8.3 COBOL level

COBOL levels are not part of the XML file. They are computed using the following rules :

• At each XML first child, level starts at 01 or 02 according to the level01 parameter (see sub-section )
• The level of COBOL item increases :
  • at each XML element
  • at each XML content
  • at each XML attribute
• The level of COBOL item decreases :
  • at each XML empty element
  • after each XML content
  • after each XML closing tag,
  • after each XML attribute.

For example, with the following XML file,

Figure: an XML file with attributes and content

XML2COB will generate the following COBOL copybook :

Figure: Generated COBOL copybook

As you can see, the COBOL item ADMINISTRATOR appears 2 times :

1. The first time as a grouping item, because the XML element Administrator has attributes
2. The second time as an elementary item at a lower level than the grouping item, because the XML element Administrator also has a content.