The following two programs do exactally the same thing. The first is a "bad" program. The second is a "good" program. Note the differences.

• The recommended conventions are:
  • indent all statements (non *SECTIONS) one space.
  • one space before each *SECTION.
  • one space between each table and report defination.
  • indent 3 spaces for each logic level

Note the clarity of the "good" program vrs the "bad" program.

@BK1  
@ADD PL1TAX 
*     
* PP.DEMOB  
*     
* TABLES - INTERMEDIATE 
*     
*FILES
OLD FILE PL1TAXDATA 80 
*WORKINGSTORAGE   
CT/COUNTY TYPE/A8
*RECORDS    
LASTNAME/LAST NAME/1-12
FIRSTNAME/FIRST NAME/13-20   
AGE//21-22 
RACE//23   
SEX//24    
COUNTY//25-26    
COMPANY//27-36   
PHONE//37-46     
AREACODE/AREA CODE/37-39     
SSN//47-55 
SALARY//56-60/N  
*INSTRUCTIONS     
IF COUNTY = 00-24
CT = COSTAL   
ELSEIF COUNTY = 25-40  
CT = VALLEY   
ELSEIF COUNTY = 41-57  
CT = MOUNTAIN 
ELSE 
CT = LAST     
ENDIF
*TABLES     
TABLE ='COUNTY TYPE BY COMPANY #1',/     
STUB COUNTY LABELS COSTAL, VALLEY, MOUNTAIN, LAST    
STUB COUNTY GROUPS 01-24,25-40,41-57,58  
SPREAD COMPANY 10 CODES
TABLE ='COUNTY TYPE BY COMPANY #2',/     
STUB CT CODES COSTAL, VALLEY, MOUNTAIN, LAST   
SPREAD COMPANY 10 CODES
TABLE ='COUNTY TYPE BY COMPANY #3',/     
STUB CT 5 CODES  
SPREAD COMPANY 10 CODES
TABLE ='COMPANY BY SEX',/    
STUB COMPANY 10 CODES  
SPREAD SEX LABELS MALE, FEMALE     
SPREAD SEX CODES M,F   
TABLE ='COMPANY BY SEX (ACCUMULATED SALARY)',/ 
STUB COMPANY 10 CODES  
SPREAD SEX LABELS MALE, FEMALE     
SPREAD SEX CODES M,F   
TABLE ='COMPANY BY SEX (INCLUDE PERCENTS)',/   
STUB COMPANY 10 CODES  
SPREAD SEX LABELS MALE, FEMALE     
SPREAD SEX CODES M,F
*REPORTS
REPORT ='HIGHEST PAID EMPLOYEES'
SELECT SALARY GT 90000
IMAGES 2
LISTAH COMPANY, LASTNAME, FIRSTNAME, SALARY
SORT -SALARY, LASTNAME 
REPORT ='LOWEST PAID EMPLOYEES'   
SELECT SALARY LT 10000 
IMAGES 2   
LISTAH COMPANY, LASTNAME, FIRSTNAME, SALARY
SORT SALARY, LASTNAME
@BK2,E
LC *ERROR 

THE "GOOD"

@BK1  
@ADD PL1TAX 
*     
* PP.DEMOB  
*     
* TABLES - INTERMEDIATE 
*     
*FILES
 OLD FILE PL1TAXDATA 80 

*WORKINGSTORAGE   
 CT/COUNTY TYPE/A8

*RECORDS    
 LASTNAME/LAST NAME/1-12
 FIRSTNAME/FIRST NAME/13-20   
 AGE//21-22 
 RACE//23   
 SEX//24    
 COUNTY//25-26    
 COMPANY//27-36   
 PHONE//37-46     
 AREACODE/AREA CODE/37-39     
 SSN//47-55 
 SALARY//56-60/N  

*INSTRUCTIONS     
 IF COUNTY = 00-24
    CT = COSTAL   
 ELSEIF COUNTY = 25-40  
    CT = VALLEY   
 ELSEIF COUNTY = 41-57  
    CT = MOUNTAIN 
 ELSE 
    CT = LAST     
 ENDIF

*TABLES     
 TABLE ='COUNTY TYPE BY COMPANY #1',/     
 STUB COUNTY LABELS COSTAL, VALLEY, MOUNTAIN, LAST    
 STUB COUNTY GROUPS 01-24,25-40,41-57,58  
 SPREAD COMPANY 10 CODES

 TABLE ='COUNTY TYPE BY COMPANY #2',/     
 STUB CT CODES COSTAL, VALLEY, MOUNTAIN, LAST   
 SPREAD COMPANY 10 CODES
 
 TABLE ='COUNTY TYPE BY COMPANY #3',/     
 STUB CT 5 CODES  
 SPREAD COMPANY 10 CODES
 
 TABLE ='COMPANY BY SEX',/    
 STUB COMPANY 10 CODES  
 SPREAD SEX LABELS MALE, FEMALE     
 SPREAD SEX CODES M,F 
  
 TABLE ='COMPANY BY SEX (ACCUMULATED SALARY)',/ 
 STUB COMPANY 10 CODES  
 SPREAD SEX LABELS MALE, FEMALE     
 SPREAD SEX CODES M,F 
  
 TABLE ='COMPANY BY SEX (INCLUDE PERCENTS)',/   
 STUB COMPANY 10 CODES  
 SPREAD SEX LABELS MALE, FEMALE     
 SPREAD SEX CODES M,F  

*REPORTS
 REPORT ='HIGHEST PAID EMPLOYEES'
 SELECT SALARY GT 90000
 IMAGES 2
 LISTAH COMPANY, LASTNAME, FIRSTNAME, SALARY
 SORT -SALARY, LASTNAME 
   
 REPORT ='LOWEST PAID EMPLOYEES'   
 SELECT SALARY LT 10000 
 IMAGES 2   
 LISTAH COMPANY, LASTNAME, FIRSTNAME, SALARY
 SORT SALARY, LASTNAME

@BK2,E
LC *ERROR