Assembler

ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE - 25/09/2004 1 / 117
ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Basic Concepts
3. Instructions
4. Symbols, literals, expressions, Constants and data areas, location
counter
5. Integer operations
6. Decimal operations
7. Data transfer and Logical operations
8. Bit manipulations
9. Branching
10. Assembler Directives
11. JCL aspects
12. Subroutines, linkage 24 bit mode
13. Macros and conditional assembly
14. MVS system Macros
15. VSAM Macros
16. Linkage Conventions, 24 & 31 bit addressing, mixed mode addressing
issues
17. Mixed Mode Programming using COBOL and Assembler.
INTRODUCTION back
What is Assembly Language
 Lowest-level of programming on a system

 Symbolic forms of representing machine language instructions
 Usually represents a single machine instruction
 Machine dependent
Advantages over high-level language
 Very efficient and tight code can be developed
Disadvantages
 Applications development time is more

 Applications are machine dependent
 Relatively more difficult to learn and understand than a high level Language
Advantages over machine language
 Use of mnemonic operation codes helps remembering the instructions

 Symbols can be used to represent variables and constants
 Macros can be used to generate repeated codes
 Conditional assembly enables tailoring the code generated
BASIC CONCEPTS back
IBM-370 MACHINE ARCHITECTURE
 Main storage Addressed by 24 bits or 31 bits

 One single address space contains code and data
 Byte is the least addressable unit
 Instruction categories
 Fixed point Arithmetic,
 Decimal Arithmetic,
 Floating point Arithmetic,
 Logical Operations,
 Branching,
 Status Switching,
 Input Output
 Programmer accessible Hardware Registers are
 Program Status Word (PSW) 64 bits wide
 General Purpose Registers (GPRs)
 Floating Point Registers (FPRs)
 Control Registers (CRs) 0-15 each 32 bits wide
 Access Registers (AR'S) 0-15 each 32 bits wide
 PSW
 64 bits in length
 Contains the Condition Code (two bits)
 Address of the next instruction to be executed.
 PSW Key field
 GPR'S
 numbered 0-15 and 32 bits wide
 Used as accumulators in Fixed point arithmetic
 Used as base and index registers in computing the effective address
 Two consecutive registers can be used to hold 64bit operands addressed by even register
 AR'S
 Numbered 0-15 each 32 bits wide
 Used to point to address / data space
 FPR
 Used for floating point operations
 Numbered 0,2,4,6 each 64 bits wide
 64 bits in length
 Can contain short or long operand
 Two adjacent registers can be used as 128 bit register for extended precision
 CR'S
 Control registers each of 32 bits are available
 Used by the IBM control program
 Instructions to access / modify them are privileged and can be issued only by the OS.
 INPUT/OUTPUT
 Data processing and I/O processing are concurrent
 Consists of Channel subsystem, Control Unit and I/O unit
ASSEMBLY STATEMENT FORMAT

NAME FIELD OPERATION FIELD OPERAND FIELD REMARK * SEQUENC
S E
1 10 16 72
 Fixed Format. Can be changed only through ICTL Assembler Directive

