COBOL/400 Language Help

Linkage Section

Description

The Linkage Section describes data made available from another program.

Record description entries and data item description entries in the Linkage Section provide names and descriptions, but storage within the program is not reserved because the data area exists elsewhere.

A maximum of 3 000 000 bytes are permitted for group items (including tables).

Like the Working-Storage Section, the Linkage Section has four formats:

• Format 1 (All Data Division Sections) : Use Format 1 for data description entries in all Data Division sections. Specific rules and restrictions for each clause are noted under discussion of the individual clause.
• Format 2 (RENAMES Clause -- Level-66 Entry) : Format 2 regroups previously defined items.
• Format 3 (Condition-Name VALUE Clause -- Level-88 Entry) : Format 3 associates a single value, multiple values, and/or range(s) of values with a condition-name.
• Format 4 (Boolean Data) : Format 4 describes indicators as Boolean data items.

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