Compiler cobc options

The following list of options was extracted from cobc --help and shows all available compiler options with a short description.

Common Options

• -h, --help

  display this help and exit

• -V, --version

  display compiler version information and exit

• -dumpversion

  display compiler version and exit

• -i, --info

  display compiler information (build/environment) and exit

• -v, --verbose

  verbose mode, display additional information; multiple -v options increase the verbosity, the maximum is 3 as follows: (1) display compiler version and the commands invoked by the compiler, (2) pass verbose option to assembler/compiler (3) pass verbose option to linker

• -q, --brief

  reduced displays, commands invoked not shown

• -###

  like -v but commands not executed

• -x

  build an executable program

• -m

  build a dynamically loadable module (default)

• -j [<args>], --job[=<args>]

  run program after build, passing <args>

• -std=<dialect>

  warnings/features for a specific dialect <dialect> can be one of: default, cobol2014, cobol2002, cobol85, xopen, ibm-strict, ibm, mvs-strict, mvs, mf-strict, mf, bs2000-strict, bs2000, acu-strict, acu, rm-strict, rm, gcos-strict, gcos; see configuration files in directory config

• -F, --free

  use free source format (alias for -fformat=free)

• --fixed

  use fixed source format (default; alias for

• -fformat=fixed)

• -O, -O2, -O3, -Os

  enable optimization

• -O0

  disable optimization

• -g

  enable C compiler debug and stack check

• -d, --debug

  enable all run-time error checking, equal to -fstack-check -fec=EC-ALL

• -fec=<exception-name>

  enable code generation for <exception-name>, see –list-exceptions for the possible values, sets -fsource-location

• -fno-ec=<exception-name>

  disable code generation for <exception-name>

• -o <file>

  place the output into <file>

• -b

  combine all input files into a single dynamically loadable module

• -E

  preprocess only; do not compile or link

• -C

  translation only; convert COBOL to C

• -S

  compile only; output assembly file

• -c

  compile and assemble, but do not link

• -T <file>

  generate and place a wide program listing into <file>

• -t <file>

  generate and place a program listing into <file>

• --tlines=<lines>

  specify lines per page in listing, default = 55

• -P[=<dir or file>]

  generate preprocessed program listing (.lst)

• -X, --Xref

  specify cross reference in listing

• -I <directory>

  add <directory> to copy/include search path

• -L <directory>

  add <directory> to library search path

• -l <lib>

  link the library <lib>

• -K <entry>

  generate CALL to <entry> as static

• -D <define>

  define <define> for COBOL compilation

• -A <options>

  add <options> to the C compile phase

• -Q <options>

  add <options> to the C link phase

• --coverage

  instrument generated binaries for coverage

• --conf=<file>

  user-defined dialect configuration; see -std

• --list-reserved

  display reserved words

• --list-intrinsics

  display intrinsic functions

• --list-mnemonics

  display mnemonic names

• --list-exceptions

  display exception names

• --list-system

  display system routines

• --save-temps[=<dir>]

  save intermediate files; default: current directory

• -MT <target>

  set/add target file used in dependency list

• -MF <file>

  place dependency list into <file>

• -ext <extension>

  add file extension for resolving COPY

Warning options

• -Wall

  enable most warnings (all except as noted below)

• -Wextra

  like -Wall but enable some extra warning flags

• -w

  disable all warnings

• -Wno-<warning>

  disable warning enabled by default, -Wall or -Wextra

• -Wadditional

  additional warnings only raised with -Wall

• -Wno-unfinished

  do not warn if unfinished features are used; always active

• -Wno-pending

  do not warn if pending features are used; always active

• -Wno-repository-checks

  do not warn/check for program/function/external signature mismatch; always active

• -Wno-ignored-error

  do not warn about errors in code parts which are unreachable and so normally ignored; always active

• -Wobsolete

  warn if obsolete features are used

• -Warchaic

  warn if archaic features are used

• -Wredefinition

  warn about non-referenced ambiguous data items

• -Wtruncate

  warn about field truncation from constant assignments

• -Wpossible-truncate

  warn about possible field truncation; not set with -Wall

• -Woverlap

  warn about overlapping MOVE of items

• -Wpossible-overlap

  warn about MOVE of items that may overlap depending on variables; not set with -Wall

