Re: Is it always possible to write a COBOL program using only 1 sentence per paragrap

In article <n_PCe.121287$HI.53338@edtnps84>,
"Oliver Wong" <owong@castortech.com> wrote:
>     The adding of switches is mainly because this is pretty much the
> technique used by all GOTO-eliminating algorithms I've seen discussed in t
he
> literature and papers I've read on this topic. If there's a way to perform
> GOTO removal without adding new switches, I'd very much like to know about
> it because generating meaningful names for switches is rather difficult
> (these names WILL probably eventually be seen by some human, at least in t
he
> form of the outline of the program generated at the end, if not directly i
n
> the COBOL source code itself).
>
>     Whether or not there will be a "switch eliminating phase" is yet to be
> seen; it's much too early at this point to tell whether it will be
> nescessary, feasible, or even desirable. Right now, when confronted with
> "lots of switches" versus "lots of GOTOs", my requirements state that "lot
s
> of switches" is the lesser of two evils.
>
>     - Oliver

In many (not all) cases, you can use knowledge of idiomatic Cobol to
remove the need for switches.  Consider the common "go to exit":

1234-Some-Para.

.. some code ...

If condition
go to 1234-some-para-exit.

.. lots of code ...

1234-Some-Para-Exit.
exit.

This can always be rewritten as:

1234-Some-Para.

.. some code ...

If NOT (condition)
.. lots of code ...
END-IF

1234-Some-Para-Exit.
exit.

I have a hunch that you can do this without switches EXCEPT for the case
where a go to jumps over a paragraph boundary (E.G in a long perform
thru).