeric=<support>
move noninteger to alphanumeric
- -fmove-figurative-constant-to-numeric=<support>
move figurative constants to numeric
- -fmove-figurative-space-to-numeric=<support>
move figurative constant SPACE to numeric
- -fmove-figurative-quote-to-numeric=<support>
move figurative constant QUOTE to numeric
- -fodo-without-to=<support>
OCCURS DEPENDING ON without to
- -fsection-segments=<support>
section segments
- -falter-statement=<support>
ALTER statement
- -fcall-overflow=<support>
OVERFLOW clause for CALL
- -fnumeric-boolean=<support>
boolean literals (B'1010')
- -fhexadecimal-boolean=<support>
hexadecimal-boolean literals (BX'A')
-fnational-literals=<support> national literals (N'UTF-16 string')
- -fhexadecimal-national-literals=<support>
hexadecimal-national literals (NX'265E')
- -fnational-character-literals=<support>
non-standard national literals (NC'UTF-16 string')
-fhp-octal-literals=<support> HP COBOL octal literals (%377)
- -facu-literals=<support>
ACUCOBOL-GT literals (#B #O #H #X)
-fword-continuation=<support> continuation of COBOL words
- -fnot-exception-before-exception=<support>
NOT ON EXCEPTION before ON EXCEPTION
-faccept-display-extensions=<support> extensions to ACCEPT and DISPLAY
- -frenames-uncommon-levels=<support>
RENAMES of 01-, 66- and 77-level items
-fsymbolic-constant=<support> constants defined in SPECIAL-NAMES
- -fconstant-78=<support>
constant with level 78 item (note: has left to right precedence in expressions)
- -fconstant-01=<support>
constant with level 01 CONSTANT AS/FROM item
- -fperform-varying-without-by=<support>
PERFORM VARYING without BY phrase (implies BY 1)
- -freference-out-of-declaratives=<support>
references to sections not in DECLARATIVES from within DECLARATIVES
- -fprogram-prototypes=<support>
CALL/CANCEL with program-prototype-name
- -fcall-convention-mnemonic=<support>
specifying call-convention by mnemonic
- -fcall-convention-linkage=<support>
specifying call-convention by WITH ... LINKAGE
- -fnumeric-value-for-edited-item=<support>
numeric literals in VALUE clause of numeric-edited items
- -fincorrect-conf-sec-order=<support>
incorrect order of CONFIGURATION SECTION paragraphs
-fdefine-constant-directive=<support> allow >> DEFINE CONSTANT var AS literal
- -ffree-redefines-position=<support>
REDEFINES clause not following entry-name in definition
- -frecords-mismatch-record-clause=<support>
record sizes does not match RECORD clause
- -frecord-delimiter=<support>
RECORD DELIMITER clause
- -fsequential-delimiters=<support>
BINARY-SEQUENTIAL and LINE-SEQUENTIAL phrases in RECORD DELIMITER
- -frecord-delim-with-fixed-recs=<support>
RECORD DELIMITER clause on file with fixed-length records
-fmissing-statement=<support> missing statement (e.g. empty IF / PERFORM)
- -fzero-length-literals=<support>
zero-length literals, e.g. '' and ""
- -fxml-generate-extra-phrases=<support>
XML GENERATE's phrases other than COUNT IN
- -fcontinue-after=<support>
AFTER phrase in CONTINUE statement
- -fgoto-entry=<support>
ENTRY FOR GOTO and GOTO ENTRY statements
- -fassign-variable=<support>
ASSIGN [TO] variable in SELECT
- -fassign-using-variable=<support>
ASSIGN USING/VARYING variable in SELECT
- -fassign-ext-dyn=<support>
ASSIGN EXTERNAL/DYNAMIC in SELECT
- -fassign-disk-from=<support>
ASSIGN DISK FROM variable in SELECT
- -fvsam-status=<support>
VSAM status in FILE STATUS
where <support> is one of the following: 'ok', 'warning', 'archaic', 'obsolete', 'skip', 'ignore', 'error', 'unconformable'
- -fnot-reserved=<word>
word to be taken out of the reserved words list
- -freserved=<word>
word to be added to reserved words list
- -freserved=<word>:<alias>
word to be added to reserved words list as alias
- -fnot-register=<word>
special register to disable
- -fregister=<word>
special register to enable
Author
Written by Keisuke Nishida, Roger While, Ron Norman, Simon Sobisch, Edward Hart Built Dec 23 2020 11:52:50 Packaged Dec 23 2020 10:51:50 UTC C version "8.3.0"
Reporting Bugs
Report bugs to: bug-gnucobol@gnu.org or (preferably) use the issue tracker via the home page.
GnuCOBOL home page: <https://www.gnu.org/software/gnucobol/>
General help using GNU software: <https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>
Copyright
Copyright © 2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
See Also
The full documentation for cobc is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and cobc programs are properly installed at your site, the command
info gnucobol
should give you access to the complete manual.