Reference of a variable in COBOL-CICS

raviputran · New User Joined: 05 Jul 2007 Posts: 13 Location: bangalore

Hi All,

I have a query about referencing a variable in COBOL-CICS environment.

Code:

01 VAR-1 PIC X(1).

01 VAR-5 PIC X(10).

SET ADDRESS OF VAR-1 TO ADDRESS OF DFHCOMMAREA.

CALL SUBPGM1 USING VAR-1 VAR-5

Which value of VAR-1 will be taken either its default value or the value contained in DFHCOMMAREA?

Thanks

Bill Woodger · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:16 pm

VAR-1 can only have one value at any given time. It has no "default" value.

Assuming that the absurdly-named VAR-1 is in the LINKAGE SECTION and that the code actually compiles, VAR-1 has the address of DFHCOMMAREA.

What is your actual question behind this?

raviputran · New User Joined: 05 Jul 2007 Posts: 13 Location: bangalore

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the reply. You are right. VAR-1 is in linkage section. Forgot to mention that.

If VAR-1 already has a value from the calling program and in the called program it is made to point the address of DFHCOMMAREA.

If we call a subprogram SUBPRG1 using VAR-1 what value will be passed to SUBPRG1?

Thanks

chandan.inst · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 5:09 pm

Hi,

What happened when you did a test and put a display for VAR-1?

Regards,
Chandan

enrico-sorichetti · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 5:17 pm

chandan.inst · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2014 12:43 pm

Hi Enrico,

I undestand what you meant to say by silly question

I hope raviputran also get it understood

Regards,
Chandan

Bill Woodger · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:23 pm

raviputran,

DFHCOMMAREA PIC (something) defined somewhere

Program CICSA

stupid-dumb-name PIC (something else, though could be the same) defined somewhere else

CALL "CICSB" USING USING stupid-dumb-name

Program CICSB USING a-dumb-name-in-LINKAGE-SECTION.

So, a-dumb-name-in-LINKAGE-SECTION has the address of stupid-dumb-name passed to it by CICSA.

SET ADDRESS OF a-dumb-name-in-LINKAGE-SECTION
TO ADDRESS OF DFHCOMMAREA

Now it doesn't.

Does that answer your question?

Mickeydusaor · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2014 7:55 pm

If these are CICS programs then why are you doing CALLS ??? instead of XCTL or START, it this is a subroutine then a LINK.

Rohit Umarjikar · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2014 8:45 pm

Mickeydusaor,
May be because of below probable valid reasons.

1. CALL gives a better performance over LINK. The reason being CALL executes in the same run unit of the main program, wehre as LINK runs in a separate run unit.
2. CALL can be used to transfer more than 32K between the calling and called programs.
3. CALL can transfer multiple data elements, where as LINK can transfer only one. (DFHCOMMAREA)

Bill O'Boyle · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2014 9:27 pm

If the OP is dead-set on using LINK and/or XCTL API's and has a large amount of data, take at look at CHANNELS and CONTAINERS (introduced with CICS/TS 3.1), which allows usage of greater than 32763 of commarea-storage. You can also use CHANNELS and CONTAINERS for remote access with LINK API's. CALLED sub-programs can only be accessed locally within their own region.

HTH....