OS/VS COBOL and VS COBOL II applications can contain user-written condition handling routines written in assembler. Normally, you would code an assembler routine (this is your ESTAE routine) to set an ESTAE and register an ESTAE exit. When an abend occurs, the ESTAE exit receives control. (Although this section references ESTAE, this information also applies to assembler routines that set ESPIEs and register ESPIE exits.)
When you run programs under Language Environment, the Language Environment condition manager receives control for errors, program interrupts, and abends. Existing user-written condition handling routines do not work under Language Environment.