IBM Mainframe Forum

If by mistake while coding I MOVE a working storage variable into LINKAGE area. What will happen??
will I get compilation error?
What when i try to pass values through linkage section?

If you accidently define something in Linkage which should be in Working-Storage, you won't get a compile error (the compiler doesn't know) but you'll certainly get a run-time error if you attempt to access that storage.

Why don't you try it out, before asking?

Think about the purpose of LINKAGE SECTION. It is defining storage being passed to this program from somewhere else (another program or the system). Hence, there is absolutely no way to know at compile time if a given reference to LINKAGE SECTION variable is valid or not. And at execution time, if there's no memory allocated for those items and you attempt to use them ... plan on an ABEND!

well actually I tried it out before asking.

I tried modifying the WS variable by moving some value in it and it didn't give me any abend??
Thats what puzzled me

sinmani wrote:If by mistake while coding I MOVE a working storage variable into LINKAGE area. What will happen??
will I get compilation error?
What when i try to pass values through linkage section?

I understand you to have coded something like

whereas Messrs. Boyo and Sample seem to understand you as having coded

Please explain which it is.

The second one!!!