Re: [open-cobol-list] 60 character identifiers

[vince]

> For my needs 30 character identifier are just fine for variables.
> However I would like to simulate an object oriented approach and I want
> to use very long file names, for example:
> 
> parent-child-private-doSomething.cob
> parent-child-public-dosomethingElse.cob
> etc

Now some good news and some bad  ..

Good:
In Linux and Windows for that matter you can have long file names

> 
> Is there a way to set the limit to 60?
> 
> I am about 3-6 months away from being able to contribute to open Cobol
> development, have to learn Cobol first and read up on Bison, Flex and
> Autotools but I could try to tackle this if this is a good 2002 feature
> to implement.

Bad:
Cobol has intrinsic limits for a range of variables that was set/created in 
the 50's.

Increasing it would LIMIT the compilers/platforms that are used to migrate an 
existing source program that did not conform to a reasonable level of the 
Cobol standards.

Good:
There is an organisation based in the USA that has members around the world 
that have an interest in redefining and creating updates to the Cobol standard.


So, ask a representative on that board that is based near to you and it just 
might happen.

See the manual STD.BK.pdf which you can get via:

http://applewoodbbs.mine.nu/files/Cobol-Dev/

This was the latest proposed standard but it might now be updated,

Again.

Vince