The program management binder

The binder converts object modules into an executable program unit that can either be read directly into virtual storage for execution, or stored in a program library. Executable program units can either be load modules, or program objects. You can use the binder to:

Convert object or load modules, or program objects, into a program object and store it in a PDSE program library.
Convert object or load modules, or program objects, into a load module and store it in a partitioned data set program library.
Convert object or load modules, or program objects, into an executable program in virtual storage and execute the program.

For the remainder of this section, the binder is referred to as the binder, unless otherwise stated.

For more information, see the z/OS MVS Program Management: User's Guide and Reference.

Figure 1. Using the program management components

                                       ┌──────────────────────┐
                                       │                      │
                                       │    Source Programs   │
                                       │                      │
                                       └──────────┬───────────┘
                                                  │
                                                  V
                                       ┌──────────────────────┐
                                       │                      │
                                       │      ASSEMBLER       │
                                       │                      │
                                       └──────────┬───────────┘
                                                  │
                                                  V
                                       ┌──────────────────────┐
                                       │                      │
                                       │    Object Modules    ├─────────────────┐
                                       │                      │                 │
                                       └──────────┬───────────┘                 │
                                                  │                             │
                                                  V                             V
                                       ┌──────────────────────┐      ┌──────────────────────┐
                                       │  Program Management  │      │                      │
                       ┌──────────────>│        BINDER        ├──┐   │     BATCH LOADER     │
                       │               │                      │  │   │                      │
                       │               └──────────────────────┘  │   └──────────┬───────────┘
                       │                          ∧              │              │
                       │                          │              │              │
                       V                          V              │              │
            ┌──────────────────────┐   ┌──────────────────────┐  │              │
            │ Load Module          │   │ Program Object       │  │              │
            │    in                │   │    in                │  │              │
            │ PDS Program Library  │   │ PDSE Program Library │  │              │
            └──────────┬───────────┘   └──────────┬───────────┘  │              │
                       V                          │              │              │
            ┌──────────────────────┐              │              │              │
            │ Program Management   │              │              │              │
            │       LOADER         │<─────────────┘              │              │
            │      (Fetch)         │                             │              │
            └──────────┬───────────┘                             │              │
                       │                                         │              │
                       │                                         V              │
                       │                              ┌──────────────────────┐  │
                       │                              │  Loaded Module in    │  │
                       └─────────────────────────────>│  Virtual Storage     │<─┘
                                                      │  Ready for Execution │
                                                      └──────────────────────┘


 Components are shown in uppercase.

 <──> = Two-way relationship.
        Indicates a component can
        produce that structure as
        output or accept it as input.