PI93738: At OPT(0) invalid reference modifications of string compare operands can lead to an abend0C4 or other invalid results

Obtain the fix for this APAR.

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• At OPT(0), the compiler generates compare code based on known
  compile time comparand lengths, using proxy comparand items to
  account for the blank padding of the shorter comparand. With an
  invalid reference modification whose length exceeds the defined
  length of the longer comparand, copying the actual comparand
  into the proxy item will possibly overlay memory following the
  proxy. This can lead to incorrect results or an abend0c4
  elsewhere in the compile unit.
  

Local fix

• Do not use coding practices that rely on invalid reference
  modifications.
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED: Users of Enterprise COBOL V5.2 compiling     *
  *                 programs at OPT(0) that compare PIC X(1)     *
  *                 LINKAGE SECTION data items using a           *
  *                 reference modification with length greater   *
  *                 than one to figurative constants like        *
  *                 SPACES.                                      *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: The compiler generates code that may    *
  *                      compare only the first byte of the      *
  *                      data item.                              *
  ****************************************************************
  The compiler was generating code under the assumption that
  since the data item was PIC X(1), only one byte needed to be
  compared.
  

Problem conclusion

• The compiler was fixed to always compare the number of bytes
  specified in the reference modification.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

  PI95028

Modules/Macros

• IGY8RWTU IGYCBE   IGYCCBE  IGYCCICS IGYCCSRV IGYCDGEN IGYCDIAG
  IGYCDMAP IGYCEN$0 IGYCEN$1 IGYCEN$2 IGYCEN$3 IGYCEN$4 IGYCEN$5
  IGYCEN$8 IGYCEN$D IGYCEN$R IGYCFGEN IGYCFREE IGYCINIT IGYCJA$0
  IGYCJA$1 IGYCJA$2 IGYCJA$3 IGYCJA$4 IGYCJA$5 IGYCJA$8 IGYCJA$D
  IGYCJA$R IGYCLIBH IGYCLIBO IGYCLIBR IGYCLSTR IGYCLVL0 IGYCLVL1
  IGYCLVL2 IGYCLVL3 IGYCLVL8 IGYCMALL IGYCOSCN IGYCPGEN IGYCRCTL
  IGYCRDPR IGYCRDSC IGYCREAL IGYCRWT  IGYCSCAN IGYCSIMD IGYCUE$0
  IGYCUE$1 IGYCUE$2 IGYCUE$3 IGYCUE$4 IGYCUE$5 IGYCUE$8 IGYCUE$D
  IGYCUE$R IGYCXREF IGYECWI  IGYMSGE  IGYMSGK  IGYMSGT
  

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  ENT COBOL FOR Z

• Fixed component ID

  5655W3200

Applicable component levels

• R520 PSY UI54486

     UP18/03/29 P F803

• R521 PSY UI54487

     UP18/03/30 P F803

• R522 PSY UI54488

     UP18/03/30 P F803

Fix is available

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