 Fields in a statement are separated by one or more blanks
 Name / label field if present must start in column 1 and maximum 8 characters in length
 To continue a statement to next line, type a non blank character in column 72 and
continue the next line from column 16
 Comment lines start with character ('*') on column 1
PSW Format
┌─┬─┬─────┬─┬─┬─┬─────┬─┬─┬─┬─┬───┬───┬──────┬───────────────┐
│ │ │ │ │I│E│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Prog │ │
│0│R│0 0 0│T│O│X│ Key │1│M│W│P│A S│C C│ Mask │0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0│
└─┴─┴─────┴─┴─┴─┴─────┴─┴─┴─┴─┴───┴───┴──────┴───────────────┘
0 5 8 12 16 18 20 24 31
┌─┬──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │ │
│A│ Instruction Address │
└─┴──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
32 63
PER Mask (R): Bit 1 controls whether the CPU is enabled for interruptions associated with
program-event recording (PER). When the bit is zero, no PER event can cause an interruption.
When the bit is one, interruptions are permitted, subject to the PER-event-mask bits in control
register 9.
DAT Mode (T): Bit 5 controls whether dynamic address translation takes place. When the bit
is zero, DAT is off, and logical and instruction addresses are treated as real addresses. When
the bit is one, DAT is on, and the dynamic-address-translation mechanism is invoked.
I/O Mask (IO): Bit 6 controls whether the CPU is enabled for I/O interruptions. When the
bit is zero, an I/O interruption cannot occur. When the bit is one, I/O interruptions are subject to
the I/O-interruption subclass-mask bits in control register 6.
External Mask (EX): Bit 7 controls whether the CPU is enabled for interruption by conditions
included in the external class. When the bit is zero, an external interruption cannot occur.
When the bit is one, an external interruption is subject to the corresponding external
subclass-mask bits in control register 0;
PSW Key: Bits 8-11 form the access key for storage references by the CPU. If the reference is
subject to key-controlled protection, the PSW key is matched with a storage key when
information is stored or when information is fetched from a location that is protected against
fetching.
Machine-Check Mask (M): Bit 13 controls whether the CPU is enabled for interruption by
machine-check conditions. When the bit is zero, a machine-check interruption cannot
occur.
Wait State (W): When bit 14 is one, the CPU is waiting; that is, no instructions are processed
by the CPU, but interruptions may take place. When bit 14 is zero, instruction fetching and
execution occur in the normal manner. The wait indicator is on when the bit is one.
Problem State (P): When bit 15 is one, the CPU is in the problem state. When bit 15 is zero,
the CPU is in the supervisor state. In the supervisor state, all instructions are valid. In the
problem state, only those instructions that cannot affect system integrity are permitted; such
instructions are called unprivileged instructions. The instructions that are never valid in the
problem state are called privileged instructions. When a CPU in the problem state attempts to
execute a privileged instruction, a privileged-operation exception occurs.
Address-Space Control (AS): Bits 16 and 17, in conjunction with PSW bit 5, control the
translation mode.
Condition Code (CC): Bits 18 and 19 are the two bits of the condition code. The condition
code is set to 0, 1, 2, or 3, depending on the result obtained in executing certain instructions.
Program Mask: Bits 20-23 are the four program-mask bits. Each bit is associated with a
program exception, as follows:
┌────────────┬────────────────────────┐
│ Program- │ │
│ Mask Bit │ Program Exception │
├────────────┼────────────────────────┤
│ 20 │ Fixed-point overflow │
│ 21 │ Decimal overflow │
│ 22 │ Exponent underflow │
│ 23 │ Significance │
└────────────┴────────────────────────┘
When the mask bit is one, the exception results in an interruption. When the mask bit is zero,
no interruption occurs.
Addressing Mode (A): When the bit is zero, 24-bit addressing is specified (AMODE 24). When
the bit is one, 31-bit addressing is specified (AMODE 31).
Instruction Address: Bits 33-63 form the instruction address. This address designates the
location of the leftmost byte of the next instruction to be executed.
Bit positions 0, 2-4, and 24-31 are unassigned and must contain zeros. A specification exception
is recognised when these bit positions do not contain zeros. When bit 32 of the PSW specifies
the 24-bit addressing mode, bits 33-39 of the instruction address must be zeros; otherwise, a
specification exception is recognised. A specification exception is also recognised when bit
position 12 does not contain a one
INSTRUCTIONS back
TYPES OF INSTRUCTIONS
 machine instructions
 Assembler instructions (directives)
 Macro instructions
Example :
PRINT NOGEN
TEST1 CSECT Assembler Directive
STM 14,12,12(13) Machine instruction
BALR 12,0 Machine instruction
USING *,12 Assembler Directive
ST 13,SAVE+4 Machine instruction
LA 13,SAVE Machine instruction
MVC DATA1,DATA2 Machine Instruction
PUTMSG WTO 'MESSAGE' Macro instruction
L 13,SAVE+4 Machine instruction
LM 14,12,12(13) Machine instruction
SR 15,15 Machine instruction
BR 14 Machine Instruction
DATA1 DS CL100 Data Definition
DATA2 DS CL100 Data Definition
SAVE DS 18F Data Definition
END Assembler Directive
INSTRUCTIONS FUNDAMENTALS
 Two, four, or six bytes in length
 Should begin on a half-word boundary
 First byte normally contains the operation code. In some instructions it is two bytes.
 Operation code specifies the function of the instruction
 Operand designation follows the operation code
Operands
 Entities that are involved in operations defined by operation code
 Operands can be either implicit or explicit
 Four types of operands
Register operand
Example AR 3,2
immediate operand
Example MVI DATA,X'F1'
Storage operand
Example L 3,FIELD1
Implied operand,
Example LM 14,12,SAVE
REGISTER OPERAND
 Identified by R field in the instruction
 Specifies either GPR or FPR
 Operand access is faster
 Example AR 1,2
IMMEDIATE OPERAND
 Contained with in the instruction itself
 Eight bit value
 Self defining term or an absolute symbol can be used
 Example : MVI DATA,B'10000000'
STORAGE OPERAND
 Resides in memory
 Address is not specified explicitly
 Base and 12 bit offset with (in some instructions) index register is used
 Program can be relocated
 If Register 0 is used as a base or index register its contents are ignored
 12 bit displacement
 BALR instruction is used to load base register
 If symbols are used assembler resolves it to base displacement form
 Effective address = (base register) + (Index Register) + 12 bit displacement
(note that some instruction formats do not support index register)
 base register should be made to contain the base address at run time
 Size of storage operand is implied by the instruction for some instructions
 For some instructions Length field(s) is/are embedded in the instruction
 Storage operands can be specified in implicit form as a re-locatable expression
Example L 3,DATA
L 3,DATA+4
 Storage operands can be specified in the Explicit form
Example L 3,4(1,2)
Explicit addresses are of the form D2(X2,B2)
or D2(B2)
or D2(L2,B2)
or D1(L1,B1)
or D1(B1)
 Absolute addresses are also assembled in base displacement form.
However the value in the base register will not change on relocation
 Implicit addresses are those where a single re-locatable or absolute expression is specified
Example L 4,DATA
L 3,DATA+4
LA 2,1000
.
.
DATA DS F
IMPLIED OPERAND
The instruction implies the operand
Example TRT D1(L,B1),D2(B2)
Registers 0,1 participate in this operation
INSTRUCTIONS CLASSIFICATION
FIRST HALF WORD SECOND HALF WORD THIRD HALF WORD
RR FORMAT
OP CODE R1 R2
0 8 12 15
RRE FORMAT
OP CODE R1 R2
0 16 24 28 31
RX FORMAT
OP CODE R1 X2 B2 D2
0 8 12 16 20 31
RS FORMAT
OP CODE R1 R3 B2 D2
0 8 12 16 20 31
SI FORMAT
OP CODE I2 B1 DI
0 8 16 20 31
S FORMAT
OP CODE B2 D2
0 16 20 31
SS FORMATS
OP CODE L1 L2/I3 B1 D1 B2 D2
0 8 12 16 20 32 36 47
OP CODE L B1 D1 B2 D2
0 8 16 20 32 36 47
EXAMPLES :
RR type instruction
AR 2,3 (reg 2) <== (reg 2) + (reg 3)
RS type instruction
BXLE 1,2,D2(B2) (reg 1) <== (reg 1) + (reg 2)
If reg1>reg3 then branch
RX type instruction
L 1,D2(X2,B2) (reg 1) < == memory referenced by (D2 +X2 +B2)
S type instruction
LPSW D2(B2)
SI type instruction
NI D1(B1),I2
SS type instruction
MVC D1(L,B1),D2(B2)
PACK D1(L1,B1),D2(L2,B2)
Note that (Rn) denotes the contents of GPR n. It is known as Register Notation and is commonly
used to supply values for a Macro operand.
SYMBOLS, LITERALS, DATA AREAS, LOCATION COUNTER back
SYMBOLS
 A sequence of one to eight characters as specified below under
ORDINARY,VARIABLE,SEQUENCE symbols
 Absolute value assigned to a symbol by using 'EQU' assembler instruction with an absolute value
operand
 A re-locatable value is assigned to a symbol by using it in the name field of a machine instruction
 Symbols can be used in operand fields to represent registers, displacements, lengths, immediate
data, addresses etc.
Example :
LABEL001 MVC S1,S2
B QUIT
QUIT BR 14
S1 DS CL100
S2 DC CL100'THE QUICK BROWN FOX'
COUNT EQU 10
LABEL001, QUIT, S1, S2 and COUNT are all Symbols. All are re-locatable except COUNT which
is absolute.
Ordinary Symbols
 Optional
 used in the name and operand field of machine/assembler instructions
 Up to eight Alphanumeric characters A-Z,$,#,&,0-9
 First character must be alphabetic A-Z
 Rest can be alphanumeric
Example ABCD0001
Variable Symbols
 First character must be an ampersand
 second character must be alphabetic
 Up to six alphanumeric characters
Example &ABC0001
Sequence Symbols
 First Character must be a period
 Next Character must be alphabetic
 Up to six alphanumeric characters
Example .ABC0001
Advantages of symbols
 Easier to remember and use
 Meaningful symbol names instead of values
 For address the assembler calculates the displacement
 Change the value at one place (through an EQU) instead of several instructions
 Printed in the cross-reference table by the assembler
Symbol Length attribute

