Terminal
The Terminal format divides the COBOL source row into 512 columns, that are used in the following way:
Column 1 | Indicator area |
Columns 1 to 4 | Area A |
Columns 5 to 512 | Area B |
• Division headers, section headers and paragraph names must start in Area A.
• Level numbers can appear either in Area A or Area B.
• All other COBOL text must start in Area B.
• Comments are identified by an asterisk, a slash or a dollar sign in the Indicator area (in this case the whole row is commented) or by a pipe in Area B (in this case only the text after the pipe is commented).