The .class Syntax

In Java, if the type is available but there is no instance then it is possible to obtain a Class by appending ".class" to the name of the type. An equivalent short syntax is not available in isCOBOL. In order to obtain the Class of an object, you can rely on the forName() static method exposed by java.lang.Class.

The following Java example:

import java.io.File; public class FilePackage {     public static void main (String[] args){         System.out.println(File.class.getPackage());     } }

is translated to isCOBOL as follows:

program-id. FilePackage.        configuration section.        repository.            class JClass  as "java.lang.Class"            class JFile   as "java.io.File"            class JSystem as "java.lang.System"            .                procedure division.        main.            try               JSystem:>out:>println                     (JClass:>forName("java.io.File"):>getPackage())            catch exception               exception-object:>printStackTrace()            end-try.            goback.

Because the syntax JFile:>class would not be compiled.

Note that, due to the use of the forName() method, a exception block is required.