TO DS CL80 L'TO = 80
FROM DS CL240 L'FROM = 240
ADCON DC A(OTHER) L'ADCON = 4
CHAR DC C'YUKON' L'CHAR = 5
DUPL DC 3F'200' L'DUPL = 4
Self Defining terms

 Can be used to designate registers, masks, and displacements within the operand entry
Decimal self-defining term

 An unsigned decimal integer
 maximum number of digits 10
 Maximum value 2**31-1
Hexadecimal self-defining
 A Hexadecimal integer within apostrophes and preceded by a X
 Maximum number of digits 8
 Maximum value 2**31-1
Binary Self Defining Term

 sequence of 1s and 0s enclosed in single quotation marks and preceded by the letter B; for
example, B'11000101'
Character self-defining term

 A character string within apostrophes and preceded by a C
 Maximum number of characters 4
EXAMPLES:
15 UPTO 2,147,483,647
241
B'1101' UPTO 32 BITS
X'F' UPTO 8 HEX DIGITS
X'F1F2'
C'ABCD' UPTO 4 CHARACTERS
C'&&' TWO AMPERSANDS TO REPRESENT ONE
C'''''' TWO APOSTROPHES TO REPRESENT ONE
Literals
L 1,=F'200'
L 2,=A(SUBRTN)
MVC MESSAGE(20),=CL20'THIS IS A MESSAGE'
L 3,=F'33' BOTH ARE SAME
L 3,FIELD BOTH ARE SAME
FIELD DC F'33'
MVC FLAG,=X'00' SAME EFFECT
MVI FLAG,X'00' SAME EFFECT
MVI FLAG,ZERO SAME EFFECT
.
.
ZERO EQU X'00'
FLAG DS C
LA 4,LOCORE SAME EFFECT
LA 4,1000 SAME EFFECT
.
LOCORE EQU 1000
Absolute expressions An expression is absolute if it's value is unchanged by program relocation

FIRST CSECT
A DC F'2'
B DC F'3'
C DC F'4'
ABSA EQU 100
ABSB EQU X'FF'
ABSC EQU B-A
ABSD EQU *-A
All these are absolute expressions:-

ABSA
15
L'A
ABSA+ABSC-ABSC*15
B-A
ABSA+15-B+C-ABSD/(C-A+ABSA)
Relocatable expressions
A relocatable expression is one whose value changes with program relocation.
FIRST CSECT
A DC H'2'
B DC H'3'
C DC H'4'
ABSA EQU 10
ABSB EQU *-A
ABSC EQU 10*(B-A)
The following are relocatable expressions:-

A
A+ABSA+10
B-A+C-10*ABSA
Location Counter
 Location counter is incremented after instruction or data definition is assembled
to the next available location
 Assembler checks boundary alignment and adjusts location counter if required.
 While assembling the current line the location counter value does not change
Location counter Source Statements

000004 DONE DC CL3'SOB'
000007 BEFORE EQU *
000008 DURING DC F'200'
00000C AFTER EQU *
000010 NEXT DS D
000018 AFTNEXT EQU *
000018 NEXT1 DS D
000020 NEXT2 DS D
000028 ORG *+8
000030 NEXT3 DS D
Example :
LOOP EQU *
B *+80
.
.
.
B LOOP
ATTRIBUTES OF SYMBOLS :
Length attribute
 Referred to as L'symbol
 For a symbol defined by "DC' or 'DS', it is the implicit or explicit length.
 For a symbol referring to a machine instruction, it is the length of the instruction.
 For a 'EQU' symbol, it is the length of the left most term or supplied by the second operand
Example : length
A DS F 4
DS 20FL4 4
DS XL3 3
AR 1,2 2
AA EQU A+4 4
S1 EQU 102 1
BUF EQU A,256 256
Type attribute
 Referred to as 'T' symbol
 Gives the one character type code of the symbol
A,Y,V,S For the related Address Constants
B,C,D,E,F,H,Z,P For the related data constants
I For machine instruction
M For a Macro instruction
J For a control section name
T For a EXTRN symbol
$ For a WXTRN symbol
N For a self defining term
O Null string
CONSTANTS AND DATA AREAS

 Run Time Constants DC directive
Literals
Self defining terms
 Assembly time constants EQU statement
 Constants can be absolute / re-locatable

A re-locatable constant has a unbalanced re-locatable term
DC instruction
 To reserve storage and initialise it with values
 Location counter advanced by the number of bytes associated with the specified type
 Not true constants, the values can be changed in the program
 Similar to specifying initial values in variable declarations of a high level language
DC DUPLICATING FACTOR TYPE LENGTH MODIFIER CONSTANT
SYNTAX
{NAME} DC {DUP}TYPE{MOD}{V1,V2,...VN}
Run time constant

TYPE BYTES ALLOC
DC F'100,-10,200' 12
DC F'123' 4
DC F'-123' 4
DC 3F'23' 12
DC H'20' 2
DC H'123,23,-34' 6
DC B'11000001' 1
DC X'FFFFFFFF' 4
DC X'FF01FF01' 4
DC C'ABCDEF' 6
DC C'abcdefg''A&&SS@#..' 16 , note double & and '
DC P'-1234' 3
DC P'1234' 3
DC P'-34' 2
DC Z'1234' 4
DC E'-3.25E10' 4
DC E'+.234E-10' 4
DC E'-2.3E15' 4
DC A(LOOP1) 4
DC V(LOOP1) 4
DC S(FIELD2) 2
DC C'USER01' 6
DC F'100,200' Two full words with value 100,200
DC CL3'JAN,FEB' Months contain 3 bytes value "JAN'
DC 3H'2,4,8,16' 12 half words with the given value
DC B'10001000' 1
DC C'SAMPLE STRING' 13
DC P'123' 2
DC ZL10'123' 10
DC PL4'123' 4
DC E'1.25' 4
DC D'2.57E65' 8
DC AL3(THERE) 3
DC V(EXTSYM) 4
DC Y(124) 2
DEFINE STORAGE (DS)

 To reserve storage
 Storage is not initialised
 Location counter is advanced by bytes allocated
DS DUPLICATING FACTOR TYPE LENGTH MODIFIER
SYNTAX
{NAME} DS {DUP}TYPE{MOD}
EXAMPLES
DS F Bytes allocated 4
DS 10F 40
DS H 2
DS 2CL3 6
A DS 80C 80 L'A=1
DS CL80 80 L'A=80
DS 4D 32
DS 0F 0 used to force a word Boundary
DS 0D 0 used to force a double word boundary
DS 0CL8 0 length attribute is 8
DS 100H 200
A self defining term is an absolute constant that can be written as a

 A binary integer B'1001'
 A decimal integer 3
 A hexadecimal integerX'4A'
 A sequence of text characters C'ABCD'
 These can be used as immediate operands in any instruction which needs an immediate
operand.
Example CLI 0(8),C'Z'
A literal is a symbolic representation of a constant to which the assembler assigns an address
L 5,FCON
L 5,=F'1'
LOAD L 2,=F'-4'
MOVE MVC MSG,=C***Error ***'
FCON DC F'1'
The first two statements are exactly equivalent to the third.

