From: arne@vajhoej.dk   
      
   On 11/11/2025 10:48 PM, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:   
   > On Tue, 11 Nov 2025 19:57:54 -0500, Arne Vajhøj wrote:   
   >> Cobol does dynamic string handling just fine.   
   >   
   > Try using it to construct an ad-hoc SQL query based on a set of fields   
   > that a user might or might not fill in (i.e. omitting the ones left   
   > blank), and you’ll see what I mean.   
      
   Somehow I think you are missing something very fundamental   
   about programming.   
      
   To build dynamic SQL strings you need support for a few   
   basic features:   
   * loops   
   * conditional blocks   
   * string concatanation   
      
   Cobol does support that.   
      
   That support does not depend on whether there is 1 or 100   
   optional values.   
      
   100 just require more lines than 1.   
      
   I showed an example with 1,   
      
   Doing 100 would not really show more.   
      
   (strictly speaking 100 would show loop, which 1 did   
   not, but believe me Cobol does loops)   
      
   Arne   
      
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