Example Record Sequential File Definition - Variable Length Records

To define a record sequential file with variable length records:

 file control.
     select recseqv
         assign to "recseqv.dat"
         organization is record sequential.
      ...
 file section.
 fd recseqv
    record varying from 3 to 80 characters depending on ws-record-length.
 01 recseqv-fd-record  pic x(80).
   ...
 working-storage section.
 01 ws-record-length   pic 99.

You could simply use ORGANIZATION IS SEQUENTIAL, as record sequential is the default for sequential files, as long as the SEQUENTIAL Compiler directive is not set.