 A convenient means of introducing constants without the use of 'DC' instruction
 Storage is allocated for literals at the end of the first CSECT (Literal Pool) where multiple
CSECTS are coded in a single source file.To avoid addressing problems, use a LTORG at
end of each CSECT
 Storage allocation can be forced at any point by 'LTORG" assembler instruction
 Two literals are the same if their specifications are identical
 Assembler translates a literal into a base register and a displacement
A equivalence constant allows a programmer to define a value for a symbol and use it wherever there
is a need to employ that value.
R1 EQU 1
HERE EQU *
OFF EQU X'00'
ON EQU X'FF'
Y DC F'4'
Z EQU 4
W EQU Y W is equivalent to Y
CLI STATUS,ON
BE POWERON
CLI STATUS,OFF
BE POWEROFF
Data Alignment
 Instructions have to be aligned on half-word boundary
 Data can be specified to be aligned to
Double word D (Divisible by 8)
Full-word F (Divisible by 4)
Half-word H (Divisible by 2)
 Location counter skipped as per alignment requirement
Example :
000100 DC C'ABC'
000103 skipped
000104 DC F'4'
000108 DC C'A'
000109 skipped
000110 skipped
000111 skipped
000112 DC F'560'
Instruction Alignment
Instructions are always aligned on a half word boundary. Some times it may be required to align
instructions on a Full word or double word boundary. Use the CNOP instruction to do so. For
example to get full word alignment use CNOP 0,4 as below. The BAL instruction will always be
aligned on a Full word boundary. Assembler will introduce, if required, a NOP ( X’0700’ )
instruction to ensure this.
CNOP 0,4
BAL 1,*+12
PARM DC A(P1)
DC A(P2)
BALR 14,15
IF ASSEMBLER OPTION ALIGN IS SPECIFIED

 Assembler checks storage addresses (labels) to ensure that they are aligned on boundaries required
by the instruction.
 Data areas are aligned on boundaries implicit with their type if no length modifier is present
LOC-CTR PROGRAM
000010 DATA DC C'ABC'
000014 DS F ASSM. AT WORD BDRY
IF NOALIGN IS SPECIFIED
 Constants and data areas are not automatically aligned
 Assembler does not check storage addresses for boundary alignment.
LOC-CTR PROGRAM
000010 DATA DC C'ABC'
000013 DS F ASSM. AT NEXT LOC
Example
This example illustrates the use of literals and commonly used data definitions.
TEST2 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
WTO 'ASM1 REPORTING',ROUTCDE=(11)
L 3,=F'200'
LA 3,ABSB
MVC DATA1(6),=C'ABCDEF'
MVC DATA1,=CL20'ABCDEF'
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
SR 15,15
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
DC A(SAVE1)
A DC H'2'
B DC H'3'
C DC H'4'
ABSA EQU 10
ABSB EQU *-A
DC F'100'
DC F'-100'
DC H'100'
DC 3H'100'
DC C'ABCEFGH'
DC CL20'ABCDEFGH'
DC 10C'AB'
DC P'123'
DC P'-123'
DC PL5'-123'
DC 3PL5'-123'
DATA1 DS CL20
END
INTEGER OPERATIONS back
FIXED POINT ARITHMETIC

ADD AR,A,AH,ALR,AL
SUBTRACT SR,S,SH,SLR,SL
MULTIPLY MR,M,MH
DIVIDE DR,D
ARITHMETIC COMPARE CR,C,CH
LOAD LR,L,LH,LTR,LCR,LPR
STORE ST,STH,STM
ARITHMETIC SHIFT SLA,SRA,SLDA,SRDA
CONVERT TO BINARY CVB
CONVERT TO DECIMAL CVD
Constants used Type

Fixed Point H and F
Binary B
Hexadecimal X
Character C
Decimal P
Address Y,A,S,V,Q
INTEGER ARITHMETIC
 GPR's are 32 bits with bit 0 as a sign bit

 Negative numbers stored as two's complement
 Both Full word and Half Word instructions are supported
 GPR/GPR and GPR/Memory instructions available
 Half words converted to full word by extending sign bit to the left
Two's Complement
Decimal Binary Decimal Binary
0 0000 0 0000
+1 0001 -1 1111
+2 0010 -2 1110
+3 0011 -3 1101
+4 0100 -4 1100
+5 0101 -5 1011
+6 0110 -6 1010
+7 0111 -7 1001
Addition and Subtraction
+6 0110 -6 1010 +5 0101 -5 1011

+(+1) 0001 +(-1) 1111 +(+6) 0110 +(-6) 1010
------ ------ ------ ------
0111 1001 1011 0100
00 11 01 10
No overflow No overflow Overflow Overflow
If the carry into the sign bit is different from the carry out of it, there is an overflow condition.
L Copy full word from memory to GPR RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

L 3,A GPR3 Memory Field A
Before 0246 0357 000A 00B0
After 000A 00B0 000A 00B0
ST Copy a full word from GPR to memory RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

ST 3,A GPR3 Memory field A
Before 0123 0456 0ABC 0DEF
0123 0456 0123 0456
LH Copies a half word from memory to GPR RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

LH 3,A GPR3 Memory Field A
Before 0159 0260 4321
After 0000 4321 4321
Before 0000 4321 C321

After FFFF C321 C321
STH Copy a half word from GPR to memory RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

STH 3,A GPR3 Memory field A
Before 0123 0456 0DEF
After 0123 0456 0456
LM Copies 1 to 16 Full words from memory RS R1,R3,D2(B2)

to consecutive GPR,s
LM 2,4,A GPR'S Memory Address
Before 2:00001234 A+0:0001ABCD
3:00003456 A+4:0002BCDE
4:00005678 A+8:0003CDEF
After 2:0001ABCD A+0:0001ABCD
3:0002BCDE A+4:0002BCDE
4:0003CDEF A+8:0003CDEF
STM Copies 1 to 16 Full words to memory RS R1,R3,D2(B2)

From consecutive GPR,s
STM 2,4,A GPR'S Memory Address
Before 2:00001234 A+0:0001ABCD
3:00003456 A+4:0002BCDE
4:00005678 A+8:0003CDEF
After 2:00001234 A+0:00001234
3:00003456 A+4:00003456
4:00005678 A+8:00005678
LR Copies one GPR to another RR R1,R2

