The purpose of this tab is to identify the external resources of
a Program. These resources are represented by Data Structures.
For each external resource, you must specify its:
- Logical characteristics, from which the description of data will be generated
in the Data Division. as well as the way its is used in the Program,
- Physical characteristics, which, along with the type of COBOL code, generate
the 'Select' clauses and ensure adequate physical accesses,
- Use characteristics, which generate input/output processing as well as
other standard processing (check, update, printing...).
At the Program level, you can build a composite Data
Structure, i.e. call different Data Structures on the same -CD line.
Recommendation
In this tab, you can specify internal
resources: Work or Linkage Areas, that is Data Structures or Data Elements.
However, you may use the -W Lines tab preferably, as
it is dedicated to that purpose.
Note: For a Macro, the lines indicated
on the Working Storage tab are incorporated into the calling Program, but
not the lines indicated on the -W Lines tab. Furthermore,
a Data Structure call in the -W Lines tab can include
no more than four Segments. Also, utilization, control breaks, and file
matching cannot be specified in the -W Lines tab.