isCOBOL Evolve : Language Reference : Embedded SQL (ESQL) : Host Variables : How to specify the parent data item
How to specify the parent data item
The parent data item of a host variable can be referenced using a separator dot or the OF keyword. The IN keyword cannot be used as the compiler may confuse it with a stored procedure parameter type.
Given the following group items:
01 group-1.
   03 item-1 pic x(30).
01 group-2.   
   03 item-1 pic 9(9).
In order to avoid ambiguos identifiers, you can reference item-1 of group-1 in these ways
:group1.item-1
:item-1 of group1