LR 3,4 GPR3 GPR4
Before ABCD EF00 1234 5678
After 1234 5678 1234 5678
ADDITION
A Adds a memory field to GPR RX R1,D2(X2,B2)
Example 64+10=74.
A 3,=F'10' GPR3 Memory
Before 0000 0040 0000 000A
After 0000 004A 0000 000A
S Subtracts a memory field from GPR RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

Example 64-10=54
S 3,=F'10' GPR3 Memory
Before 0000 0040 0000 000A
After 0000 0036 0000 000A
AR Adds a GPR to another GPR RR R1,R2

Example 4096+(-1)=4095
AR 6,5 GPR6 GPR5
Before 0000 1000 FFFF FFFF
After 0000 0FFF FFFF FFFF
SR Subtracts a GPR from another GPR RR R1,R2

Example 4096-(-1)=4097
SR 6,5 GPR6 GPR5
Before 0000 1000 FFFF FFFF
After 0000 1001 FFFF FFFF
AH Adds a half word memory field to a GPR RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

Example 80+8=88
AH 10,=H'8' GPR10 Memory
Before 0000 0050 0008
After 0000 0058 0008
Example 80+(-8)=72
AH 10,=H'8' GPR10 Memory
Before 0000 0050 FFF8
After 0000 0048 FFF8
SH Subtracts a half word memory field from RX R1,D2(X2,B2) a GPR

Example 8-80=-72
SH 10,=H'80' GPR10 Memory
Before 0000 0008 0050
After FFFF FFB8 0050
AL Add Logical RX R1,D2(X2,B2)
ALR Adds a GPR logically to another GPR RR R1,R2
 Range of result in the GPR is from -2**31 to 2**31-1

 If an overflow occurs (carry into sign bit and carry out are different) hardware interrupts occur
if not suppressed through a program mask
 For logical additions the operands are assumed to be unsigned
 Condition code is set (zero, negative, positive or overflow)
MULTIPLICATION
|--------------consecutive GPR'S------------------------|
|---even numbered GPR--|--odd numbered GPR---|
Before multiplication Any number V1
After multiplication 64 bit product V1 X V2

M Multiply RX R1,D2(X2,B2)
Example 2 X 3 = 6
L 7,=F'2'
M 6,=F'3'
GPR6 GPR7 Memory
Before any number 0000 0002 0003
After 0000 0000 0000 0006 0003
MR Multiply one GPR with another RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

Example 65536 X 65536
L 4,=F'65536'
MR 6,4
GPR6 GPR7 GPR4
Before 0000 0000 0001 0000 0001 0000
After 0000 0001 0000 0000 0001 0000
MH Multiply a GPR with a half word RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

from a memory field
Example 2 X 5 = 10
L 7,=F'2'
MH 7,=F'5'
GPR7 Memory
Before 0000 0002 0005
After 0000 000A 0005
DIVISION
|-----------------consecutive GPR'S-----------------------------|
|---even numbered GPR----|----odd numbered GPR----|
Before Division 64 BIT DIVIDEND V1
After Division 32 BIT REMAINDER 32 BIT QUOTIENT
D DIVIDE even odd GPR pair by memory RX R1,D2(X2,B2)Field

Example 7 / 2 = quotient =3, remainder=1
L 9,=F'7'
M 8,=F’1'
D 8,=F'2'
GPR8 GPR9 Memory
Before 0000 0000 0000 0007 0002
After 0000 0001 0000 0003 0002
Rem +1 Quot +3 Divisor +2
DR Divide one even/odd pair GPR with another GPR R1,R2
Example 150 / -40

L 9,=F'150'
M 8,=F'1'
L 10,=F'-40'
DR 8,10
GPR8 GPR9 GPR10
Before 0000 0000 0000 0096 FFFF FFD4
After 0000 001E FFFF FFFD FFFF FFD4
rem +30 Quot -3 Divisor -40
The condition code is NOT set by the MULTIPLY and DIVIDE instructions.
To test the result use the LTR instruction.
ARITHMETIC COMPARE
C Compare GPR with memory field RX R1,D2(X2,B2)
CR Compare a GPR with another RR R1,R2
CH Compare GPR with a memory half word RX R1,D2(X2,B2)
 Condition code is set ( equal, V1<V2, V2>V2)
LCR Load complement register RR R1,R2

Example
LCR 3,3 GPR3
Before FFFFFFFA
After 00000006
LCR 3,4 GPR3 GPR4
Before 87654321 80000000
After 80000000 80000000

**ovfl set
LPR Load positive register RR R1,R2

Example
LPR 5,4 GPR5 GPR4
Before 000000AB FFFFFFFA
After 00000006 FFFFFFFA
LPR 4,5 GPR4 GPR5

Before FFFFFFFA 000000AB
After 0000000AB 000000AB
LPR 8,7 GPR8 GPR7

Before 12345678 80000000
After 80000000 80000000
***ovflw
LNR Load negative register RR R1,R2

Example
LNR 4,5 GPR4 GPR5
Before FFFFFFFA 000000AB
After FFFFFF55 000000AB
LPR 4,5 GPR4 GPR5

Before 00000011 FFFFFF55
After 000000AB FFFFFF55
Condition code is set( zero, positive , negative, overflow)
SPM Set Program Mask

SPM R1
The first operand is used to set the condition code and the program mask
of the current PSW. Bits 12-15 of the instruction are ignored.
Bits 2 and 3 of general register R1 replace the condition code, and bits 4-7 replace the
program mask. Bits 0, 1, and 8-31 of general register R1 are ignored.
SR 4,4
L 4,=X’0F000000’
SPM 4 turn on all 4 program mask bits
IPM Insert Program Mask

IPM R1
The condition code and program mask from the current PSW are inserted into bit
positions 2-3 and 4-7, respectively, of general register R1. Bits 0 and 1 of the register
are set to zeros; bits 8-31 are left unchanged.
Note that unless the Program Mask bits in the PSW are 1 some interrupts are suppressed. See
the PSW fields for details.
DECIMAL OPERATIONS back
ADD AP
SUBTRACT SP
MULTIPLY MP
DIVIDE DP
DECIMAL COMPARE CP
MOVE DECIMAL DATA
WITH 4 BIT OFFSET MVO
SHIFT DECIMAL DATA SRP
SET TO ZERO AND ADD ZAP
CONVERT ZONED TO
PACKED PACK
CONVERT PACKED TO
ZONED UNPK
Constants used Type

Decimal P
Zoned Z
BCD Representation (Packed Decimal)
0011 0010 0101 1100 +325 X’325C’

0111 1000 1001 1101 -789 X’789D’
AREA1 DS PL5
AREA2 DC P’+12345678’
 Only permissible (and mandatory) modifier is the length modifier example PLn
 Padding is always at the left with Zeroes
 Truncation is from the left and choice of length modifier is crucial
 OPCODES are Arithmetic, Comparison, Copying from storage to storage, Conversion to and
from Packed decimal format.
 Most instructions are SS1 D1(L,B1),D2(B2) (length < 256)
SS2 D1(L1,B1),D2(L2,B2) (length < 16)
ZAP Zero and add packed SS2

