💬 Q&A Solutions

1. IDENTIFICATION DIVISION - Program identification (PROGRAM-ID)
2. ENVIRONMENT DIVISION - Hardware/software environment, file assignments
3. DATA DIVISION - Data definitions (FILE, WORKING-STORAGE, LINKAGE SECTION)
4. PROCEDURE DIVISION - Executable code and business logic

Only IDENTIFICATION and PROCEDURE DIVISION are mandatory.

SECTION:

• Contains one or more paragraphs
• Ends with next SECTION or end of program
• Used for logical grouping
• Can be performed as a unit

PARAGRAPH:

• Basic unit of code
• Named block of statements
• Ends at next paragraph name or SECTION

PERFORM SECTION-NAME executes all paragraphs in the section.

PERFORM PARA-NAME executes only that paragraph.

PARM (EXEC statement):

• Limited to 100 characters
• Passed in memory to program
• Accessed via LINKAGE SECTION
• Good for small, simple parameters

SYSIN (DD statement):

• No practical size limit
• Read as a file by program
• Can contain multiple records
• Good for control cards, complex input

// PARM example
//STEP1 EXEC PGM=MYPROG,PARM='PARAM1,PARAM2'

// SYSIN example
//SYSIN DD *
CONTROL OPTION1
DATE=20231215
LIMIT=1000
/*

COMMAREA (Communication Area) is used to pass data between programs or between transactions in pseudo-conversational programming.

Uses:

• Pass data between LINK/XCTL programs
• Save data between pseudo-conversational transactions
• Maximum size: 32KB

How it works:

1. Calling program: COMMAREA option on LINK/XCTL/RETURN
2. Called program: DFHCOMMAREA in LINKAGE SECTION
3. Check EIBCALEN for length (0 = no COMMAREA)

* Calling program
EXEC CICS LINK
    PROGRAM('SUBPROG')
    COMMAREA(WS-DATA)
    LENGTH(100)
END-EXEC.

* Called program
LINKAGE SECTION.
01 DFHCOMMAREA PIC X(100).

IF EIBCALEN > 0
    MOVE DFHCOMMAREA TO WS-DATA
END-IF.