Creating a DLL or a DLL application

A dynamic link library or DLL is a file that contains executable code and data that is bound to a program at run-time. The code and data in a DLL can be shared by several applications simultaneously. Creating a DLL or a DLL application is similar to creating a regular COBOL application. It involves writing, compiling, and linking your source code.

Special considerations when writing a DLL or a DLL application include:

Determining how the parts of the load module or the application relate to each other or to other DLLs
Deciding what linking or calling mechanisms to use

Depending on whether you want a DLL load module or a load module that references a separate DLL, you need to use slightly different compiler and binder options.