Example
ZAP A(3),B(4) A B
Before Dont Care 0023456C
After 23456C 0023456C
AP Add packed SS2

Example
AP A(2),B(3) A B
Before 099C 00001C
After 100C 00001C
Before 999C 00001C

After 000C 00001D
(ovfl cond)
SP Subtract packed SS2
Example
SP A(2),B(3) A B
Before 099D 00001C
After 100D 00001C
Before 999C 00001D

After 000C 00001D
(ovfl cond)
Before 123C 00010C

After 113C 00010C
MP Multiply packed SS2

Length of L2 must be between 1 and 8 and less than L1.
L1 must have at least L2 bytes of high order zeroes
Example
MP A(4),B(2) A B
Before 0000999C 999D
After 0998001D 999D
MP A(3),B(2) Before 00999C 999D

After 98001D 999D
**ovflw**
MP A(2),B(2) Before 012C 012C

After 012C 012C
**error**
DP Divide Packed SS2

DP D1(L1,B1),D2(L2,B2) L1 (Dividend) and L2(divisor)
L2 < L1
1<=L2<=8
The quotient and remainder is stored in the L1(dividend field) replacing
the dividend
QUOTIENT REMAINDER
L1-L2 BYTES L2 BYTES
DIVIDEND FIELD
Example A B
DP A(4),B(2) Before 0000999C 998D
After 001D001C 998D
|
DP A(4),B(2) Before 0000999C 3C

After 00333C0C 3C
|
DP A(2),B(1) Before 999C 3C
After 999C 3C
**Divide exception**
***L1-L2=1 (insufficient length for quotient)
DP A(2),B(3) Before 999C 00003C

After 999C 00003C
**specification exception**
***L1-L2=-1(impossible length for quotient)
ERRORS
 Decimal overflow occurs when result is too long to fit into first operand and a significant digit would
be lost
 Data exception occurs whenever
 Sign fields are invalid
 Operands overlap
 The first operand of a MP instruction does not have sufficient zeroes.
COMPARISONS
CP Compare packed SS2 D1(L1,B1),D2(L2,B2)
BE V1=V2
BH V1>V2
BL V1<V2
SRP Shift and Round Packed D1(L1,B1),D2(B2),I3 SS1
The first operand represents an address

The second operands low order 6 bits is the number of positions to be shifted and direction of
shift. Positive represents left shift and vacated positions on the left are filled with zeroes.
Negative represents a right shift and zeroes are inserted on the left. The sign is not disturbed in
any case. The third operand is the rounding to be applied in case of right shift and is an immediate
operand.
L 8,=F’-3’ for shift right 3 positions
SRP A(5),0(8),5 before 031415926C
after 000031416C
CONVERSION BETWEEN EBCDIC, BINARY AND PACKED DECIMAL FORMAT

CVD converts binary to packed decimal
32 bit binary to a 8 byte packed decimal field
Example
CVD 5,A REG5 A
Before 7F FF FF FF any number
after 7F FF FF FF 00 00 02 14 74 83 64 7C
CVD 5,A REG5 A

Before 80 00 00 00 dont care
after 80 00 00 00 00 00 02 14 74 83 64 8D
CVB converts packed decimal to binary

8 byte packed decimal field to a 32 bit binary field
Example
CVB 5,A REG5 A
Before dont care 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 6C
after 00 00 00 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 6C
CVB 5,A REG5 A

Before dont care 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 6D
after FF FF FF F0 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 6D
PACK converts EBCDIC to packed decimal D1(L1,B1),D2(L2,B2)

Operand one will receive packed decimal field
Operand two is the EBCDIC field in zoned decimal format

Example
PACK A(4),B(4) A B
Before any F1 F2 F3 C4
after 00 01 23 4C F1 F2 F3 C4
UNPK converts packed decimal to EBCDIC D1(L1,B1),D2(L2,B2)

Operand two is the packed decimal field
Operand one will receive the EBCDIC field
Example
UNPK A(8),B(4) A B
Before any 12 34 56 7D
After F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 D7 12 34 56 7D
ED Converting a packed decimal number

to EBCDIC with editing D1(L,B1),D2(B2) V1 is pattern, V2 is
packed fld
ED P(15),Y Before Y 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 D
Before P 40 20 6B 20 20 20 6B 20 21 20 4B 20 20 60 40
After P 40 40 40 40 F1 F2 6B F3 F4 F5 4B F6 F7 60 40
1st byte of pattern is the fill character, in this case a blank

Hex 20 is a digit selector
Hex 21 is a significance starter
Hex 6B is a ‘,’
Hex 4B is a ‘.’
Every byte of packed decimal needs two bytes of EBCDIC code
00 12 3C ----------------- F0 F0 F1 F2 C3
EDMK Does everything ED does. In addition it sets register 1 to the address of the first
significant digit. You can then bump Register 1 down by 1 and move immediate a
currency symbol to that storage location represented by the address in 1. Note that you
initially set 1 to the first digit position that is forced to print if no significant digits occur
to the left.
MVC P,MASK
LA 1,MASK+9
EDMK P,Y
BCTR 1,0
MVI 0(1),C’$’
.
.
Y DC PL5’-1234567’
P DS CL15
MASK DC X’40206B2020206B2021204B20206040’
Example of Packed Decimal Divide

TEST3 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
DP A,B
UNPK QUOT,A(L'A-L'B)
UNPK REM,A+L'A-L'B(L'B)
OI QUOT+3,X'F0'
OI REM+3,X'F0'
LA 3,MSG
WTO TEXT=(3)
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
LA 15,0
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
MSG DC AL2(LEN)
DC C'QUOT='
QUOT DS CL4
DC C','
DC C'REM='
REM DS CL4
LEN EQU *-MSG-2
A DC PL4'+0000999'
B DC PL2'-998'
END
Example of displaying a Integer

TEST4 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
LA 4,2345
CVD 4,DW
UNPK MSG+2(16),DW
OI MSG+17,X'F0'
LA 3,MSG
WTO TEXT=(3)
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
LA 15,4
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
MSG DC AL2(16)
DS CL16
DW DS D
END
DATA TRANSFER AND LOGICAL OPERATIONS back

MOVE MVI,MVC,MVZ,MVCL
LOGICAL COMPARE CLR,CL,CLC,CLCL,CLM
AND LOGICAL NR,N,NI,NC
OR LOGICAL OR,O,OI,OC
EXCLUSIVE OR XR,X,XI,XC
TESTING BINARY PATTERNS TM
INSERTING CHARS INTO GPR IC,ICM
STORE CHARS INTO AREAS STC,STCM
LOAD ADDRESS INTO GPR LA
LOGICAL SHIFT OF GPR SLL,SRL,SLDL,SRDL
DATA TRANSLATION TR,TRT
BYTE AND STRING MANIPULATIONS

