The OCCURS clause (format 2) is used when there is a variable number of occurrences for the data item that specifies the OCCURS clause.
The size of the data item that specifies the OCCURS clause is not variable -- the number of occurrences is variable.
000010 @OPTIONS MAIN 000020*---------------------------------------------------------------------- 000030* OCCURS clause (format 2) 000040* The number of occurrences can change dynamically. 000050*---------------------------------------------------------------------- 000060 IDENTIFICATION DIVISION. 000070 PROGRAM-ID. SAMPLE. 000080 DATA DIVISION. 000090 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION. 000100*---------------------------------------------------------------------- 000110* If the data name is specified in the DEPENDING ON clause, the number 000120* of occurrences can be controlled dynamically when the program is 000125* executed. 000130*---------------------------------------------------------------------- 000140 01 DSP-DATA. 000150 02 OCCURS 80 TIMES DEPENDING ON LEN. 000160 03 PIC X VALUE "*". 000170 77 LEN PIC 9(2). 000180*---------------------------------------------------------------------- 000190 PROCEDURE DIVISION. 000200 DISPLAY "Display how many bytes? (1 to 80) >>" WITH NO ADVANCING. 000210 ACCEPT LEN. 000220*---------------------------------------------------------------------- 000230* The value of the data (LEN) specified in the DEPENDING ON clause 000235* becomes the number of occurrences. 000240*---------------------------------------------------------------------- 000250 DISPLAY DSP-DATA. 000260*---------------------------------------------------------------------- 000270 END PROGRAM SAMPLE.
