I am posting this to the list as I was unable to help a friend resolve a
Cobol compile problem.  He is converting some programs from HP3000's Cobol
to MicroFocus Cobol for use on the 9000.  He is getting the following
compile error.

* Compiling cyb99gls.cob
   204     EXAMINE DEBIT-AMT REPLACING ALL ' ' BY '0'.
*   9-S***********
**
**    '.' missing
* Total Messages:     1
* Unrecoverable :     0                    Severe  :     1
* Errors        :     0                    Warnings:     0
* Informational :     0                    Flags   :     0
* Data:        1568     Code:        1143
cob: error(s) in compilation: cyb99gls.cob
Compile Not Sucessful for cyb99gls.cob

The portion of code that is not compiling is:

050000 ACCUM-TOTALS.
RS980213
050005     IF DEBIT-AMT    = SPACES
RS980213
050010          GO TO ACCUM-CR.
RS980213
050015     EXAMINE DEBIT-AMT REPLACING ALL ' ' BY '0'.

050020     MOVE DR-DOLLARS TO WK-DOLLARS.
RS980213
050025     MOVE DR-CENTS TO WK-CENTS.
RS980213
050030     ADD WK-AMOUNT-9 TO TOT-DR.
RS980213

The compile says it is failing due to a '.' missing, but it looks like it is
there at the end of the "EXAMINE" statement in the code.
Having never used MicroFocus, I don't know if there are problems, to tell
him about, in going from HP's Cobol to Microfocus.
Has anyone come across something like this?

TIA.