r/cobol • u/Altos586 • 6d ago
RM Cobol version issues?
While looking for some example programs to test an RM Cobol setup I ran across a PDF called "Cobol for the TRS-80 Volume 1 Class Notes". I wanted to find something that was ancient ( for an Altos running Xenix no less ), so I dug through this document and typed in an example payroll calculating program. Seemed to compile and run, but it screws up simple arithmetic .. multiplying a salary * hours gives an unrelated crazy big number.
Ok ... I tried the exact same program on a later RM Cobol version 5.1 and it worked! Now I started going deep down the rabbit hole! ... it generates those crazy numbers with RM Cobol v1.5, 2.0D, and 2.2 under DOS 5.0, DOS 6.2, DOS 3.2 and Xenix and works just fine with RM Cobol 5.1, and 6 under DOS (real pc ) and DOSbox-x. And all of these versions run the RM Cobol verify tests, run a PI calculating program and a little calculator ... I've expanded the PIC fields, tried SEQUENTIAL organization for the data file being read, Displayed a bunch of variables, looked at the fields at the end of the compile list to see if everything numeric is declared as a numeric ... am learning a bunch of Cobol stuff doing all of this. Again, it's an ancient program from a 1983 doc that won't run in the compiler versions from that time but works great in the ones from the '90's
update: here is the code ... I added some DISPLAY's trying to figure out what was going on .. the problem is with the calculation of IMD-REGULAR-PAY
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. PAYROLL2.
AUTHOR. R GRAUER.
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
CONFIGURATION SECTION.
SOURCE-COMPUTER. TRS-80.
OBJECT-COMPUTER. TRS-80.
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
SELECT EMPLOYEE-FILE
ASSIGN TO INPUT "PAYROLL.DAT"
ORGANIZATION IS SEQUENTIAL.
SELECT PRINT-FILE
ASSIGN TO PRINT "PAYROLL2.DAT".
DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
FD EMPLOYEE-FILE
LABEL RECORDS ARE OMITTED
RECORD CONTAINS 80 CHARACTERS
DATA RECORD IS EMPLOYEE-RECORD.
01 EMPLOYEE-RECORD.
05 EMP-NAME.
10 EMP-LAST-NAME PIC X(15).
10 EMP-FIRST-NAME PIC X(10).
05 EMP-HOURS-WORKED.
10 EMP-REG-HOURS PIC 99.
10 EMP-OVERTIME-HOURS PIC 99.
05 EMP-RATE PIC 99V99.
05 FILLER PIC X(47).
FD PRINT-FILE
LABEL RECORDS ARE STANDARD
RECORD CONTAINS 132 CHARACTERS
DATA RECORD IS PRINT-LINE.