• -Wparentheses

  warn if parentheses are omitted around AND within OR

• -Wstrict-typing

  warn strictly about type mismatch, even when same size; not set with -Wall

• -Wtyping

  warn about type mismatch

• -Wimplicit-define

  warn whenever data items are implicitly defined; not set with -Wall

• -Wno-corresponding

  do not warn about CORRESPONDING with no matching items; always active

• -Winitial-value

  warn if initial VALUE clause is ignored

• -Wprototypes

  warn about missing FUNCTION prototypes/definitions

• -Warithmetic-osvs

  warn if arithmetic expression precision has changed

• -Wcall-params

  warn about non 01/77 items for CALL parameters; not set with -Wall

• -Wconstant-expression

  warn about expressions that always resolve to true/false

• -Wconstant-numlit-expression

  warn about numeric expressions that always resolve to true/false

• -Wlarger-01-redefines

  warn about larger redefines allowed by COBOL standards

• -Wcolumn-overflow

  warn about text after program-text area, FIXED format; not set with -Wall

• -Wterminator

  warn about lack of scope terminator END-XXX; not set with -Wall

• -Wlinkage

  warn about dangling LINKAGE items; not set with -Wall

• -Wunreachable

  warn about likely unreachable statements; not set with -Wall

• -Wno-dialect

  do not warn about dialect specific issues; always active

• -Wno-goto-section

  do not warn about GO TO section-name; always active

• -Wgoto-different-section

  warn about GO TO a praragraph defined in a different section

• -Wsuspicious-perform-thru

  warn if PERFORM THRU references procedures not in ascending order or multiple sections; always active

• -Wdangling-text

  warn about source text after program-area; not set with -Wall

• -Wno-missing-newline

  do not warn about missing newlines; always active

• -Wno-others

  do not warn about different issues; always active

• -Wno-unsupported

  do not warn if runtime does not support a feature used

• -fdiagnostics-plain-output

  make diagnostic output as plain as possible

• -Werror

  treat all warnings as errors

• -Wno-error

  don’t treat warnings as errors

• -Werror=<warning>

  treat specified <warning> as error

• -Wno-error=<warning>

  don’t treat specified <warning> as error

Compiler options

• -fsign=[ASCII|EBCDIC]

  define display sign representation; default: machine native

• -ffold-copy=[UPPER|LOWER]

  fold COPY subject to value; default: no transformation

• -ffold-call=[UPPER|LOWER]

  fold PROGRAM-ID, CALL, CANCEL subject to value; default: no transformation

• -fmax-errors=<number>

  maximum number of errors to report before compilation is aborted; default: 128

• -fintrinsics=[ALL|intrinsic function name(,name,...)]

  intrinsics to be used without FUNCTION keyword

• -fdump=<scope>

  dump data fields on abort, <scope> may be a combination of: ALL, WS, LS, RD, FD, SC, LO

• -fcallfh=<name>

  specifies <name> to be used for I/O as external provided EXTFH interface module

• -febcdic-table=<cconv-table>/<file>

  EBCDIC/ASCII translation table; e.g. default, ebcdic500_latin1…

• -fdefault-colseq=[ASCII|EBCDIC|NATIVE]

  define default collating sequence; default: NATIVE

• -fstack-extended

  store origin of entrypoints and PERFORM; turned on by --debug/-fdump

• -fno-remove-unreachable

  disable remove of unreachable code; turned off by -g

• -ftrace

  generate trace code; scope: executed SECTION/PARAGRAPH

• -ftraceall

  generate trace code; scope: executed SECTION/PARAGRAPH/STATEMENTS

• -fsyntax-only

  syntax error checking only; don’t emit any output

• -fdebugging-line

  enable debugging lines; ‘D‘ in indicator column or floating >>D

• -fsource-location

  generate source location code; turned on by --debug/-ftraceall/-fec/-fdump

• -fimplicit-init

  automatic initialization of the COBOL runtime system

• -fno-recursive-check

  disable check of recursive program call; effectively compiling as RECURSIVE program

• -fstack-check

  PERFORM stack checking; turned on by --debug/-g

• -fmemory-check=<scope>

  checks for invalid writes to internal storage, <scope> may be one of: all, pointer, using, none; default: none, set to all by --debug

• -fsection-exit-check

  check that code execution does not leave the scope of SECTIONs

• -fimplicit-goback-check

  check that code execution does not end implicit at end of PROCEDURE DIVISION

• -fwrite-after

  use AFTER 1 for WRITE of LINE SEQUENTIAL; default: BEFORE 1

• -fmfcomment

  ‘\*‘ in column 1 treated as comment with listing suppression; FIXED/COBOL85/VARIABLE format only

