Clark Morris wrote:
Assuming that the subroutine is written in COBOL, unless the caller deletes the subroutine (in COBOL issues a CANCEL for each call) or the subroutine is coded PROGRAM IS INITIAL to cause being entered in original state, data is retained between calls. This is true for both dynamic and static calls.
Data are "retained between calls" if they are declared in a COBOL program's WORKING-STORAGE section, i.e., if their storage class is static in the terminology of PL/I and C; and they are not "retained between calls" if they are declared in that COBOL program's LOCAL-STORAGE section, i.e., if their storage class is automatic.
The other advice proffered in this thread has reflected other confusions, misunderstandings, and even radical misconceptions, so many of them as to make it worth little.
John Gilmore Ashland, MA 01721-1817 USA _________________________________________________________________ Get today's hot entertainment gossip http://movies.msn.com/movies/hotgossip ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
