COBOL Manual for TNS/E Programs (H06.08+, J06.03+)

parameter
is a value to be passed to the called routine.
data-name
can be qualified, subscripted, and include a reference modifier. If data-name is a TAL or
pTAL string:length parameter, you can set its length with a reference modifier (see
Restrictions on Calling pTAL Routines.).
literal
is a numeric literal whose value corresponds to a value parameter in the routine being called.
arithmetic-expression
is an arithmetic expression whose value corresponds to a value parameter in the routine being
called.
file-name
is the file description name of a file.
OMITTED
must be specified in place of any omitted parameter surrounded by other parameters (because
parameters are recognized by their order). OMITTED is only permitted when the called routine
has the VARIABLE or the EXTENSIBLE attribute.
return-value
is a numeric or numeric edited elementary data item where the return value is stored when the
called routine is a function. The return-value can be a 2-byte, 4-byte, or 8-byte integer or
a 4-byte or 8-byte floating-point value (in TAL terms: INT, INT(32), FIXED, REAL, or REAL(64)).
Usage Considerations:
• language
If you call a routine with a particular value of language (or with language omitted), you
must use the same value of language each time you call that routine in the same compilation
unit.
• file-mnemonic
If you specify file-mnemonic but the compiler does not find the called routine in the
associated object file, the compiler reports an error. For information on resolving external
references, see Finding the Entered Program (page 520).
• USING Phrase
The number and type of the parameters in the USING phrase must be compatible with the
expectations of the called routine. The called routine might interpret the parameters slightly
differently than the calling program does (see Appendix B: Data Type Correspondence
(page 1234)).
• GIVING Phrase
When calling a function (a routine that returns a value), include a GIVING phrase in the ENTER
statement. When control returns to the COBOL program, the value that the function returns is
assigned to return-value.
ENTER 321