• -facucomment

  ‘$‘ in indicator area treated as ‘\*‘, ‘|‘ treated as floating comment

• -fno-trunc

  allow numeric field overflow; non-ANSI behaviour

• -fsingle-quote

  use a single quote (apostrophe) for QUOTE; default: double quote

• -foptional-file

  treat all files as OPTIONAL; unless NOT OPTIONAL specified

• -fstatic-call

  output static function calls for the CALL statement

• -fno-gen-c-decl-static-call

  disable generation of C function declarations for subroutines with static CALL

• -fgen-c-line-directives

  generate source location directives in C code;; turned on by -g/–coverage

• -fgen-c-labels

  generate extra labels in C sources;; turned on by -g

• -fno-theaders

  suppress all headers from listing while keeping page breaks

• -fno-tsource

  suppress source from listing

• -fno-tmessages

  suppress warning and error summary from listing

• -ftsymbols

  specify symbols in listing

• -ftcmd

  specify command line in listing

• -fno-ttimestamp

  suppress timestamp in listing headers

• -fttitle=<title>

  set listing title with ‘_‘ replaced by spaces; defaults to package name and version

• -fno-diagnostics-show-option

  suppress output of option that directly controls the diagnostic

• -fno-diagnostics-show-caret

  do not display source context on warning/error diagnostic

• -fno-diagnostics-show-line-numbers

  suppress display of line numbers in diagnostics

• -fdiagnostics-absolute-path

  display paths with absolute paths

Compiler dialect configuration options

• -freserved-words=<value>

  use of complete/fixed reserved words

• -ftab-width=1..12

  number of spaces that are assumed for tabs

• -ftext-column=72..255

  right margin column number for fixed-form reference-format

• -fpic-length=<number>

  maximum number of characters allowed in the PICTURE character-string

• -fword-length=1..63

  maximum word-length for COBOL (= programmer defined) words

• -fliteral-length=<number>

  maximum literal size in general

• -fnumeric-literal-length=1..38

  maximum numeric literal size

• -fdefaultbyte=<value>

  default initialization for fields without VALUE, may be one of; character in quotes; decimal 0..255 representing a character; “init” to initialize to PICTURE/USAGE; “none” to do no explicit initialization; default: “init”

• -fformat=<value>

  default reference-format, may be one of: FIXED, FREE, COBOL85, VARIABLE, XOPEN, XCARD, CRT, TERMINAL, COBOLX

• -fbinary-size=<value>

  binary byte size - defines the allocated bytes according to PIC, may be one of: 2-4-8, 1-2-4-8, 1–8

• -fbinary-byteorder=<value>

  binary byte order, may be one of: native, big-endian

• -fassign-clause=<value>

  how to interpret ASSIGN <word>: as ASSIGN EXTERNAL <word> or ASSIGN DYNAMIC <word>, may be one of: dynamic, external, ibm (= external), mf (= dynamic)

• -fscreen-section-rules=<value>

  which compiler’s rules to apply to SCREEN SECTION item clauses, may be one of: acu, gc, mf, rm, std, xopen

• -fdpc-in-data=<value>

  whether DECIMAL-POINT IS COMMA has effect in XML/JSON GENERATE, may be one of: none, xml, json, all

• -fsubscript-check=<value>

  checking for subscript (only done with EC-BOUND-SUBSCRIPT active), may be one of: full, max, record

• -ffilename-mapping

  resolve file names at run time using environment variables

• -fpretty-display

  alternate formatting of numeric fields

• -fbinary-truncate

  numeric truncation according to ANSI

• -fcomplex-odo

  allow non-standard OCCURS DEPENDING ON syntax

• -fodoslide

  adjust items following OCCURS DEPENDING (implies complex-odo)

• -finit-justify

  applies JUSTIFY with VALUE clause

• -findirect-redefines

  allow REDEFINES to other than last equal level number

• -frelax-syntax-checks

  allow certain syntax variations (e.g. REDEFINES position)

• -fref-mod-zero-length

  allow zero length reference-modification (only changed with EC-BOUND-REF-MOD active)

• -frelax-level-hierarchy

  allow non-matching level numbers

• -fselect-working

  require ASSIGN USING items to be in WORKING-STORAGE

• -flocal-implies-recursive

  LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION implies RECURSIVE attribute

• -fsticky-linkage

  LINKAGE SECTION items remain allocated between invocations

• -fmove-ibm

  MOVE operates as on IBM (left to right, byte by byte)

• -fperform-osvs

  exit point of any currently executing perform is recognized if reached

• -farithmetic-osvs

  limit precision in intermediate results to precision of final result (less accurate)

