This glossary contains definitions of key terms used in the description of the Binder-Loader-Starter (BLS) system. Cross-references are indicated by italic typeface of the associated term.
access privilege for a context
Defines which users may access a context. The context can be privileged or nonprivileged.
addressing mode (AMODE)
Attribute of a control section (CSECT). Hardware addressing mode which a program or load unit expects at runtime. It can be set to:
24-bit addressing (AMODE=24)
31-bit addressing (AMODE=31)
32-bit addressing (AMODE=32)
24-, 31- or 32 bit addressing (AMODE=ANY).
attribute
Property which can be assigned to a control section (CSECT) at assembly or compilation time. A CSECT can have the following attributes:
read access (READ-ONLY)
memory-resident (RESIDENT)
shareable (PUBLIC)
residence mode (RMODE)
alignment (ALIGNMENT)
addressing mode (AMODE).
autolink
Automatic search and insert mechanism for including modules.
BINDER run
Sequence of BINDER statements which begins after the load call for BINDER and ends with the END statement.
common memory pool
A memory area in class 6 memory (user memory) which may be shared and accessed by several users.
COMMON section
Data area which can be shared by a number of control sections (CSECTs) for communication purposes.
context
A context can be:
a set of objects with a logical structure
an environment for linking and loading
an environment for unloading and unlinking.
A context has a scope and an access privilege.
control section (CSECT)
Program section which can be loaded independently of other program sections. A control section can have certain attributes.
CSECT
Control section
current LLM
Newly created or modified link and load module (LLM) which is constructed in the BINDER work area.
current slice
Slice into which modules are inserted or in which modules are replaced if nothing is defined concerning their position in the physical structure of the LLM. This applies to user-defined slices only.
EAM object module file (OMF)
Temporary system object module library in which object modules (OMs) produced by a compiler or prelinked modules produced by the linkage editor TSOSLNK are stored.
edit run
Comprises a sequence of BINDER statements which begins with the START-LLM-CREATION or START-LLM-UPDATE statement and ends with the next START-LLM-CREATION or START-LLM-UPDATE statement or with the END statement.
element identifier
Designates a library element in a program library; it is composed of the element name and element version.
element name
Name of a library element in a program library or object module library. It is referred to by the BINDER statements and the DBL commands.
element type
Type of a library element in a program library.
The following element types apply to program libraries: .
type C | program (load module) |
type L | link and load module (LLM) |
type R | object module (OM) |
element version
Version designation of a library element in a program library. It is referred to by the BINDER statements and the DBL commands.
entry point (ENTRY)
Symbolic link address which is defined in one module but can also be used by another module.
external dummy section (XDSEC)
Program section for which there is no image in the text information of a module. An external dummy section can be a reference (XDSEC-R) or a program definition (XDSEC-D).
external reference (EXTRN)
Symbolic link address which is used in one module but defined in another; it is resolved unconditionally either explicitly or by autolink.
external symbol dictionary (ESD)
external symbols vector (ESV)
external symbols vector (ESV)
Contains all the program definitions and references in a module and is required for resolving references.
ESV records are contained in link and load modules (LLMs), whereas object modules (OMs) contain ESD (external symbol dictionary) records.
ILE (indirect linkage entry)
Entry point (ENTRY) which the caller forwards to an ILE server by means of an IL routine. An ILE has the following attributes:
name
address of the IL routine
address of the ILE server
displacement of the ILE server address in the IL routine
status of the ILE server (active or not active)
control indicator(system-driven or user-driven)
ILE server
Module containing program code in the same way as a subprogram but which can be branched to via an ILE and an IL routine.
IL routine (indirect linkage routine)
Routine which calls an ILE server. Users can also define their own IL routine if they do not want to use the one provided by the system.
indirect linkage
Linkage mechanism in which an external reference is resolved by means of an ILE and an intermediate IL routine, rather than directly by means of a program definition.
internal name
Defined when a link and load module (LLM) is created and identifies the root in the logical structure of the LLM.
link and load module (LLM)
Loadable unit with a logical structure and a physical structure. LLMs are generated by BINDER and stored in a program library as type L library elements (element type) or it is stored in a PAM file (PAM LLM).
list for symbolic debugging (LSD)
Test and diagnostic information which is held in a module and which is required by the debugging and diagnostic tools for debugging at source program level.
list name unit
If several or all objects of a library are loaded with a single call of the BIND macro, a list name unit is created. This prevents the need for multiple DBL calls when loading a symbol list of the same load unit.
load module
Synonym for program
load unit
Contains all modules that are loaded with a single load call. Each load unit is situated in a context.
local relocation dictionary (LRLD)
Information in a module which determines how addresses are to be adjusted relative to a common base address during linking and loading.
