Column
Individual character positions within lines are called columns and have column numbers. See template for a method of drawing a column template above any line. Column numbers are referenced in the Change command and string windows. For example:
/change 1/4 "" 23 {delete first 4 columns in line 23}
/change 1 " " 4/9 {insert 2 columns at front}
/l "begin"(1/10) {find “begin” in first 10 columns}
A column is an integer number between the lowest column of the line and the highest column. The lowest column number is 7 for standard COBOL, and 1 for SPL, FORTRAN, Pascal, RPG, Text, COBFREE, Data and Job files. The highest column number is 72 for standard COBOL, SPL, Pascal and FORTRAN files, 256 for COBFREE, 256 for TEXT, 80 for COBOLX, RPG and Job files, and 8,172 for Data files. When in doubt as to column numbers, use LT to list a line with column headings. Shorthand: (1) = (1/1), ([/30) = (first column/30), (30/]) = (30/last column).
Using Set Left column and Set Right column, you can set margins in specific columns. Any existing data beyond the margins is retained, but new lines added will have blanks outside the margins.