Offset values and lengths

You can make use of the offset values and lengths returned by the API to step through the list when using an API.

When you are using an API that generates a list into a user space, you should use the offset values and lengths returned by the API in the generic user space header to step through the list instead of specifying what the current version of the API returns. This is because:

The offset values to the different sections of the user space may change in future releases.
The length of the entries in the list data section of the user space may change in future releases.

As long as your HLL application program uses the offset values and lengths returned in the generic header of the user space, your program will run in future releases of the i5/OS™ licensed program.

Note: While your application program should use the length returned in the generic header to address subsequent list entries, your application program should only retrieve as many bytes as the application program has allocated storage for.