IC Insert character RX Copies 1 byte from memory to 8 right
most bits of a GPR
R1,D2(X2,B2)
STC store Character RX Copies 1 byte (right most 8 bits) from

GPR to Memory
R1,D2(X2,B2)
ICM Insert Characters under mask RS Copies 1 to 4 bytes depending

on the mask from memory to GPR
R1,Mask,D2(B2)
STCM Store characters under mask RS Copies 1 to 4 bytes depending on the

mask from GPR to memory
R1,mask,D2(B2)
MVI Move Immediate SI Copies 1 byte from immediate

field of the instruction to memory
D1(B1),I2
MVC Move Characters SS Copies 1 to 256 chars from one

memory field to another
D1(L,B1),D2(B2)
MVCL Move Characters Long RR Copies 1 to 2**24 chars from one

R1,R2
MVCIN Move Inverse SS Copies 1 to 256 bytes from one memory field to
another reversing the order of bytes Comparison
COMPARISON (LOGICAL)
 Unsigned 8 bit numbers (logical quantity)
 Smallest byte is X’00’, Largest is X’FF’
 Comparison starts from left most position (high order)
CL Compare logical RX Compares a 4 byte string in memory to

contents of a GPR
R1,D2(X2,B2)
CLR Compare Logical Register RR Compares 4 bytes from two GPR’S

R1,R2
CLM Compare Logical under mask RS Compares 1 to 4 bytes (determined by

mask) from a GPR to a memory field
R1,M,D2(B2)
CLI Compare Logical Immediate SI Compares an 1 byte immediate operand

to a byte in memory
D1(B1),I2
CLC Compare Logical Characters SS Compares 1 to 256 bytes from one

D1(L,B1),D2(B2)
CLCL Compare Logical Characters long RR Compares 1 to 2**24 characters from

one memory field to another.
BRANCHING
CC 0 CC 1 CC 2 CC3
CL,CLC,CLCL,
CLI,CLM,CLR OPR1=OPR2 OPR1<OPR2 OPR1>OPR2 NA.
Opcode Meaning
BE OPR1=OPR2
BNE OPR1!=OPR2
BL OPR1<OPR2
BNL OPR1=>OPR2
BH OPR1>OPR2
BNH OPR1<=OPR2
Notes:
Destructive overlap occurs when a to field starts from within a from field
How to modify length field at run time

EX R1,D2(X2,B2).
The instruction at the memory address specified is executed after OR’ing bits 8-15(length field) with
bits 24-31 of R1.
LH 4,=H’20’
SH 4,=H’1’
EX 4,MOVEV
|
|
MOVEV MVC TO(0),FROM
|
|
FROM DS 10F
TO DS 10F
CLCL and MVCL instructions
CLCL R1,R2 MVCL R1,R2
R1 bits 8 to 31 is the TO address

R1+1 bits 8 to 31 is the length of TO field
R2 bits 8 to 31 is the FROM address

R2+1 bits 8 to 31 is the length of FROM field
bits 0 to 7 is the padding character to be used to lengthen the shorter string
LA 4,S
L 5,=A(L’S)
LA 2,T
L 3,=A(L’T)
ICM 5,B’1000’,=X’00’
MVCL 2,4
|
|
|
S DS CL1000
T DS CL2000
TR and TRT instructions
TR Translate SS instructions can be used to replace certain bytes of the

string with other bytes D1(L,B1),D2(B2)
TRT Translate & test SS instruction can be used to find one of a set of characters
in a string D1(L,B1),D2(B2)
Notes: Operand 1 is the argument string operated on by TR and searched by TRT

instruction Operand 2 is the Function string set up by the programmer and is 256 bytes
long
FN1 DS CL256
ORG FN1+C’+’
DC X’FF’
ORG
ARG1 DS CL256
|
TRT ARG1(256),FN1
BC 8,NONE
BC 4,MORE
BC 2,ONE
Notes: How the instruction works is as follows. Read a byte from argument string. Use it as an
offset into the function string. In the TR instruction replace the argument byte with the function
byte. In the TRT instruction , if the function byte is non zero, a copy of that byte is inserted in bits
24 to 31 of GPR2 and the address of the byte is set into bits 8 to 31 of GPR1. Execution
terminates and a CC is set to 1 if more bytes remain to be scanned in the argument string. A CC
of 2 is set if there was a non zero byte in the function string and there were no more bytes to be
scanned as well. Else CC 0 is set.
Example of TR
This sample translates a lower case string to upper case, leaving numeric digits intact. All other
characters are converted to NULL.
TR CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
TR DATA,TABLE
WTO TEXT=MSG
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
SR 15,15
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
MSG DC AL2(LEN)
DATA DC C'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz1234567890'
LEN EQU *-DATA
TABLE DC 256X'00'
ORG TABLE+C'a'
DC C'ABCDEFGHI'
ORG TABLE+C'j'
DC C'JKLMNOPQR'
ORG TABLE+C's'
DC C'STUVWXYZ'
ORG TABLE+C’0’
DC C’0123456789’
ORG
END
Example of TRT
This example illustrates how the string at DATA is parsed into two components about the
comma. The example can be extended to parse the string around multiple commas in the
string.
TRT CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LR 2,13
LA 13,SAVE
ST 13,8(0,2)
TRT DATA,TABLE
ST 1,REG1
*
LA 4,DATA
SR 1,4
LR 4,1
STH 4,MSG
SH 4,=H'1'
LA 3,DATA
EX 4,MV
WTO TEXT=MSG
*
L 1,REG1
LA 3,1(0,1)
LA 5,DATAEND
SR 5,3
STH 5,MSG
SH 5,=H'1'
EX 5,MV
WTO TEXT=MSG
*
SR 15,15
L 13,SAVE+4
L 14,12(0,13)
LM 0,12,20(13)
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
TABLE DC 256X'00'
ORG TABLE+C','
DC C','
ORG
DATA DC C'ABCDEFGH,FDFDFDF'
DATAEND EQU *
REG1 DS F
MSG DS AL2
DS CL256
MV MVC MSG+2(0),0(3)
END
BIT MANIPULATIONS back
SRA Shift Right Single Arithmetic RS

SLA Shift Left Single Arithmetic RS
SRDA Shift Right Double Arithmetic RS (first operand is even odd GPR pair)
SLDA Shift Left Double Arithmetic RS
 When shifting left zeroes are inserted on the right and overflow is set if a bit value other than the sign
bit is lost from the shift.
 When right shifting the low order bits are lost and the sign bit is propagated
 If overflow occurs it can be checked by BO (branch on Overflow)
 If overflow is not set condition code 0,1, or 2 is set
SRL Shift Right Single Logical RS

