COBOL for Dummies Quick Reference [Paperback]

John W. Fronckowiak (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 18, 1997 | ISBN-10: 0764502476 | ISBN-13: 978-0764502477

COBOL (COmmon Business Oriented Language) is the business application language used by large corporations storing information on mainframe computers. This work gives beginning to intermediate programmers a guide to important COBOL commands and instructions. It includes debugging tips for creating error-free code, advice on how to make the most out of different development environment tools and sample code designed to enable the reader to jump-start their programs.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Designed to lay open at your side as you write COBOL programs, COBOL for Dummies Quick Reference is a simple guide for programmers already familiar with the language. This book won't teach you to write in COBOL; rather, it will help jog your memory when you forget exactly how to do something.

Each section is organized around the various parts of COBOL programs, explaining commands and syntax you'll use in each division of a program (IDENTIFICATION DIVISION, DATA DIVISION, PROCEDURE DIVISION, and so on). Within each part, statements are listed alphabetically for easy reference. Each entry features a couple of paragraphs about what the statement does and, usually, an illustrative code example. A separate section lists all COBOL verbs. Other chapters briefly address flowcharting, debugging, compiler comparisons, the year 2000 problem, and other subjects that could fill entire books by themselves.

Don't expect this book to explain COBOL to you. Do, however, expect it to remind you of key concepts while you're in the midst of coding or to clue you in to new procedures as you read under less urgent circumstances.

Product Details

• Paperback: 225 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (December 18, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764502476
• ISBN-13: 978-0764502477
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,739,813 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Quick shipment and perfect book Thank you!!, November 21, 2010

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msbabedoll - See all my reviews

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This review is from: COBOL for Dummies Quick Reference (Paperback)

This is a great seller to buy from. BOok was just as described and recieved even earlier than I thought would!

3.0 out of 5 stars Key topics missing, January 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: COBOL for Dummies Quick Reference (Paperback)

Excellent book, severly let down due to not having any of the COBOL 85 42 Intrinsic functions shown or displayed (e.g. CURRENT-DATE). I am amazed that such things could have been missed from such a good book.