What are abstract classes in managed Visual COBOL and how do I use them?

Abstract classes are used for creating base OO classes that contain both Abstract methods and implemented methods.
Abstract classes cannot be instantiated directly but instead they must be inherited by a derived class in order to be used.

The Abstract methods defined must be implemented by the derived class much like in an Interface.
Methods that have been implemented in the Abstract class itself can be called directly when the derived class is instantiated.

Example:

       program-id. Main.       data division.       working-storage section.       01 calculate type DerivedClass.       01 added     binary-long.       01 multiplied binary-long.       procedure division.           set calculate to new DerivedClass           set added to calculate::AddTwoNumbers(10, 20)           set multiplied to calculate::MultiplyTwoNumbers(10, 20)           display "Added = " added           display "Multiplied = " multiplied             set calculate::groupProperty to "1234567890"           goback.              end program Main.              class-id LRMClasses.absClass1 as "absClass1" abstract .        working-storage section.      *> A Non abstract method       method-id AddTwoNumbers.       local-storage section.       procedure division using by value Num1 as binary-long                                by value Num2 as binary-long                          returning result as binary-long.           compute result = Num1   Num2           goback.       end method.       *> An abstract method, to be      *> overridden in derived class       method-id MultiplyTwoNumbers abstract.       local-storage section.       procedure division using by value Num1 as binary-long                                by value Num2 as binary-long                          returning result as binary-long.       end method.       end class.              class-id DerivedClass inherits from "absClass1".        working-storage section.       01 groupProperty   property.          05 prop1     pic x(5).          05 prop2     pic x(5).       method-id MultiplyTwoNumbers override.       local-storage section.       procedure division using by value Num1 as binary-long                                by value Num2 as binary-long                          returning result as binary-long.           compute result = Num1 * Num2           goback.       end method.        end class.