Introduction MTB Statements File System Compiler Applications Reference Guide Index

Language Structure Data Division I/O Format Division Procedure Division Mnemonics

Overview Variable Names Variable Types Variable Length Variable Classification Data Division Statements System Variables

LOCAL statement

Syntax: LOCAL variable-list
Discussion: The LOCAL statement defines all data variables that will be used exclusively by the current MTB program (i.e., they will not be shared with or "overlayed" to other MTB programs.)

All variables (other than Comet ) used in the I/O Format Division or Procedure Division of a program must be declared as COMMON or LOCAL.

The variable-list includes MTB variable names, each separated by a comma or blank space. Any number of variables can be declared with one LOCAL statement.

The LOCAL statement generally follows a related LENGTH statement. String variables defined in the variable-list must be preceded by a LENGTH statement defining the length of the fields. Numeric variables do not necessarily require a LENGTH statement; those with no preceding numeric LENGTH statement are assigned a default length and precision of 8.2.

Array definitions must include the number of elements (or the maximum number of indices for multi-dimensional arrays) as an integer constant or symbolic constant enclosed in parentheses. For example, ALPH$(26) defines a string array named ALPH$ with 26 elements, and VALUE(3,24) defines a numeric array named VALUE with 3 columns and 24 rows. See Arrays for more information.

Note: LOCAL statements may be mixed with COMMON statements without affecting the mapping of COMMON variables.

Application notes:
  • Defining some variables as COMMON and some as LOCAL allows you to initialize selected variables with the CLEARCOMMON and CLEARLOCAL statements. For more information, see the CLEAR statement.

  • Frequently, data variables definitions are used in more than one source program. In these cases, the most practical way to compile the same definitions into multiple programs is to define them in "usefiles." Then, in each individual source program, all you need to do is include the USE directive -- the corresponding usefile definitions will automatically be included in the resulting compiled program.
Example 1: 
LENGTH 25
LENGTH 9.2
LOCAL NAME$, ADDRESS1$, ADDRESS2$, CRLIMIT
In the above example, three string variables and one numeric variable are defined as local data variables. The LENGTH statements preceding the LOCAL statement determines the length and precision of the fields listed in the LOCAL statement.

For example, LENGTH 25 defines the length of NAME$, ADDRESS1$, and ADDRESS2$ (i.e., they will each store a maximum of 25 characters). The LENGTH 9.2 statement defines the length and precision of the numeric variable CRLIMIT (i.e., it will store up to nine digits, two of which will be to the right of the decimal point).

Example 2: 
LENGTH 10 & LOCAL ZIPCODE$
This example shows how two statements may be written on a single source program line. In this case, the LENGTH 10 statement declares that the following string fields will store a maximum of ten characters. The ampersand symbol (&) indicates that another statement follows on the same line. The LOCAL statement defines a local string variable called ZIPCODE$.