A file description entry describes the physical structure, identification, and record names for a program's data files.
General Format
FD file-name [IS EXTERNAL] [IS GLOBAL]
[BLOCK CONTAINS [min TO] max {RECORDS } ]
{CHARACTERS}
[RECORD { CONTAINS [min TO] max CHARACTERS } ]
{ IS VARYING IN SIZE [ FROM min ] }
{ [ TO max ] CHARACTERS }
{ [ DEPENDING ON depend ] }
[ LABEL { RECORD IS } {STANDARD} ]
{ RECORDS ARE } {OMITTED }
[ VALUE OF LABEL IS label-lit ]
[ VALUE OF { FILE-ID } IS id-name ]
{ ID }
[ CODE-SET IS alphabet ]
[ DATA { RECORD IS } {record-name} ... ]
{ RECORDS ARE }
[ LINAGE IS page-size LINES
[ WITH FOOTING AT footing-line ]
[ LINES AT TOP top-lines ]
[ LINES AT BOTTOM bottom-lines ] ] .
Syntax Rules
1. File-name must refer to a file name contained in a SELECT clause in the Environment Division.
2. The clause IS EXTERNAL must immediately follow the file-name in each program that declares the file.
3. An external file must have the same file-name in each COBOL program that declares it, and must be described the same way in each program.
4. The other clauses following file-name can appear in any order.
5. One or more record description entries must follow a file description entry.
6. The LINAGE phrase may be specified only for an FD associated with a sequential file.
General Rules
1. The file description entry clauses are described separately in the following sections.