How does the Line Comment Preceding Chars work?

forgersn · Apr 15, 2005#12005-04-15T14:02+00:00

Hi

I work on COBOL where the Comment begin with *. But the lines beginning with *# are not comments. So I try to use the tool "Line Comment Preceding Chars" but it doesn't work.
In fact, I have the French version, and in the help, they say that if I put the following line,

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Line Comment Preceding Chars = [~#]

that would work. But it's not the reality

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#*dsgsggsgg
*#dsgfsgsgs

I would like that the second line will not be a comment line.
How can I do?
thanks for your help
Seb

Bego · Apr 18, 2005#22005-04-18T06:17+00:00

Hi Seb

It does work. preceding mean: standing before....

so try: ~[*] instead of ~[#]

I tried it with C, and a (nonsense) Line Comment Preceding Chars = [~\*] does this:

// this is a comment
*// this is NO comment

Also, isn't it in Cobol that comments have to be in line 7 or something ?
so you also could restrict comments to line 7 (or whatever...)

rds Bego

forgersn · Apr 18, 2005#32005-04-18T09:03+00:00

I don't think you have understand my problem.
Usually line comment in COBOL begin with *.

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*sqjqsjjqsjfjq      (this is a line comment)

But Some lines beginning with *# are not comment. I don't know if there is another function like "Line Comment Following Chars" for example that I can use to solve this problem.

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*dsfsdgfgg   (this is a comment)
*#sdfgggg   (this is not a comment)

thanks for your help
seb (from france)

MrBillG · Apr 18, 2005#42005-04-18T14:37+00:00

Hi Forgersn

I program in RPG so we have a interesting situation.

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Line Comment = * Line Comment Valid Columns = [7]

Lines are commented out if the '*' is in column 7

I just checked and *# worked if * was in column 7.

Hope this helps

Mofi · Apr 18, 2005#52005-04-18T14:53+00:00

Looking for details about COBOL line comments with Google results in various information about what is a line comment for COBOL.

One source says, that a single asterisk at column 7 or higher is a valid line comment and nothing about *#. An other source also knows about *> as comment and a single slash / for a special sort of command.

Really interesting !!!

OK, back to your problem. At the moment there is no perfect solution. You could only use "Line Comment Num = 2* " (without the quotes - there are just to see the space after the asterisk) and make sure, there is always a space after the * as line comment.

You can do this by executing following regular expression replace in UltraEdit style:

Find What: ^*^([~ #]^)
Replace With: * ^1