Semantics

This is just a question of semantics I guess.

I need to call up the first record to a file and save it to a buffer,
so that I can throw it back later, which is a header record (I didn't
design the database files, I would of made them normalized myself).

I could open it internally described, give it a buffer, than declare in
the D specs external declarations for it being the same name as the file.

But, I was hoping to open it externally described, creating a buffer variable
and pointing it to the beginning of the record.  My question becomes, however,
where do I point the variable?  That is this works for internally described:

FINRECX    IF   F  240        DISK    

 *** External Data Structure for INRECX Header Record *** 
D INRecxHd_DS   E DS                  ExtName(INRecx) 
D                                     Based(INRecxHd_DS@) 
D INRecxHd_DS@    S               *                       

IINRECX    NS                                          
I                                  1  240  INRecxBuffer
                                                       
C                   Eval      INRecxHd_DS@ = %Addr(INRecxBuffer) 

As you can see, I point INRecxHd_DS@ to the address of my buffer declared
in my I specs.

Doing it this way, however...

FINRECX    IF   E             DISK    

 *** External Data Structure for INRECX Header Record *** 
D INRecxHd_DS     S                   INRecxBuffer
D                                     Based(INRecxHd_DS@) 
D INRecxHd_DS@    S               *                       

C                   Eval      INRecxHd_DS@ = %Addr(??????????????) 

I'm going to try experimenting with this, and I'm sure that I could use
the first variable in the file description, but my concern is what happens
in the future when someone comes and sticks a new variable up front?  Or
renames the variables?  Then my program won't work anymore 'til fixed.

And, yes, I understand that if they did that my buffer would have to be
increased in size anyway.

Regards,

Jim Langston
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