Variables, Constants, and Named Indicators

Every value a program touches is either expected to change, required never to change, or a two-state condition that drives a decision. This lesson covers the declaration tool for each — DCL-S variables, DCL-C named constants, and IND named indicators — and the scope and storage-duration rules…

What you'll be able to do

1. 1Declare variables using DCL-S with appropriate scope, storage duration, and initialization for a given business requirement.
2. 2Declare named constants using DCL-C and identify scenarios where a constant is the correct choice over a variable.
3. 3Distinguish global variable scope from local (procedure-level) scope, and explain the effect of the STATIC keyword on local variable persistence.
4. 4Declare named indicator variables and apply them to control flow in place of legacy numbered *INxx indicators.
5. 5Read a block of free-format code and correctly identify which declarations are variables, which are constants, and which are named indicators, along with their intended purpose.