When using the 24-bit parameter list, you must supply the starting and ending address of a valid image of each control statement to be used during run-time. You must provide the image as a character string in EBCDIC format using assembler DC instructions. The rules for preparing the program control statements are as follows:

• At least one control statement must be specified—generally SORT or MERGE. If more than 15 control statements are specified, only the first 15 control statements are accepted and all others are ignored. Control statements can also be specified in SORTCNTL or DFSPARM.
• The MODS statement is required when user exits other than E15, E32, and E35 are to be used. It is also required when the E15 or E35 routine addresses are not passed by the parameter list.
• The following control statements can be passed using the 24-bit parameter list: SORT or MERGE, RECORD, ALTSEQ, DEBUG, MODS, SUM, INREC, OUTREC, INCLUDE or OMIT, JOINKEYS, JOIN, REFORMAT and OUTFIL.
• At least one blank must follow the operation definer (SORT, for example). A control statement can start and end with one or more blanks; however, no other blanks are allowed.
• The content and format of the statements are as described in Using DFSORT program control statements, except:
  • Labels are not allowed although a leading blank is optional.
  • Because each control statement image must be defined contiguously by one or more assembler DC instructions, explicit and implicit continuation of statements is neither necessary nor allowed.
• Neither comment statements, blank statements, nor remark fields are permitted.
• If you use ATTACH to initiate the program, you cannot use the checkpoint/restart facility and must not specify CKPT in the SORT statement image.

  For full override and applicability details, see Specification/override of DFSORT options.