# Parse-error with 'BLANK (WHEN) ZERO' clause in SCREEN SECTION. (AcuCobol)

**URL:** <https://community.sonarsource.com/t/parse-error-with-blank-when-zero-clause-in-screen-section-acucobol/88400>\
**Category:** SonarQube Server / Community Build\
**Tags:** parse-error, cobol, sonarqube\
**Created:** [March 31, 2023, 12:03pm UTC](https://community.sonarsource.com/t/parse-error-with-blank-when-zero-clause-in-screen-section-acucobol/88400 "2023-03-31T12:03:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jos\_Abrahams](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/sonarsource/user_avatar/community.sonarsource.com/jos_abrahams/32/43608_2.png) [@Jos\_Abrahams](https://community.sonarsource.com/u/Jos_Abrahams)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 12:03pm UTC](https://community.sonarsource.com/t/parse-error-with-blank-when-zero-clause-in-screen-section-acucobol/88400/1 "2023-03-31T12:03:55Z")

</div>

We are trying to parse Cobol sources.

Having a ‘BLANK (WHEN) ZERO’ clause in a SCREEN section causes the parser to fail, while the compiler has no problems with it.

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

– extract from the parser logging –

```auto
ERROR: Unable to parse COBOL source file : /build/builds/_NwxSV3v/0/dataserver-utilities/tdeltaplayground/sonar-parse-errors/cobol-src/source/PP0026 at line 8

Original contents starting from line 1 till line 10:
       IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
       PROGRAM-ID. PP0026.
       WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
       01 VARIABLE PIC 9.
       SCREEN SECTION.
       01 DEMO-SCREEN.
      * Using the 'BLANK (WHEN) ZERO' clause causes a parsing error:
           03 USING VARIABLE COL + 2 BLANK ZERO.
       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
           GOBACK.

Preprocessed contents: 
Parse error at line 8:

    1: IDENTIFICATION DIVISION .
    2: PROGRAM-ID . PP0026 .
    3: WORKING-STORAGE SECTION .
    4: 01 VARIABLE PIC 9 .
    5: SCREEN SECTION .
    6: 01 DEMO-SCREEN .
    8: 03 USING VARIABLE COL + 2 BLANK ZERO .
                                            ^
    9: PROCEDURE DIVISION .
   10: GOBACK .
   11: EOF

```

Please fix this parse-error

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pynicolas](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/sonarsource/user_avatar/community.sonarsource.com/pynicolas/32/675_2.png) [@pynicolas](https://community.sonarsource.com/u/pynicolas)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 10:12am UTC](https://community.sonarsource.com/t/parse-error-with-blank-when-zero-clause-in-screen-section-acucobol/88400/3 "2023-04-06T10:12:07Z")

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Thank you for your feedback.  
Ticket created: [SONARCOBOL-1655](https://sonarsource.atlassian.net/browse/SONARCOBOL-1655)