Incorrect Code Smell about SELECT being in a copymember (AcuCobol)

SonarQube
1

We are trying to analyse Cobol sources.

When there is a copymember with the content of a SELECT statement in a source, the analyzer generates a code-smell warning saying that the SELECT should be taken out of the copymember.
Although we generally consider it good practice to not put structural program elements in a copymember,
we think this warning is wrong:
A SELECT is NOT a structural part of the program.
There may be more than one of them in one program, and the same SELECT can appear in many different programs.
Below there is a sample program that shows how we have set up our file I/O, with a bunch of copymembers for each file.
Having a warning for every use of a SELECT copymember does not fit into that strategy.

Versions used:
Cobol: AcuCobol version 10.2.1, fixed format
SonarQube: Enterprise Edition Version 9.6.1 (build 59531)

Source code:

       IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
       PROGRAM-ID. PP0039.
       INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
       FILE-CONTROL.
          COPY "C/SEL/ORDER".
       DATA DIVISION.
       FILE SECTION.
          COPY "C/FD/ORDER".
       WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
       01 FILE-STATUS            PIC X(02).
       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
       MAIN SECTION.
           GOBACK
           .

SELECT copymember (“C/SEL/ORDER”):

       SELECT ORDER-FILE ASSIGN TO RANDOM ORDER-FILE-NAME
              ORGANIZATION IS INDEXED
              ACCESS MODE IS DYNAMIC
              RECORD KEY IS ORDER-ID IN ORDER-REC
              FILE STATUS IS FILE-STATUS.

REC copymember (“C/REC/ORDER”):

       01  ORDER-REC.
           03  ORDER-KEY.
               05 ORDER-ID                      PIC 9(10).
           03  ORDER-DATA.
               05  ORDER-FIELD-ONE              PIC X(05).
               05  ORDER-FIELD-TWO              PIC X(05).

FD copymember (“C/FD/ORDER” ):

       FD ORDER-FILE.
       COPY "C/REC/ORDER".

The generated code smell:

image
image979×109 3.97 KB

4

What you ask seems fair.
I created SONARCOBOL-1674 to change the behavior of the rule.
Thanks for your feedback.

5

Hi Pierre-Yves Nicolas,

After submitting the above issue I saw that the same applies to ‘FD’ statements.
Maybe you would want to amend the issue,so that the exception applies to 'FD" statments as well.

With kind regards,

Jos Abrahams

6

Hi,

Indeed, it can raise issues on FD even if it’s not really intentional: it happens when omitting DATA DIVISION and FILE SECTION.
I updated the description of the ticket accordingly.

Thank you!
Pierre-Yves

7

Hi Pierre-Yves,

This clarifies why had not seen this much earlier.
I already wondered why that was, as every program that has a select has an FD as well.
But your elaboration explains why an issue is not always raised on an FD being in a copymember.
Thank you!

With kind regards,
Jos Abrahams