When set, the XCODE-SESSION-KEY attribute contains the encryption key used by the
COMPILE statement for the current session. The attribute must contain the same key used with the XCODE utility. The attribute does not have a default or initial value. To unset the attribute, set it with the Unknown value (
?).
Because the attribute contains an encryption key, any attempt to read the attribute is a compiler error.
Both the XCODE utility and this attribute have an eight-character limit for keys. However, neither the utility or the attribute issues a warning or error if the key is longer. Instead, the utility and attribute use the first eight characters and ignore additional characters.
The XCODE utility does not perform code page conversions and does not use the -cpinternal parameter when encrypting files. Therefore, the source code and key will use the default code page of the operating system where you run the XCODE utility. If a different code page is in effect where XCODE-SESSION-KEY is set, then code page conversions may prevent the attribute key from matching the XCODE utility key and the compile fails. To prevent this case, use only US-ASCII characters, which are found in all code pages below code point 128.
You cannot use XCODE with the XREF, XREF-XML, STRING-XREF, or LISTING options together. Also, if the DEBUG-LIST option is used with an encrypted source file, the resulting debug file will only contain a notice that the source file is encrypted.
