Initialize a filler in cobol

INITILIAZING A FILLER IN GROUP VARIABLE

When we initialize a group level variable, the FILLERS which are under this group variable remains unaffected. As a result, the FILLERS retain their previous content even after the INITIALIZE statement. .

For Example:-

01 GROUP-VAR.

   05 ELEMENT1 PIC X(25)

   05 ELEMENT2 PIC 9(9)

   05 FILLER PIC X(15)

Here if GROUP-VAR is initialized, the FILLER will not get initialized .

; ; ; ;

In such cases, we should first move spaces into the group variable and then initialize.

MOVE SPACES TO GROUP-VAR.

INITIALIZE GROUP-VAR.