COBOL Manual for TNS and TNS/R Programs

Data Division
HP COBOL Manual for TNS and TNS/R Programs—522555-006
7-11
File Description Entries
BLOCK CONTAINS clause
is described in BLOCK CONTAINS Clause.
RECORD CONTAINS clause
is described in RECORD CONTAINS Clause.
LABEL RECORDS clause
is described in LABEL RECORDS Clause.
VALUE OF clause
is described in VALUE OF Clause.
DATA RECORDS clause
is described in DATA RECORDS Clause.
EXTERNAL Clause
The EXTERNAL clause gives the file connector referenced by file-name the
external attribute, meaning that it belongs to the run unit rather than to any single
program in the run unit. When more than one program in a run unit specifies a file
connector with the same file name and the external attribute, they all refer to the same
file connector. For an explanation of external objects (those with the external attribute),
see External and Internal Objects.
Usage Considerations:
•
Sharing a File Connector
If more than one of the source programs compiled into a run unit contain file
description entries defining the same file name, all entries that include the
EXTERNAL clause describe the same external file connector.
Any file name whose file description entry does not include the EXTERNAL clause
refers to an internal file connector, even if the same file name identifies an external
file connector in some other program of the run unit.
EXTERNAL
IS
VST075.vsd