- FLOW-MATIC
FLOW-MATIC, originally known as B-0, is possibly the first English-like
Data Processing language. It was invented and specified byGrace Hopper , and development of the commercial variant started atRemington Rand in 1955 for theUNIVAC I . By 1958, thecompiler and its documentation were generally available and being used commercially.Contributions to COBOL
Flow-Matic was a major influence in the design of
COBOL .Several elements of Flow-Matic were incorporated into COBOL:
* Defining Files in advance, and separating into INPUT and OUTPUT files.
* Qualification of data-names (IN or OF clause).
* IF END OF DATA (AT END) clause on file READ operations.
* Figurative constant ZERO (originally ZZZ...ZZZ, where number of Z's indicated precision).
* Dividing the program into sections, separating different parts of the program. Flow-Matic sections included Computer (Environment Division), Directory (Data Division), and Compiler (Procedure Division).ample Program
[http://www.cbi.umn.edu/graphics/iter-flowmatic.jpgA sample FLOW-MATIC program] . (See text below.)
0) INPUT INVENTORY FILE=A PRICE FILE=B, OUTPUT PRICED-INV FILE=C UNPRICED-INV FILE=D, HSP D. 1) COMPARE PRODUCT-NO(A) WITH PRODUCT-NO(B) IF GREATER GO TO OPERATION 10; IF EQUAL GO TO OPERATION 5; OTHERWISE GO TO OPERATION 2. 2) TRANSFER A TO D. 3) WRITE ITEM D. 4) JUMP TO OPERATION 8.5) TRANSFER A TO C. 6) MOVE UNIT-PRICE(B) TO UNIT-PRICE(C). 7) WRITE ITEM C. 8) READ ITEM B; IF END OF DATA GO TO OPERATION 12. 9) JUMP TO OPERATION 1.
10) READ ITEM B; IF END OF DATA GO TO OPERATION 12.11) JUMP TO OPERATION 1.
12) SET OPERATION 9 TO GO TO OPERATION 2.13) JUMP TO OPERATION 2.
14) TEST PRODUCT-NO(B) AGAINST ZZZZZZZZZZZZ; IF EQUAL GO TO OPERATION 16; OTHERWISE GO TO OPERATION 15.15) REWIND B.16) CLOSE-OUT FILES C, D.17) STOP. (END)
References
*"PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES: History and Fundamentals", Sammet 1969, pp. 316-324.
* [http://bitsavers.org/pdf/univac/univac2/U-1568_MATH-MATIC_PgmgSys_1958.pdf UNIVAC Math-Matic Programming Manual (1958)] (pdf, 7.1M)
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