When to use LINK MODULE

Products sometimes contain modules from other products. For example, a product may need to:

Include another product's modules in its load modules. In this case, as long as the two products are in the same zone, SMP/E can automatically include the required modules in the load modules that need them (if the modules reside in the target library as single-CSECT load modules). SMP/E also tracks the inclusion of these cross-product modules in the load modules.
Update another product's load module with one of its modules. In this case, as long as the two products are in the same zone, SMP/E can automatically relink the load module and include the supplied module. SMP/E also tracks the inclusion of the modules in the cross-product load module.

However, when such products reside in different zones, SMP/E cannot automatically perform the cross-zone link-edits. The LINK MODULE command can be used to perform these cross-zone link-edits as postinstallation steps within SMP/E control. The LINK MODULE command causes the required load modules in one zone to be linked with modules residing in another zone, and tracks this inclusion so that subsequent APPLY and RESTORE processing can automatically maintain the affected load modules.

Note:

When SMP/E processes the LINK MODULE command, it assumes that adding the modules to the load modules does not require any changes to the load module definition (that is, the linkage editor control statements or linkage editor attributes). If any such changes are needed, make them through JCLIN before using the LINK MODULE command.
For the LINK MODULE command, the SET BOUNDARY command must specify the target zone that contains the LMOD entries for the load modules to be link-edited.
There are times when the LINK MODULE command is not appropriate to use. That situation typically happens , for products that are written in a high-level language and, as a result, include modules from libraries (such as compiler libraries) owned by a different product. Your options for installing such a product depend on how the product was packaged.
- SYSLIB DD statements are used in link-edit steps in order to implicitly include the necessary modules.
  In this case, when you install the product, the modules that are impoliticly included are automatically linked into the load modules. If the libraries containing those modules are updated, you can use the LINK LMODS command to rebuild the affected load modules. For more information, see the LINK LMODS topic in SMP/E for z/OS Commands.
- No SYSLIB DD statements are used in link-edit steps in order to implicitly include the necessary modules. In this case, you must use postinstallation link-edit steps outside of SMP/E.