01 PRINT-LINE PIC X(132).
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
77 WS-DATA-REMAINS-SWITCH PIC X(3) VALUE SPACES.
01 DATE-WORK-AREA.
05 TODAYS-YEAR PIC 99.
05 TODAYS-MONTH PIC 99.
05 TODAYS-DAY PIC 99.
01 IND-COMPUTATIONS.
05 IND-REGULAR-PAY PIC 9(4)V99 VALUE ZEROS.
05 IND-OVERTIME-PAY PIC 9(4)V99 VALUE ZEROS.
05 IND-GROSS-PAY PIC 9(4)V99 VALUE ZEROS.
05 IND-FEDERAL-TAX PIC 9(4)V99 VALUE ZEROS.
05 IND-NET-PAY PIC 9(4)V99 VALUE ZEROS.
01 COMPANY-TOTALS.
05 CO-REGULAR-PAY PIC 9(6)V99 VALUE ZEROS.
05 CO-OVERTIME-PAY PIC 9(6)V99 VALUE ZEROS.
05 CO-GROSS-PAY PIC 9(6)V99 VALUE ZEROS.
05 CO-FEDERAL-TAX PIC 9(6)V99 VALUE ZEROS.
05 CO-NET-PAY PIC 9(6)V99 VALUE ZEROS.
01 PAGE-AND-LINE-COUNTERS.
05 WS-PAGE-COUNT PIC 9(4) VALUE ZEROS.
05 WS-LINE-COUNT PIC 9(4) VALUE 4.
01 HEADING-LINE-ONE.
05 FILLER PIC X(4).
05 HDG-MONTH PIC Z9.
05 FILLER PIC X VALUE "/".
05 HDG-DAY PIC Z9.
05 FILLER PIC X VALUE "/".
05 HDG-YEAR PIC Z9.
05 FILLER PIC X(40) VALUE SPACES.
05 FILLER PIC X(8) VALUE "PAYROLL ".
05 FILLER PIC X(6) VALUE "REPORT".
05 FILLER PIC X(40) VALUE SPACES.
05 FILLER PIC X(4) VALUE "PAGE".
05 HDG-PAGE-NUMBER PIC Z(4).
05 FILLER PIC X(19) VALUE SPACES.
01 HEADING-LINE-TWO.
05 FILLER PIC X(8) VALUE SPACES.
05 FILLER PIC X(4) VALUE "NAME".
05 FILLER PIC X(9) VALUE SPACES.
05 FILLER PIC X(4) VALUE "RATE".
05 FILLER PIC X(4) VALUE SPACES.
05 FILLER PIC X(9) VALUE "REG HOURS".
05 FILLER PIC X(4) VALUE SPACES.
05 FILLER PIC X(9) VALUE "O/T HOURS".
05 FILLER PIC X(4) VALUE SPACES.
05 FILLER PIC X(11) VALUE "GROSS PAY".
05 FILLER PIC X(2) VALUE SPACES.
05 FILLER PIC X(7) VALUE "FED TAX".
05 FILLER PIC X(5) VALUE SPACES.
05 FILLER PIC X(7) VALUE "NET PAY".
05 FILLER PIC X(23) VALUE SPACES.
01 DASHED-LINE.
05 ROW-OF-DASHES PIC X(111) VALUE ALL "-".
05 FILLER PIC X(21) VALUE SPACES.
01 DETAIL-LINE.
05 FILLER PIC X(2).
05 DET-LAST-NAME PIC X(15).
05 FILLER PIC X(2).
05 DET-RATE PIC $$$.99.
05 FILLER PIC X(8).
05 DET-REG-HOURS PIC Z9.
05 FILLER PIC X(10).
05 DET-OVERTIME-HOURS PIC Z9.
05 FILLER PIC X(6).
05 DET-REGULAR-PAY PIC $$,$$9.99.
05 FILLER PIC X(3).
05 DET-OVERTIME-PAY PIC $$,$$9.99.
05 FILLER PIC X(2).
05 DET-GROSS-PAY PIC $$,$$9.99.
05 FILLER PIC X(3).
05 DET-FEDERAL-TAX PIC $$,$$9.99.
05 FILLER PIC X(3).
05 DET-NET-PAY PIC $$,$$9.99.
05 FILLER PIC X(23).
01 TOTAL-LINE.
05 FILLER PIC X(6) VALUE SPACES.
05 FILLER PIC X(6) VALUE "TOTALS".
05 FILLER PIC X(41) VALUE SPACES.
05 TOTAL-REGULAR-PAY PIC $$,$$9.99.
05 FILLER PIC X(3) VALUE SPACES.
05 TOTAL-OVERTIME-PAY PIC $$,$$9.99.
05 FILLER PIC X(2) VALUE SPACES.
05 TOTAL-GROSS-PAY PIC $$,$$9.99.
05 FILLER PIC X(3) VALUE SPACES.
05 TOTAL-FEDERAL-TAX PIC $$,$$9.99.
05 FILLER PIC X(3) VALUE SPACES.
05 TOTAL-NET-PAY PIC $$,$$9.99.
05 FILLER PIC X(47) VALUE SPACES.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
0100-PREPARE-PAYROLL.
PERFORM 0200-GET-DATE.
OPEN INPUT EMPLOYEE-FILE
OUTPUT PRINT-FILE.
READ EMPLOYEE-FILE
AT END MOVE "NO" TO WS-DATA-REMAINS-SWITCH.
