Understanding Sections

A section comprises steps and is similar to a COBOL paragraph or a PeopleCode function. You can create sections that are platform-independent or platform-specific, intended for a particular market, and effective-dated.

Whenever you create a new program, you simultaneously create a section called MAIN. The MAIN section identifies the entry point of the program so that it can be called by another program.

Section Run Order

A section is unique based on program and section names, and based on its intended database platform and effective date. When you run an Application Engine program, it runs sections based on the following order of precedence:

  1. If a section for the current market exists, then run it.

    Otherwise, run the default GBL (global) market section.

  2. If a section for the current platform, or database exists, run it.

    Otherwise, run the default database platform section.

  3. If multiple effective-dated sections exist, run the section with the most recent effective date based on the current (run) date.

For example, suppose you have two versions of a particular section, SECT01 for the Public Sector market and SECT01 for the Global market. If you request to run the public sector version of the program, Application Engine runs the Public Sector version of SECT01. If the program is running on Oracle, Application Engine then looks for an Oracle version of SECT01 for Public Sector.