COBOL Manual for TNS/E Programs (H06.03+)

Issues Related to Linking
HP COBOL Manual for TNS/E Programs—520347-003
24-4
Linking
Linking
Linking is the operation of examining, collecting, and modifying code and data blocks
from one or more object files to produce a single object file. Two important aspects of
linking a program are:
•
Validating references to other programs or routines—determining whether the
actual parameters of the calling program or routine correspond to the formal
parameters of the called program or routine.
•
Resolving references to other programs or routines—generating the code that will
transfer control from the calling program or routine to the called program or routine
at execution time.
A typical compilation resolves some references and leaves others unresolved. (In
Figure 24-2, the reference to program Y is resolved, and the reference to program Z is
unresolved.)
Topics:
•
How the Compiler Validates and Resolves References
•
Unresolved References
The compiler validates and resolves internal and external references with the help of
the linker. The linker accepts commands that direct it to read, operate on, and produce
object files.
The linker links one or more object files to produce either a loadfile or a linkfile.
For more information on the linker (the eld utility), see the eld Manual.