Initial and "last-used" states

The “initial state” means the following for:

• indices: undefined

• object references/pointers: initialized to NULL
  

• other data: value from the VALUE clause, if specified;
  otherwise, undefined

• files: file connector set to be not in any open mode.

The last-used” state means the following for:

• data: state following the last preceding update

• files: state following the last preceding update

The states of data or files on calling a method or program depend on

• the section in which they are defined and other clauses of the definition

• what occurred earlier on executing the run unit

Section of the definition	Preceding execution sequence
	Method		Program
	First call	Further calls	with INITIAL1	without INITIAL
			First / further calls	Very first call	First call after Cancel2	Other calls
Working Storage with EXTERNAL	initial last-used	last-used last-used	initial last-used	initial last-used	initial last-used	last-used last-used
Local Storage	initial	initial	initial	initial	initial	initial
Linkage 3	last-used	last-used	last-used	last-used	last-used	last-used

¹ The program contains the clause itself or is itself contained in such a program

² A Cancel on the program itself or any other program in which it is contained

³ Refers to the currently passed parameters