Linkage Section
The Linkage Section describes data made available from another program
through the CALL statement. It can also be used to describe the format of
data accessed by using the ADDRESS OF special register. For example, you can
set the ADDRESS OF special register for a Linkage Section item to data that
is dynamically allocated using ILE bindable APIs.
- record-description-entry
- See File Section for a description.
- data-item-description-entry
- See Working-Storage Section for a description.
Record description entries and data item description entries in the Linkage Section provide names and descriptions of the data item, but not the storage. Storage is not reserved in the program because the data area exists elsewhere. Type-names may be defined in the LINKAGE SECTION.
Any data description clause may be used to describe items in the Linkage
Section, with these exceptions:
- The VALUE clause may not be specified for items other than level-88 items.
IBM Extension
IBM Extension If the VALUE clause is specified for items other than level-88 in the Linkage section, it is treated as a comment. End of IBM Extension
End of IBM Extension - The EXTERNAL clause cannot be specified in the Linkage section.
- The GLOBAL clause cannot be specified in the Linkage section.
- IBM ExtensionIBM Extension The GLOBAL clause can be specified for a data-name or condition-name in the LINKAGE section, with level number 01. When GLOBAL is specified in a LINKAGE section data item, a contained source program can refer directly to the item by the name of the data item. For more information on coding the LINKAGE section, see the IBM Rational Development Studio for i: ILE COBOL Programmer's Guide. End of IBM ExtensionEnd of IBM Extension
Note: A maximum of 16 711 568 bytes is permitted for
group items (including tables).
Related Information: