This COBOL system enables the contents of pointer items to be stored in a format that is compatible with that used on an IBM mainframe. You can redefine both USAGE POINTER and CICS BLL cell data items as USAGE PIC S9(9) COMP and can perform full arithmetic on such items. You control the use of mainframe-style pointers with the AMODE compiler directive; there is a choice between 24-bit pointers, 31-bit pointers or NO AMODE, depending on the dialect in use; programs compiled with NO AMODE use PC-style pointers and are known as non-AMODE compiled programs.