Practical use of BASIS compiler option

barthwalsamarth · New User Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 9

I was going through the compiler option BASIS in the IBM COBOL Manual

It says "The BASIS statement is an extended source program library statement. It provides a complete COBOL program as the source for compilation."

Is this option used when we want to compile more than one COBOL programs in a single program.

And if so..do we need to link these programs at a later stage if they are compiled together?

Also does the program referred by BASIS statement become a part of the main program, like a PROC is embedded in the JCL while running?

What are the changes we need to make to JCL to include BASIS statement in our program?

Thanks and Regards

Robert Sample · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 5:04 pm

BASIS is more a source code management tool for those who do not have one of the vendor tools. You can use a BASIS statement with associated INSERT and DELETE statements to determine what the source code is that you are compiling. The BASIS code does not become part of the main program, it is the main program -- and the entire program.