💻 COBOL

COBOL EXIT Statement

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COBOL EXIT Statement

EXIT provides explicit end points for paragraphs, sections, and programs.

Syntax Variants

```cobol EXIT Simple exit EXIT PARAGRAPH Exit current paragraph EXIT SECTION Exit current section EXIT PERFORM Exit PERFORM loop EXIT PERFORM CYCLE Skip to next iteration EXIT PROGRAM Return to calling program EXIT METHOD Return from OO method ```

EXIT PERFORM

Exits a PERFORM loop immediately, useful for breaking out when a condition is met.

EXIT PERFORM CYCLE

Skips remaining statements and continues with next iteration, like 'continue' in other languages.

EXIT PROGRAM

Returns control to calling program. Similar to GOBACK but has subtle differences in nested programs.

Best Practices

Use EXIT PERFORM for clean loop exits
Prefer GOBACK over EXIT PROGRAM
Use EXIT PARAGRAPH sparingly

Code Example

       IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
       PROGRAM-ID. EXIT-DEMO.
       DATA DIVISION.
       WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
       01 WS-COUNTER PIC 99 VALUE 0.
       01 WS-FOUND PIC X VALUE 'N'.
       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
       MAIN-PARA.
           PERFORM PROCESS-LOOP
           DISPLAY 'Final count: ' WS-COUNTER
           STOP RUN.
           
       PROCESS-LOOP.
           PERFORM UNTIL WS-COUNTER > 100
               ADD 1 TO WS-COUNTER
               IF WS-COUNTER = 50
                   SET WS-FOUND TO 'Y'
                   EXIT PERFORM
               END-IF
           END-PERFORM.
           
       SKIP-EXAMPLE.
           PERFORM VARYING WS-COUNTER FROM 1 BY 1
               UNTIL WS-COUNTER > 10
               IF WS-COUNTER = 5
                   EXIT PERFORM CYCLE
               END-IF
               DISPLAY WS-COUNTER
           END-PERFORM.