9. A data processing system for processing files containing fields which are defined by COBOL (i.e., COmmon Business Oriented Language) language record descriptions that contain elementary items that specify data items that include a varying length characteristic, the system comprising: means for providing COBOL language record descriptions that contain elementary items that specify variable length elementary data items that include a varying length characteristic and a plurality of subfields including a data item length subfield; and a processor for compiling and processing the COBOL language record descriptions to create at least one of a compiled specification and compiled data wherein the subfields are treated as a single composite field and wherein the length subfield is automatically set to a varying value which represents the varying length of the variable length elementary data item during processing the compiled record descriptions.
9. A data processing system for processing files containing fields which are defined by COBOL (i.e., COmmon Business Oriented Language) language record descriptions that contain elementary items that specify data items that include a varying length characteristic, the system comprising: means for providing COBOL language record descriptions that contain elementary items that specify variable length elementary data items that include a varying length characteristic and a plurality of subfields including a data item length subfield; and a processor for compiling and processing the COBOL language record descriptions to create at least one of a compiled specification and compiled data wherein the subfields are treated as a single composite field and wherein the length subfield is automatically set to a varying value which represents the varying length of the variable length elementary data item during processing the compiled record descriptions. 15. The system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the data item is a graphic data item.