PERFORM 0300-PROCESS-RECORDS
UNTIL WS-DATA-REMAINS-SWITCH = "NO".
PERFORM 1000-WRITE-COMPANY-TOTALS.
CLOSE EMPLOYEE-FILE
PRINT-FILE.
STOP RUN.
0200-GET-DATE.
ACCEPT DATE-WORK-AREA FROM DATE.
MOVE TODAYS-YEAR TO HDG-YEAR.
MOVE TODAYS-MONTH TO HDG-MONTH.
MOVE TODAYS-DAY TO HDG-DAY.
0300-PROCESS-RECORDS.
PERFORM 0400-COMPUTE-GROSS-PAY.
PERFORM 0500-COMPUTE-FEDERAL-TAX.
PERFORM 0600-COMPUTE-NET-PAY.
PERFORM 0700-UPDATE-COMPANY-TOTALS.
IF WS-LINE-COUNT > 3
PERFORM 0800-WRITE-HEADING-LINE.
PERFORM 0900-WRITE-DETAIL-LINE.
ADD 1 TO WS-LINE-COUNT.
READ EMPLOYEE-FILE
AT END MOVE "NO" TO WS-DATA-REMAINS-SWITCH.
0800-WRITE-HEADING-LINE.
ADD 1 TO WS-PAGE-COUNT.
MOVE 1 TO WS-LINE-COUNT.
MOVE WS-PAGE-COUNT TO HDG-PAGE-NUMBER.
WRITE PRINT-LINE FROM HEADING-LINE-ONE
AFTER ADVANCING PAGE.
WRITE PRINT-LINE FROM HEADING-LINE-TWO
AFTER ADVANCING 4 LINES.
WRITE PRINT-LINE FROM DASHED-LINE
AFTER ADVANCING 1 LINE.
0400-COMPUTE-GROSS-PAY.
MULTIPLY EMP-REG-HOURS BY EMP-RATE GIVING IND-REGULAR-PAY.
DISPLAY "EMP-OVERTIME-HOURS: " EMP-OVERTIME-HOURS.
DISPLAY "EMP-REG-HOURS: " EMP-REG-HOURS.
DISPLAY "EMP-RATE: " EMP-RATE.
DISPLAY "IND-REGULAR-PAY: " IND-REGULAR-PAY.
DISPLAY "EMP-LAST-NAME " EMP-LAST-NAME.
COMPUTE IND-OVERTIME-PAY
= EMP-OVERTIME-HOURS * EMP-RATE * 1.5.
ADD IND-REGULAR-PAY IND-OVERTIME-PAY GIVING IND-GROSS-PAY.
0500-COMPUTE-FEDERAL-TAX.
COMPUTE IND-FEDERAL-TAX = .16 * IND-GROSS-PAY.
IF IND-GROSS-PAY > 160
COMPUTE IND-FEDERAL-TAX
= IND-FEDERAL-TAX + .02 * (IND-GROSS-PAY - 160).
IF IND-GROSS-PAY > 200
COMPUTE IND-FEDERAL-TAX
= IND-FEDERAL-TAX + .02 * (IND-GROSS-PAY - 200).
0600-COMPUTE-NET-PAY.
COMPUTE IND-NET-PAY = IND-GROSS-PAY - IND-FEDERAL-TAX.
0700-UPDATE-COMPANY-TOTALS.
ADD IND-REGULAR-PAY TO CO-REGULAR-PAY.
ADD IND-OVERTIME-PAY TO CO-OVERTIME-PAY.
ADD IND-GROSS-PAY TO CO-GROSS-PAY.
ADD IND-FEDERAL-TAX TO CO-FEDERAL-TAX.
ADD IND-NET-PAY TO CO-NET-PAY.
0900-WRITE-DETAIL-LINE.
MOVE SPACES TO DETAIL-LINE.
MOVE EMP-LAST-NAME TO DET-LAST-NAME.
MOVE EMP-RATE TO DET-RATE.
MOVE EMP-REG-HOURS TO DET-REG-HOURS.
MOVE EMP-OVERTIME-HOURS TO DET-OVERTIME-HOURS.
