Re: Mixing **free, non **free source, and column specific RPGLE

The compiler detects the correct "source type" (**free, /free or fixed) for every include or copy file. You can freely (pun intended) mix and match all types in one program if you like.

It's like the compile switches to non-**free mode for each include/copy and then detects what kind of source the file is. And it switches back to the kind of source of the "including" file when it returns.

We have a lot of mixed code in our code base - many programs are **free and many older copy files are still 6-100 column/free mode. And we never had any issues.

HTH
Daniel

Am 27.01.2026 um 23:43 schrieb Vern Hamberg via RPG400-L <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

Hi

From both the ILE RPG Reference and Programmer's Guide is this statement -

Fixed-form code is not allowed in fully free-form source, but column-limited source which uses only
columns 6-80 can be included by using the /COPY or /INCLUDE directive.

I did not see anything about having **free in a copy member that is listed in free (not **free) or fixed format, I also haven't tried that.

*Regards*

*Vern Hamberg*

IBM Champion 2025 <cid:part1.r5Pr3NsK.eTsQtvyC@centurylink.net> CAAC (COMMON Americas Advisory Council) IBM Influencer 2023

On 1/27/2026 3:48 PM, smith5646midrange@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
We have a number of copybooks (mostly D-Spec stuff) that are pulled into
programs at compile time. Some are **free format, some are regular free
format (column 8), and some are old fashioned RPGLE (D in column 6). I
haven't seen any issues with these getting mixed together in a program.
Apparently the compiler is smart enough to handle it but I thought I'd see
if anyone knew of any issues or anything to be aware of.

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