• -fconstant-folding

  evaluate constant expressions at compile time

• -fhostsign

  allow hexadecimal value ‘F‘ for NUMERIC test of signed PACKED DECIMAL field

• -fprogram-name-redefinition

  program names don’t lead to a reserved identifier

• -faccept-update

  set WITH UPDATE clause as default for ACCEPT dest-item, instead of WITH NO UPDATE

• -faccept-auto

  set WITH AUTO clause as default for ACCEPT dest-item, instead of WITH TAB

• -fconsole-is-crt

  assume CONSOLE IS CRT if not set otherwise

• -fno-echo-means-secure

  NO-ECHO hides input with asterisks like SECURE

• -fline-col-zero-default

  assume a field DISPLAY starts at LINE 0 COL 0 (i.e. at the cursor), not LINE 1 COL 1

• -fdisplay-special-fig-consts

  special behaviour of DISPLAY SPACE/ALL X'01'/ALL X'02'/ALL X'07'

• -fbinary-comp-1

  COMP-1 is a 16-bit signed integer

• -fnumeric-pointer

  POINTER is a 64-bit unsigned integer

• -fmove-non-numeric-lit-to-numeric-is-zero

  imply zero in move of non-numeric literal to numeric items

• -fimplicit-assign-dynamic-var

  implicitly define a variable if an ASSIGN DYNAMIC does not match any data item

• -fdevice-mnemonics

  specifying device by mnemonic

• -fxml-parse-xmlss

  XML PARSE XMLSS

• -fareacheck

  check contents of Area A (when reference format supports Area A enforcement), enabled checks include:; division, section, paragraph names, level indicators (FD, SD, RD, and CD), and toplevel numbers (01 and 77) must start in Area A;; statements must not start in Area A; and; separator periods must not be within Area A

• -fcomment-paragraphs=<support>

  comment paragraphs in IDENTIFICATION DIVISION (AUTHOR, DATE-WRITTEN, …)

• -fcontrol-division=<support>

  CONTROL DIVISION

• -fpartial-replace-when-literal-src=<support>

  apply partial replacing with literal source operand even when it replaces with spaces only;; “skip” prevents such replacements

• -fmemory-size-clause=<support>

  MEMORY-SIZE clause

• -fmultiple-file-tape-clause=<support>

  MULTIPLE-FILE-TAPE clause

• -flabel-records-clause=<support>

  LABEL-RECORDS clause

• -fvalue-of-clause=<support>

  VALUE-OF clause

• -fdata-records-clause=<support>

  DATA-RECORDS clause

• -ftop-level-occurs-clause=<support>

  OCCURS clause on top-level

• -fsame-as-clause=<support>

  SAME AS clause

• -ftype-to-clause=<support>

  TYPE TO clause

• -fusage-type=<support>

  USAGE type-name

• -fsynchronized-clause=<support>

  SYNCHRONIZED clause

• -fsync-left-right=<support>

  LEFT/RIGHT phrases in SYNCHRONIZED clause

• -fspecial-names-clause=<support>

  SPECIAL-NAMES clause

• -fgoto-statement-without-name=<support>

  GO TO statement without name

• -fstop-literal-statement=<support>

  STOP-literal statement

• -fstop-identifier-statement=<support>

  STOP-identifier statement

• -fstop-error-statement=<support>

  STOP ERROR statement

• -fdebugging-mode=<support>

  DEBUGGING MODE and debugging indicator

• -fuse-for-debugging=<support>

  USE FOR DEBUGGING

• -fpadding-character-clause=<support>

  PADDING CHARACTER clause

• -fnext-sentence-phrase=<support>

  NEXT SENTENCE phrase

• -flisting-statements=<support>

  listing-directive statements EJECT, SKIP1, SKIP2, SKIP3

• -ftitle-statement=<support>

  listing-directive statement TITLE

• -fentry-statement=<support>

  ENTRY statement

• -fmove-noninteger-to-alphanumeric=<support>

  move noninteger to alphanumeric

• -fmove-figurative-constant-to-numeric=<support>

  move figurative constants to numeric

• -fmove-figurative-space-to-numeric=<support>

  move figurative constant SPACE to numeric

• -fmove-figurative-quote-to-numeric=<support>

  move figurative constant QUOTE to numeric

• -fodo-without-to=<support>

  OCCURS DEPENDING ON without to

• -fsection-segments=<support>

  section segments

• -falter-statement=<support>

  ALTER statement

• -fcall-overflow=<support>

  OVERFLOW clause for CALL

• -fnumeric-boolean=<support>

  boolean literals (B'1010')