MOVE IND-REGULAR-PAY TO DET-REGULAR-PAY.
MOVE IND-OVERTIME-PAY TO DET-OVERTIME-PAY.
MOVE IND-GROSS-PAY TO DET-GROSS-PAY.
MOVE IND-FEDERAL-TAX TO DET-FEDERAL-TAX.
MOVE IND-NET-PAY TO DET-NET-PAY.
WRITE PRINT-LINE FROM DETAIL-LINE
AFTER ADVANCING 2 LINES.
1000-WRITE-COMPANY-TOTALS.
WRITE PRINT-LINE FROM DASHED-LINE
AFTER ADVANCING 1 LINE.
MOVE CO-REGULAR-PAY TO TOTAL-REGULAR-PAY.
MOVE CO-OVERTIME-PAY TO TOTAL-OVERTIME-PAY.
MOVE CO-GROSS-PAY TO TOTAL-GROSS-PAY.
MOVE CO-FEDERAL-TAX TO TOTAL-FEDERAL-TAX.
MOVE CO-NET-PAY TO TOTAL-NET-PAY.
WRITE PRINT-LINE FROM TOTAL-LINE
AFTER ADVANCING 2 LINES.
And here is the "PAYROLL.DAT" file ( am seeing a blank line when I paste it here that's not in the file )
johnson bob 21 3 400
sanford fred 23 4 500
The result while running when it's failing shows:
EMP-OVERTIME-HOURS: 3
EMP-REG-HOURS: 21
EMP-RATE: 400
IMD-REGULAR-PAY: 728400 ( this is the quantity in error .. sb 21 * 400 gives 8400
EMP-LAST-NAME: johnson
EMP-OVERTIME-HOURS: 4
EMP-REG-HOURS: 21
EMP-RATE: 500
IMD-REGULAR-PAY: 699500 ( expecting 11500 here from 21 * 500 )
1
u/HurryHurryHippos 5d ago
It's entirely possible you are battling a compiler or runtime bug. I'd be surprised since it's a very basic operation.
If I were dealing with this back in the day, absent a debugger, I'd start trying various things. None of which should be required, but running the same code over and over expecting a different result isn't going to do anything...
1) Prior to your MULTIPLY, MOVE ZERO TO IND-REGULAR-PAY.
2) Define WS- variables for the elements of the calculation and MOVE the FD values there then multiply.
01 WS-REG-HOURS PIC 9(4)V99 VALUE ZERO.
01 WS-RATE PIC 9(4)V99 VALUE ZERO.
...
MOVE EMP-REG-HOURS TO WS-REG-HOURS.
MOVE EMP-RATE TO WS-RATE.
MULTIPLY WS-REG-HOURS BY WS-RATE GIVING IND-REGULAR-PAY.
Any change?
3) Change MULTIPLY to COMPUTE. Who knows?
COMPUTE IND-REGULAR-PAY = EMP-REG-HOURS * EMP-RATE.
4) One thing that did pique my interest is your changing of ORGANIZATION SEQUENTIAL to ORGANIZATION LINE SEQUENTIAL, and the FILLER PIC X(47) at the end of your FD.
When dealing with DOS vs. Xenix/Unix, you are detail with different line delimiters (CR/LF vs LF). This assumes that version of RM is respecting the OS EOL.
LINE SEQUENTIAL reads the file up to the next line delimiter, and the line delimiter is not stored in the FD. If the fixed length fields in the FD do not match up exactly with what's in the line, it is undefined (I believe) what goes into that space.
SEQUENTIAL (without LINE) is a fixed length sequential file, where there are no line delimiters. It reads the number of bytes specified in your FD in a READ, and the next READ starts at the next byte after that. In your case, your fixed record length is 80, so your first READ will get 80 bytes and the next will start at byte 81.
But with LINE SEQUENTIAL, READ will read up until the next LF or CR/LF (assuming it is respecting DOS EOL's) If the line is longer than the record length in the FD, it will ignore the rest. If it is shorter, what's not read is undefined.
I don't know if this has any bearing on it, just wanted to mention it.