Compaq COBOL AAQ2G1FTK - Manual (Page 156)

Using the STRING, UNSTRING, and INSPECT Statements
5.2 Separating Data Using the UNSTRING Statement
Table 5–5 Results of Delimiting Multiple Receiving Items
Values After UNSTRING Operation
FIELD1
PIC X(8)
VALUE IS:
FIELD2A
PIC X(3) FIELD2B
PIC X(3)
ABC*DEF* ABC DEF
ABCDE*FG ABC FG#
A*B**** A## B##
*AB*CD** ### AB#
**ABCDEF ### ###
A*BCDEFG A## BCD
ABC**DEF ABC ###
A******B A## ###
Legend: # = space
The previous examples illustrate the limitations of a single-character delimiter.
To overcome these limitations, a delimiter of more than one character or a
delimiter preceded by the word ALL may be used.
Table 5–6 shows the results of the following UNSTRING operation using a
2-character delimiter:
UNSTRING FIELD1 DELIMITED BY "**"
INTO FIELD2A FIELD2B.
Table 5–6 Results of Delimiting with Two Asterisks
Values After UNSTRING Operation
FIELD1
PIC X(8)
VALUE IS:
FIELD2A
PIC XXX
FIELD2B
PIC XXX
JUSTIFIED
ABC**DEF ABC DEF
A*B*C*D* A*B ###
AB***C*D AB# C*D
AB**C*D* AB# *D*
AB**CD** AB# #CD
AB***CD* AB# CD*
AB*****CD AB# ###
Legend: # = space
Unlike the STRING statement, the UNSTRING statement accepts the ALL
literal as a delimiter. When the word ALL precedes the delimiter, the action of
the UNSTRING statement remains essentially the same as with one delimiter
until the scanning operation finds a match. At this point, the compiler scans
farther, looking for additional consecutive strings of characters that also match
5–10 Using the STRING, UNSTRING, and INSPECT Statements