SAME AREA clause

The SAME AREA clause is syntax checked, but has no effect on the execution of the program.The SAME AREA clause specifies that two or more files that do not represent sort or merge files are to use the same main storage area during processing.

The files named in a SAME AREA clause need not have the same organization or access.

file-name-3 , file-name-4: Must be specified in the file-control paragraph of the same program. file-name-3 and file-name-4 must not reference a file that is defined with the EXTERNAL clause.

For QSAM files, the SAME clause is treated as documentation.
For VSAM files, the SAME clause is treated as if equivalent to the SAME RECORD AREA clause.

More than one SAME AREA clause can be included in a program. However:

A specific file-name must not appear in more than one SAME AREA clause.
If one or more file-names of a SAME AREA clause appear in a SAME RECORD AREA clause, all the file-names in that SAME AREA clause must appear in that SAME RECORD AREA clause. However, the SAME RECORD AREA clause can contain additional file-names that do not appear in the SAME AREA clause.
The rule that in the SAME AREA clause only one file can be open at one time takes precedence over the SAME RECORD AREA rule that all the files can be open at the same time.