HP SQL/V COBOL Application Programming Guide

Chapter 8  Sequential Table Processing 

Sequential table processing is the programming technique you use to
operate on a multiple-row query result, one row at a time.  The query
result is referred to as an active set.  You use a pointer called a
cursor to move through the active set, retrieving a row at a time into
host variables.  You can optionally update or delete each row as it is
retrieved.  Reporting applications may find this technique useful.
Update applications such as those that periodically operate on tables not
being concurrently accessed (e.g., inventory adjustments) may also find
this technique useful.

This chapter reviews how to use SQL commands to perform sequential table
processing.  It then examines transaction management considerations that
are relevant to sequential table processing.  Finally, this chapter
examines a program that uses this data manipulation technique.