MOVE statement

Remarks#

MOVE is the workhorse of COBOL. Data is moved from literal or identifier to one or more identifiers. COBOL has a distinction between elementary and group MOVE. Elementary data is type converted from source to destination. Group data is moved as a byte array, without regard to field types with a structure. Numeric fields are moved from right to left, high order digit truncation with zero fill (normally). Alphanumeric character data is moved left to right, right end character truncation with space fill. There are quite a few rules on how MOVE goes about its business, with both BINARY and PICTURE DISPLAY data forms, and group hierarchies all accounted for.

Some MOVE details, there are many

01 a PIC 9.
01 b PIC 99.
01 c PIC 999.

01 s PIC X(4).

01 record-group.
   05 field-a PIC 9.
   05 field-b PIC 99.
   05 field-c PIC 999.
01 display-record.
   05 field-a PIC Z.
   05 field-b PIC ZZ.
   05 field-c PIC $Z9.

*> numeric fields are moved left to right
*> a set to 3, b set to 23, c set to 123
MOVE 123 TO a b c

*> moves can also be by matching names within groups
MOVE a TO field-a OF record-group
MOVE b TO field-b OF record-group
MOVE c TO field-c OF record-group
MOVE CORRESPONDING record-group TO display-record

*> character data is moved right to left
*> s will be set to xyzz
MOVE "xyzzy" TO s