VALUE clause

• Before understanding VALUE clause it is important to understand literals, constants and figurative constants. For that, please refer section LITERAL and FIGURATIVE CONSTANT of Module 3 <LINK>
• VALUE clause is used for initializing data items in working storage section. This can be done during variable declaration
• While assigning value it is important to ensure that value of data item must not exceed picture size
• VALUE clause cannot be specified for the data items whose size is variable
• The VALUE clause defines the initial value of data item. But value in data item can be changed in procedure division using various available clauses
• Basic syntax:-
  Syntax format 1:-
  VALUE IS literal
  Syntax format 2:-
  VALUES ARE literal-1 THRU | THROUGH literal-2
  Syntax format 3:-
  VALUES ARE literal-1, literal-2
  Note: - Keyword ‘IS’ and ‘ARE’ are optional to specify. In format 2 & 3 ‘VALUES ARE’ can be replaced with ‘VALUE IS’.
• Literals should be specified in without quotes for numeric data items and with quotes for non-numeric data item
• VALUE clause optional to specify. The values can be numeric literal, non-numeric literal or figurative constant
• It can be used for both elementary as well as group data item. If specified for group data item, value must be non-numeric literal or figurative constant and also any elementary item inside that group cannot use VALUE clause.
• VALUE clause cannot be used in data descriptive entries like REDEFINES. Also it cannot be used with the group/elementary data item specified with JUSTIFIED, SYNCHRONIZED & USAGE (other than DISPLAY)
• VALUE clause cannot be used inside FILE SECTION except in the case of condition names.