Jim Phillips writes:

What I would like to be able to do is either use REAL's from COBOL or
call
an intermediate intrinsic (like CPAUSE) that accepts a 32-bit integer and
converts it to REAL (to call PAUSE).  You have proposed an interesting
idea,
it's just that I don't like multi-level mis-direction.  If the purpose of
a call is to wait a specified number of seconds, then call the intrinsic
designed for that purpose and not another intrinsic which just happens
to
provide what you want as a byproduct.
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If you need to call the PAUSE intrinsic from COBOL, it can easily be done.
Attached is the working-storage and procedure division snippets to do
this.  All you do is call the intrinsic (HPEXTIN or EXTIN') to convert a PIC
X(n) or PIC 9(n) DISPLAY to 32 bit real, and then use the result to call
PAUSE.

Mike Berkowitz
Guess? Inc.




001000 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
001100 77  PAUSE-SECONDS               PIC 9(4).
001200 77  STRING-LENGTH               PIC S9(4) COMP VALUE 4.
001300 77  SECS-REAL                   PIC S9(9) COMP.
001400 77  HPEXTIN-ERROR               PIC S9(4) COMP.
001500
001600 PROCEDURE DIVISION.
001700     MOVE 4              TO PAUSE-SECONDS.
001800     CALL "HPEXTIN"
001900         USING PAUSE-SECONDS STRING-LENGTH 0 1 0 0 SECS-REAL
002000         HPEXTIN-ERROR.
002100
002200     IF HPEXTIN-ERROR NOT = 0
002300         DISPLAY "HPEXTIN FAILED"
002400         DISPLAY "ERROR IS " HPEXTIN-ERROR
002500     ELSE
002600         CALL INTRINSIC "PAUSE"
002700             USING SECS-REAL.