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using 'replacing' keyword doesn't change the value in this COBOL code

I'm pretty new in COBOL programming, and I can't understand why my code doesn't generate what I want; which is changing the value of 'm-poem'.

   data division.
   working-storage section.

   01 m-poem pic A(50) value 'nothing here'.

and using this:

  procedure division.

  initialize m-poem replacing alphanumeric data by
  -    "This is the way
  -         "I chose to take".
  display m-poem.

what I get instead is : "nothing here". which is the original value of 'poem' not the replaced one.

Solution

  • (Thank you for my introduction to COBOL.)

    The reason this isn't working is because you are attempting to replace alphanumeric data of a record that only has alphabetic data within it.

    You can resolve this by doing either of the following:

    1. A(50) must be paired with replacing alphabetic data; or
    2. replacing alphanumeric data must be paired with X(50).