Compaq COBOL AAQ2G1FTK - Manual (Page 26)

Convention Meaning
8 9
Braces used in a general format enclose lists from which you
must choose only one item. For example:
(
SEQUENTIAL
RANDOM
DYNAMIC
)
2 3
Brackets used in a general format enclose optional items from
which you can choose none or one. For example:

RECORD
ALL RECORDS

 
Choice indicators, vertical lines inside a set of braces, used in a
general format enclose lists from which you must choose one or
more items, using each item chosen only once. For example:
8
<
:
COMMON
INITIAL
9
=
;
. . . A horizontal ellipsis indicates that the item preceding the
ellipsis can be repeated. For example:
f
switch-name
g
. . .
.
.
. A vertical ellipsis indicates that not all of the statements are
shown.
Format Program examples are shown in terminal format, rather than
in ANSI standard format.
special-character words The following symbols, when used in a general format,
constitute required special-character words:
Plus sign ( + )
Minus sign ( - )
Single ( = ) and double ( = = ) equal signs
Less than ( < ) or greater than ( > ) symbols
Less than or equal to ( <= ) and greater than or equal to
( >= ) symbols
Period ( . )
Colon ( : )
Single ( * ) and double ( ** ) asterisks
Slash ( / )
Left parenthesis ( ( ) or right parenthesis ( ) )
quotation mark The term quotation mark is used to refer to the double
quotation mark character (
" ).
apostrophe The term apostrophe is used to refer to the single quotation
mark character (
’ ).
user input In examples, user input (what you enter) is shown as
monospaced text .
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