Each control defines its own set of special properties. Special properties are used to give a control a special attribute or capability. For example, an entry field can have the special properties MAX-TEXT, MAX-LINES, and CURSOR.
Special properties are specified with the PROPERTY and Property-Name phrases of the DISPLAY control-type-name described in Procedure Division Statements, or in a Format 2 Screen Section entry. Note that the PROPERTY reserved word always refers to a special property.
All special properties require a value. For example MAX-TEXT takes a numeric value that specifies the maximum number of characters that can be entered in the field.
In any statement in which control properties can be set (that is, the Screen Section and the DISPLAY and MODIFY verbs), you can specify a list of property values in parentheses. This has the effect of setting the specified property to each value in the list, in turn. This is useful for the special properties that can have multiple settings. For example, you can assign the values 20 and 30 to the DATA-COLUMNS list box property with the following syntax:
DATA-COLUMNS ARE ( 20, 30 )
The optional word ARE is allowed in place of IS or = in the syntax.
Because control property values are set in the order specified, if you specify multiple values for a property that can take only a single value, the net effect is the same as setting the last value in the list.