Teach Yourself COBOL in 21 days, Second Edition

Week 2 In Review

Nearly the entire second week focused on the concept of reading information from files and writing information to files. This is an inherent strength of the COBOL language. Day 8 laid the groundwork in "Structured Data," the key to organizing your program so that it can properly interact with files. Most of your COBOL programs in the real world will focus on obtaining information (either from the person using the program or from a file), manipulating that information, and storing the information either on disk or in printed form. Each of Week 2's programs is designed to focus on specific file functions.

Take a look at everything you've accomplished in two weeks. You've covered many concepts--some easier than others. You'll find the third week much easier, because it focuses on enhancing concepts you've already learned. Remember to focus on how new concepts dovetail with principles you've already learned. Hang in there; you're almost finished!