LRLD records are contained in link and load modules (LLMs), whereas object modules contain RLD (relocation linkage dictionary) records.
logical structure information
Information in a link and load module (LLM) which determines the logical structure of the LLM.
logical structure of a context
Hierarchical structure of a context as a set of objects. Objects are control sections (CSECTs), modules and load units.
logical structure information
Information in a link and load module (LLM) which defines the logical structure of the LLM.
logical structure of an LLM
Defines the tree structure of a link and load module (LLM). The root is formed by the internal name, the nodes are formed by sub-LLMs, and the leaves are formed by object modules (OMs) and empty sub-LLMs.
LSD
List for symbolic debugging.
module
Generic term for object module (OM) and link and load module (LLM).
object module (OM)
Loadable unit generated by translating a source program by means of a compiler.
object module library (OML)
PAM file which contains object modules as library elements.
PAM-LLM
LLM which has been saved by BINDER in a PAM file.
path name
Name by which sub-LLMs are addressed in the logical structure of an LLM. It consists of a sequence of individual names separated from one another by a period.
physical structure information
Information in a link and load module (LLM) which defines the physical structure of the LLM.
physical structure of an LLM
Defines the slices from which a link and load module (LLM) is constructed. These may be:
single slices
slices by attributes
user-defined slices.
prelinked object module
Loadable unit which is linked by the TSOSLNK linkage editor from individual object modules (OM); it has the same format as an object module (OM).
program
Executable entity which is linked by the TSOSLNK linkage editor from object modules (OMs) and stored in a cataloged program file or as a type C library element (cf. element type) in a program library.
program definition
Generic term for
control section (CSECT)
entry point (ENTRY)
indirect linkage entry (ILE)
COMMON section
external dummy section (XDSEC-D)
program library
PAM file which is processed using the library access method PLAM. A program library contains library elements which are uniquely identifiable by element type and element identifier.
pseudo-register
Main memory area which is used for intercommunication by different program sections.
pseudo-RMODE
Residence mode (RMODE) of a module. It is defined by BINDER or DBL on the basis of the residence mode of all the CSECTs in the module.
reentrant program
A program whose code is not modified during execution. This is a prerequisite for use of the program as shared code.
reference
Generic term for
external reference (EXTRN)
V-type constant
weak external reference (WXTRN)
external dummy section (XDSEC-R)
relocation linkage dictionary (RLD)
Information in a module which determines how addresses are to be adjusted relative to a common base address during linking and loading.
RLD records are contained in object modules, whereas link and load modules (LLMs) contain LRLD (local relocation dictionary) records.
residence mode (RMODE)
Attribute of a control section (CSECT); it defines whether the CSECT will be loaded above and below 16 Mb (RMODE=ANY) or only below 16 Mb (RMODE=24).
scope of a context
Defines the memory class in which a context is situated. The context can be in the user address space (USER) or system address space (SYSTEM).
server module
ILE server.
shared (SHARE) program
Module which has been declared shareable by the system administrator by means of the ADD-SHARED-PROGRAM command; it is loaded into class 4 memory.
single slice
Physical structure of a link and load module (LLM) in which the LLM consists of a single slice.
shared code
Code which may be used simultaneously by several tasks. It may be stored in class 4 memory or in a common memory pool of class 6 memory. In order to be used as shared code, the program must have been written as a reentrant program.
slice
Loadable unit which combines all the control sections (CSECTs) that are to be loaded together. Slices form the physical structure of a link and load module (LLM).
slices by attributes
Physical structure of a link and load module (LLM) in which the slices are formed according to attributes of control sections (CSECTs)
sub-LLM
Substructure in the logical structure of an LLM; it consists of object modules (OMs) or other sub-LLMs and is addressed by means of the path name.
symbol
Generic term for program definition and reference; it is identified by a symbol name.
text information
Information in a module which consists of the code and the data.
user-defined slices
Physical structure of a link and load module (LLM) in which the slices are defined by the user by means of SET-USER-SLICE-POSITION statements. Overlay structures can be formed at the same time.
V-type constant
Address constant which is defined in one module but whose address is used in another module; it is resolved unconditionally, either explicitly or by autolink.
weak external reference (WXTRN)
Has the same characteristics as an external reference (EXTRN), but is only resolved conditionally. Autolink cannot be applied to WXTRNs.