ANNOUNCING THE STANDARD FOR COMMON BUSINESS ORIENTED LANGUAGE (COBOL)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-04723A000100070007-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 31, 2002
• Sequence Number: 7
• Content Type: REGULATION

Approved For Release 2004/05/12 : CIA-RDP78-04723A000100070007-2
Federal Information
Processing Standards Publication
1970
'Announcing the Standard for
COMMON BUSINESS ORIENTED LANGUAGE (COBOL)
Name of Standard. Common Business Oriented Language (COBOL), (FIPS ).
Category of Standard. Software Standards, Programming Languages.
Explanation. This FIPS PUB announces the adoption of the American National
Standard COBOL as the Federal Standard COBOL. The standard establishes the
form for and the interpretation of programs expressed in COBOL for the
purpose of promoting a high degree of interchangeability of such programs
for use on a variety of automatic data processing systems.
Approving Authority. Bureau of the Budget.
Maintenance Agency. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards
Center for Computer Sciences and Technology).
Cross Index. American, National Standard X3.23-1968, COBOL.
Applicability
a. Objectives. The basic objectives in applying the Federal Standard
COBOL language are to enable programs, once written, to be used on a
variety of automatic data processing systems without reincurring
program development costs, and to ease the operational problems and
expense associated with the conversion from old to new equipment
systems. From a local perspective, the use of the standard language
may, in some cases, result in less efficient programs in terms of an
installation's own immediate and specific requirements. From a
Government-wide management point of view, however, such minor
inefficiencies are acceptable and will be accommodated by local
installations in order to achieve the basic and longer-range
objectives of the standard language. Therefore, deviations from the
prescribed uses of the standard as outlined in this FIPS PUB will be
considered only where continuing and significant disadvantages are
demonstrable.
b. Relation to other programming languages. The action to adopt a
Federal Standard COBOL recognizes the existence and utility of other
programming languages. In essence, however, the thrust of the FIPS
PUB is to prescribe the use of Federal Standard COBOL for programming
Approved For Release 2004/05/12 : CIA-RDP78-04723A000100070007-2
 Approved For Release 2004/05/12 : CIA-RDP78-04723A000100070007-2
all business-oriented applications to the exclusion of other
pro graniiii na lam uac~,eS~that are or may be available for the same
purpose (e.g., PL/1). It is expected that other languages will, in
time, be adopted as Federal standards for use in specified areas of
application; for example, FORTRAN (approved by ANSI as an American
standard) for scientific applications, and JOVIAL for military command
and control.
c. General application. Federal Standard COBOL will be used in programming
business-oriented computer applications (i.e., those applications that
emehas i ze the mani pulat ion._of -characters, files and input/output as
contrasted with those concerned primarily with the processing of
numeric values) which are developed or acquired for Government use at
Government expense. The standard will be used for such applications
whenever
-- the application is being designed and programmed
centrally for a decentralized system that employs
computers of different makes, models and configurations
-- the program will or.mii,2ht possibly be-run -on_egui_pment
otherthan that for which. the n.roaram.is initially
-- it is anticipated that the life of the program will be
longer than the life of the presently installed
equipment
-- the application or program is under constant review for
updating of the specifications and changes may result
frequently.
if any or all of these circumstances exist, other languages will note used
for programming the application, except as authorized in d below,`-uri ess a
waiver is obtained in accordance with the waiver procedures. If, in the
judgment of the agency, these circumstances do not exist, other languages may
be used without a waiver.
d. Exceptions authorized without a waiver.
(1) Report generators and other file processing languages may be used
in cases where it is clearly more economical and efficient to do
so. Decisions to utilize these languages must, however, be made
with full consideration of the Government-wide objectives stated
in paragraph a above.
(2) The standard is not applicable to applications to be processed on
equipment systems of small capability for which COBOL compilers
are normally not developed (e.g., System 3, NCR 390, etc.)
Approved For Release 2004/05/12 : CIA-RDP78-04723A000100070007-2
 3
Approved For Release 2004/05/12 : CIA-RDP78-04723A000100070007-2
(3) fhe standard is not applicable to applications to be processed
on equi {Nllg1 no lopcoor in production for which a standard COBOL
compiler is not available.
(4) Installations heavily oriented toward scientific and engineering
applications and the use of FORTRAN may program incidental
business-oriented applications in FORTRAN.
Specifications. Federal Standard COBOL consists of three alternative
combinations of the modules specified by the American National Standard
COBOL (X3.23-1968). These combinations are known as Low, Intermediate
and High Level Federal Standard COBOL, respectively, Each level is defined
as consisting of the high or low level nucleus and selected levels of the
seven Functional Processing Modules (FPM's) of the American National
Standard COBOL as follows: .
Low Intermediate High
Level Level Level
Low (1) High (2)
,High (2)
Table Handling Low (3) intermediate (4) High (5)
Sequential Access Low (6) High (7) High (7)
Random Access Low (8) High (9) High (9)
Sort -- Low (10) High (11)
Report Writer -- -- High (13)
Segmentation Low (14) Low (14) High (15)
Library -- High (17) High (17)
The numbers in parentheses in the above table refer to chapters in X3.23-1968,
and a blank in the table denotes that the corresponding FPM is to be omitted.
Implementation Schedule. Federal Standard COBOL will be used as prescribed in
the section on applicability as soon as compilers that conform to the
standard specifications are available. Beginning no later than one year
after the date of this FIPS PUB, all compilers brought into the Federal
inventory, including those developed in-house, must be identified as
implementing one of the three specified levels. The standard language will
then be used in lieu of other variants of the COBOL language for programming
new applications and applications undergoing major revision. It is not
intended that exi sti ng,programs..be rewritten for the sole purpose of apps i ng
tand_rd Any plans or actions to defer further the required use of the
standard are subject to the waiver procedure.
