Microsoft KB Archive/58829

COBOL 3.00/3.00a Must CALL Only Another COBOL .EXE Program

PSS ID Number: Q58829 Article last modified on 03-06-1990

3.00 3.00a MS-DOS

Summary: In COBOL Versions 3.00 and 3.00a, you can use the CALL statement to run another executable .EXE COBOL program. This is called “dynamic linking.” However, even though the CALL statement can invoke .EXE executable files, the only files that should be specified in a CALL statement are files that have been created with the same version of COBOL, Version 3.00 or 3.00a. CALL was not designed to dynamically invoke programs or applications created in any other language. This information applies to Microsoft COBOL Versions 3.00 and 3.00a for MS-DOS. For more information about dynamically linking COBOL programs in DOS, please consult Chapter 4 of the “Microsoft COBOL Compiler 3.0: Operating Guide” starting on Page 4-5. For more information on how to execute (transfer control to) a non-COBOL .EXE program from a COBOL 3.00 or 3.00a program, query on the following words: X“91” and CALL and COMMAND and LINE and COBOL

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1990.