COBOL: How to Use INDEXED BY Clause

Can you pass an Index to another COBOL Program, via LINKAGE SECTION?
No. Since INDEX is not a Working-storage area, and Index is maintained by the System.

Indexes you cannot pass to other program. Subscripts you can pass. Because subscript has working storage definition.

You can pass a Subscript to another COBOL Program.

COBOL Array: Indexed By Best Example.

05  A-TABLE.                                   
    10  A-TABLE-LIST OCCURS 10 TIMES INDEXED BY A-IDX. 

        15  FILLER              PIC X(7) VALUE '<TEST>'. 
        15  A-LIST-VALUE        PIC X(30).                
        15  FILLER              PIC X(8) VALUE '</TEST>'.

The next he did as below:

SET A-IDX  to 1.
MOVE 'XYZ' to A-LIST-VALUE(A-IDX).

>>> He displayed A-TABLE-LIST data and it populates as ‘XYZ—————————‘

>>> The first field is FILLER so all spaces even you define value.

>>> Second field, when you issue ‘MOVE’. First 3 bytes occupies XYZ and rest all spaces

>>> Third field is FILLER so all spaces even you define value.

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