In programming languages, the name scope is defined as the portion of an application within which a particular declaration applies or is known. The name scope of static external data for PL/I and static variables defined outside of any function for C++ is the load module.

Because C++ is reentrant, PL/I and C++ external data do not map by default. However, you can map specific variable by using the pragma variable directive to specify that a C++ variable is NORENT.