• -fhexadecimal-boolean=<support>

  hexadecimal-boolean literals (BX'A')

• -fnational-literals=<support>

  national literals (N'UTF-16 <string>')

• -fhexadecimal-national-literals=<support>

  hexadecimal-national literals (NX'265E')

• -fnational-character-literals=<support>

  non-standard national literals (NC'UTF-16 <string>')

• -fhp-octal-literals=<support>

  HP COBOL octal literals (%377)

• -facu-literals=<support>

  ACUCOBOL-GT literals (#B #O #H #X)

• -febcdic-symbolic-characters

  EBCDIC symbolic characters in literals (” “135,151,151”bar”195, 194”Z” for ” foobarBAZ“)

• -fword-continuation=<support>

  continuation of COBOL words

• -fnot-exception-before-exception=<support>

  NOT ON EXCEPTION before ON EXCEPTION

• -faccept-display-extensions=<support>

  extensions to ACCEPT and DISPLAY

• -frenames-uncommon-levels=<support>

  RENAMES of 01-, 66- and 77-level items

• -flarger-redefines=<support>

  allow larger REDEFINES items

• -fsymbolic-constant=<support>

  constants defined in SPECIAL-NAMES

• -fconstant-78=<support>

  constant with level 78 item (note: has left to right precedence in expressions)

• -fconstant-01=<support>

  constant with level 01 CONSTANT AS/FROM item

• -fperform-varying-without-by=<support>

  PERFORM VARYING without BY phrase (implies BY 1)

• -freference-out-of-declaratives=<support>

  references to sections not in DECLARATIVES from within DECLARATIVES

• -fprogram-prototypes=<support>

  CALL/CANCEL with program-prototype-name

• -fcall-convention-mnemonic=<support>

  specifying call-convention by mnemonic

• -fcall-convention-linkage=<support>

  specifying call-convention by WITH … LINKAGE

• -fusing-optional=<support>

  support for PROCEDURE DIVISION USING OPTIONAL

• -fnumeric-value-for-edited-item=<support>

  numeric literals in VALUE clause of numeric-edited items

• -fincorrect-conf-sec-order=<support>

  incorrect order of CONFIGURATION SECTION paragraphs

• -fdefine-constant-directive=<support>

  allow >> DEFINE CONSTANT var AS literal

• -ffree-redefines-position=<support>

  REDEFINES clause not following entry-name in definition

• -frecords-mismatch-record-clause=<support>

  record sizes does not match RECORD clause

• -frecord-delimiter=<support>

  RECORD DELIMITER clause

• -fsequential-delimiters=<support>

  BINARY-SEQUENTIAL and LINE-SEQUENTIAL phrases in RECORD DELIMITER

• -frecord-delim-with-fixed-recs=<support>

  RECORD DELIMITER clause on file with fixed-length records

• -fmissing-statement=<support>

  missing statement (e.g. empty IF / PERFORM)

• -fmissing-period=<support>

  missing period in PROCEDURE DIVISION (when reference format supports Area A enforcement)

• -fzero-length-literals=<support>

  zero-length literals, e.g. ‘’ and “”

• -fxml-generate-extra-phrases=<support>

  XML GENERATE's phrases other than COUNT IN

• -fcontinue-after=<support>

  AFTER phrase in CONTINUE statement

• -fgoto-entry=<support>

  ENTRY FOR GO TO and GO TO ENTRY statements

• -fassign-variable=<support>

  ASSIGN [TO] variable in SELECT

• -fassign-using-variable=<support>

  ASSIGN USING/VARYING variable in SELECT

• -fassign-ext-dyn=<support>

  ASSIGN EXTERNAL/DYNAMIC in SELECT

• -fassign-disk-from=<support>

  ASSIGN DISK FROM variable in SELECT

• -fvsam-status=<support>

  VSAM status in FILE STATUS

• -fself-call-recursive=<support>

  CALL to own PROGRAM-ID implies RECURSIVE attribute

• -frecord-contains-depending-clause=<support>

  DEPENDING clause in RECORD CONTAINS

• -fpicture-l=<support>

  PICTURE string with ‘L‘ character

  where <support> is one of: ok, warning, archaic, obsolete, skip, ignore, error, unconformable

• -fnot-reserved=<word>

  <word> to be taken out of the reserved words list

• -freserved=<word>

  <word> to be added to reserved words list

• -freserved=<word>:<alias>

  <word> to be added to reserved words list as <alias>

• -fnot-register=<word>

  special register to disable

• -fregister=<word> or <word>:<definition>, where definition uses backslash esca

  special register to enable