⟩ Explain the various ways data can be passed between CICS programs?
Data can be passed between CICS programs in three ways- COMMAREA, TRANSIENT DATA QUEUE $ TEMPORARY STORAGE QUEUE.
Data can be passed to a called program using the COMMAREA option of the LINK or XCTL command in a calling program. The called program may alter the data content of COMMAREA and the changes will be available to the calling program after the RETURN command is issued in the called program. This implies that the called program does not have to specify the COMMAREA option in the RETURN command.
If the COMMAREA is used in the calling program, the area must be defined in the Working Storage Section of the program (calling), whereas, in the called program, the area must be defined as the first area in the Linkage Section . using reserved name DFHCOMMAREA.