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The picture clause defines the format which the DISPLAY command would output to the console. Is there a means to "output" the formatted string to a variable? Something like the following, but something that works. The following is an arbitrary example of a number, transformed by a picture, and stored in a string in the currency format. 

IDENTIFICATION DIVISION. 
 PROGRAM-ID.    Demo1234. 
 ENVIRONMENT DIVISION. 
 DATA DIVISION. 
 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
 01  Price           Pic     $$$,$$9.99.
 01  Formated-Output Pic     X(10).

 PROCEDURE DIVISION. 

     Move 10.50 to Price.
     Display Price Upon Formated-Output.
     *> Formated-Output would now contain "$10.50    "
     GOBACK.
P Adlfinger
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1 Answers1

6

Add this line to WORKING-STORAGE.

   01  Start-pos       Pic     9(4)    Binary.

Replace the Display Price statement with

       Move 1 to Start-pos
       Inspect Price tallying
           Start-pos for leading spaces
       Move Price (Start-pos:) to Formated-Output

The result, "$10.50", followed by 4 spaces is in Formated-Output.

Rick Smith
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