Processing a COBOL program

The COBOL compiler, with the aid of a linkage editor, generates an executable program from a COBOL compilation unit. This executable program is also called an object program or object module.

The linkage editor links the modules generated by the compiler with the necessary runtime subroutines and, if applicable, with further compiler-generated modules.

The runtime subroutines, which are supplied as modules, are used for performing special COBOL functions such as input-output operations.

The interactive debugging aid AID is available for symbolic and hardware-oriented testing of COBOL programs.

See the "COBOL2000 User Guide" [1] for further details.