Approved For Release 2004/05/12 : CIA-RDP78-04723A000100070007-2
 '? 4
Approved For Release 2004/05/12 : CIA-RDP78-04723A000100070007-2
Each compiler will include all the language elements of the identified level,
except that a compiler acquired exclusively to produce object programs for
computers without random access devices is not required to include the
random access module regardless of level. Waivers are not required to invoke
this exception.
A compiler which includes language elements., over and above those of the
identified level (whether or not they are part of the Federal COBOL Standard)
_is considered to be a non-standard compiler. Such a compiler will not be
developed, acquired or used, unless a waiver is first obtained. If a waiver
is authorized, it will stipulate that the additional elements will be
included in the. compiler only if they are automatically identified and flagged
on the source program listing by the compiling system (i.e., compiler or
preprocessor). Ordinarily, waivers will be granted only upon a clear
demonstration that an appreciable and continuing performance vs. cost
advantage, when considered from a Government-wide point of view, would be
obtained by the use of the non-standard elements.
The decision to procure a COBOL compiler or a COBOL source program is at the
discretion of the acquiring agency. This decision carries with it the
responsibility for insuring vendor compliance with Federal Standard COBOL
levels.
Waiver Procedure. Heads of agencies may waive the provisions of the.
jLnplementat ion schedule.
Proposed waivers relating to the procurement of COBOL compilers will be
coordinated in advance with the National Bureau of Standards. Letters
should be addressed to the Director, Center for Computer Sciences and
Technology, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C. 20234, They
should describe the nature of the waiver and set forth the reasons therefore.
They should include the detailed technical specifications of the language
elements affected, and a copy of the documentation considered by the head of
the agency in authorizing the waiver. Language elements may be described by
reference to American National Standard X3.23-1968 where appropriate.
Sixty days should be allowed for review and response by the.National Bureau
of Standards. The waiver is not to be made until a reply from the National
Bureau of Standards is received; however, the final decision for granting
the waiver is a responsibility of the agency head.
Waivers involving the use of non-standard language elements in source programs
need not he coordinated with the National Bureau of Standards in advance. It
is requested, however, that the National Bureau of Standards be informed of
major deviations in the use of Federal Standard COBOL in new'source programs
together with the reasons therefore.
Approved For Release 2004/05/12 : CIA-RDP78-04723A000100070007-2
 Approved For Release 2004/05/12 : CIA-RDP78-04723A000100070007-2
Where to Obtain Copies of the Specifications.
a. Federal Government activities should ?6fia n'copies' from established
sources within each agency. When there is not established source, purchase
orders should be submitted to the General Services Administration,
Specifications Activity, Printed Materials Supply Division, Building 197,
Naval Weapons Plant, Washington, D.C. 20402. Refer to Federal Information
Processing Standard # (FIPS PUB ), Price $2.45 a copy.
b. Others may obtain copies from the American National Standards Institute,
Inc., 1430 Broadway, New York, New York 10018. Refer to USA Standard
X3.23-1968, Standard for Common Business Oriented Language. (Price
$6.50 a copy. Discounts available on quantity orders. See ANSI
Catalogue.)
Approved For Release 2004/05/12 : CIA-RDP78-04723A000100070007-2
 STATINTL
STATINTL
Apnriove
rove
CIA-
dFFrsar, se 2AG &1126 RDP7 -
~
I FEB 55 WHICH MAY BE USED.
TRANSMITTAL SLIP
15July 1970
TO.
ROOM NO. BUILDING
710 Magazine
REMARKS.
'
A
r l ty
a~stions
May we have N
1 through 5 in the attached letter from
NBS relating to the draft PIPS PUB,
also attached. Our single copy of the
USA Standard COBOL Manual (approved
23 August 1968) has been sent to OCS &
may be borrowed from I if
you wish. However, I believe the issue
in question is fully evident in the
attached FIPS draft.
Sorr this package was inadvertently
d
delaye
in our office. The Agency is
obliged to reply no later than 20 August
so please forward your answers to the
specific questions in the :NBA l e a
O/PPB ASAP and no later than
FROM: Go
O/PPB
ROOM NO. BUILDING
EXTENSION
6E-25 Ha.
0Q 1
00070007
ST
TINTL
STATINTL
 STATINTL
STATINTL
STATINTL
App
FORM vey NO. x 0~v37 Use pIprevious editions GPO : 1 x968 O(147 3A
- 297-542
1-67 GI
UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL EGRET
OFFICIAL ROUTING SLIP
TO
NAME AND ADD
INITIALS.
.5'ss/px-
Q in -fU
Z~
2
3
c~`'
w~ D I
a J ,~
5
~. r r 2 -i i -'j '713p ?v
6
ACTION
DIRECT REPLY
PREPARE REPLY
APPROVAL
DISPATCH
RECOMMENDATION
COMMENT
FILE
RETURN
CONCURRENCE
INFORMATION
SIGNATURE
Remarks :
Lt.~Y
oCs
J-o2T i iV
Ot
FOLD HERE TO RETURN TO SENDER
FROM: NAME. ADDRESS AND PHONE NO.
DATE
0916wE'00
7-2
(40)
 Al pjlroveds
Al i roved
F,PRRq4%mq*Pft/0W1 10:
G
TO:
Chief, OC-SCD
ROOM NO. BUILDING
806 Ames
REMARKS:
Bob:
Could I have any comments you may
care to make by 5 Au ust, please?
lab
RHW
FROM:
Support Services Staff
ROOM NO.
BUILDING
EXTENSION
rl Fq?Zelease
0 / : CIA-RDP78
1
I RFEB M 55 G4 I REPLACES FORM 36-8
WHICH MAY BE USED.
$TATINTL