SLL Shift Left Single Logical RS
SRDL Shift Right Double Logical RS (first operand is even odd GPR pair)
SLDL Shift Left Double Logical RS
 When right shifting the low order bits are lost and the zeroes are inserted on the right
 When shifting left zeroes are inserted on the right and the high order bits are lost.
 The condition code is never set
O Or RX
N And RX
X Exclusive Or RX
OR Or GPR’S RR
NR And GPR’S RR
XR XOR GPR’S RR
OI Or Immediate SI
NI And Immediate SI
XI Exclusive Or Immediate SI
OC Or Memory fields SS
NC And Memory Fields SS
XC Exclusive Or Mem Flds SS
TESTING BITS
TM Test Under Mask SI D1(B1),I2
I2 is one byte. Bits corresponding to '0' bit(s) in the mask byte are not tested.
Associated Branch Instructions
BZ Branch if Zeroes All tested bits are '0' or all mask bits are '0'
BO Branch if Ones All tested bits are '1'
BM Branch if mixed Tested bits are a mix of '0' and '1'
BRANCHING INSTRUCTIONS back

BRANCH ON CONDITION
CODE BCR,BC
BRANCH AND LINK BALR,BAL
BRANCH ON COUNT BCTR,BCT
BRANCH ON INDEX
COMPARE BXH,BXLE
TEMPORARY BRANCH EX
BC Branch on Condition RX M1,D2(X2,B2)

BE,BER,BNE,BNER,BL,BLR,BNL,BNLR
BH,BHR,BNH,BNHR,BZ,BZR,BNZ,BNZR
BM,BMR,BNM,BNMR,BP,BPR,BNP,BNPR
BO,BOR,BNO,BNOR,
NOP,NOPR,B,BR All implemented using BC instruction
BRANCHING AND LOOPS

BCT Branch on count RX R1,D2(X2,B2)
 Subtract 1 from R1 and test for non zero.
 Branch if non zero
BXH Branch on Index High RS R1,R2,D3(B3)

 Increments or decrements Index
 Counting iterations
 Test to determine whether loop should be repeated
 BHX is normally used with decrementing
 BXLE is used with incrementing
 R1 is the Index register
 R2 contains the increment / R2+1 contains the limit
 S3 is the branch address

Example
This example illustrates using the BXLE instruction to iterate through arrays
LA 7,LIMIT
LA 6,INCR
L 5,=F'0'
LOOP L 3,X(5)
A 3,Y(5)
A 3,Z(5)
BXLE 5,6,LOOP
.
X DS 20F
Y DS 20F
Z DS 20F
LIMIT EQU Y-X-1
INCR EQU 4
ASSEMBLER DIRECTIVES back
CSECT
 Indicates the beginning of a control section
 Smallest portion of the code which can be relocated
 A program can have more than one CSECT
 CSECTS can be continued across CSECTS or DSECTS
 Separate location counter for each CSECT
 Symbols are not addressable across CSECT s
RSECT
 Defines a read only CSECT and makes the Assembler check for possible violations.
The assembler check is not fool proof.
DSECT
 Dummy Control Sections
 To describe the structure of a block of data in memory without actually allocating memory
 Acts as a template (for example with storage obtained dynamically at run time)
 No code is generated
 DC statement is not allowed in a DSECT
Example:
CUSTOMER DSECT
FIELD1 DS CL3
FIELD2 DS CL10
FIELD3 DS CL10
FIELD4 DS CL10
FIELD5 DS F
CITY DS PL5
USING
 USING <symbol>, Rn
 Symbol can be any relocatable symbol defined in the program
 * can be used in the place of symbol
 Fields in the DSECTs are accessed after
 Establishing a base register with USING instruction at Assembly time
 Initialising the Base Register with the address of the storage area at run time.
 Rn, base register, to be used by the assembler for resolving the symbols in the base
displacement FORM
 The location counter of the symbol is used as the base from which displacements are
calculated
 Users responsibility to load the base register with base address
 BALR instruction can be used to load the base address
 Range of a base register is 4096 including the base
 If the code size is more than 4096 bytes, multiples base registers have to be used
Example :
BALR 12,0 Load the base address
USING *,12 Reg 12 is a base register
USING PROG,10 Base for DSECT PROG
ORG
 ORG <EXPR>
 If expr is specified, location counter is set up with expr value
 If expr is not specified, location counter takes previous maximum value
Used to redefine the storage
Example:
BUFFER DS 100F
ORG BUFFER
A DS CL80
B DS CL80
C DS CL80
D DS CL80
ORG
DROP
 DROP (R0,R1,...RN)
 Specified registers are dropped as base registers
Example BALR 12,0
USING *,12
.
.
.
DROP 12
END LABEL
 Signals the end of a control section or program, Label is the entry point
EJECT
 Force a form feed
 The directive itself not printed in the listing
LTORG
 Forces assembler to dump the literals collected up to that point
EXTRN, ENTRY
This example illustrates how a data item can be externalised and the address of the data
item caught in another program. The second program can then manipulate the data in the
data item.
TEST5 CSECT
ENTRY DATA
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
WTO 'IN ASM4 BEFORE CALL TO SUB4'
LA 3,MSG
WTO TEXT=(3)
L 15,ASUB1
BALR 14,15
WTO 'IN ASM4 AFTER CALL TO SUB4'
LA 3,MSG
WTO TEXT=(3)
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
LA 15,4
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
DC A(SAVE)
ASUB1 DC V(SUB4)
MSG DC AL2(L'DATA)
DATA DC CL20'DATA BEFORE CALL'
END
SUB4 CSECT
EXTRN DATA
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
WTO 'IN SUB 4 BEFORE CHANGING DATA'
L 3,ADATA
MVC 0(20,3),=CL20'DATA AFTER CHANGE'
WTO 'IN SUB 4 AFTER CHANGING DATA'
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
SR 15,15
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
ADATA DC A(DATA)
END
WXTRN
 defines a weak external reference. A weak external reference does not trigger a
linkage editor auto call. Note that in the following example the linkage editor does not
object to SAVE1 remaining unresolved. However, in the course of resolving strong
external references, if an ENTRY of SAVE1 is found then it is resolved in this
module.
Example
This example illustrates how you must test whether a WXTRN has been resolved before
you use the reference.
WXT CSECT
WXTRN WXDATA
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
L 4,AWXDATA
LTR 4,4
BZ NOTRES
RES .
. USE ADDRESS
.
NOTRES . NOT RESOLVED
.
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
SR 15,15
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
AWXDATA DC A(WXDATA)
END
COM
 Defines a common section. All common sections across CSECTS with the same
name map to the same storage. The storage for COMMON sections is allocated at
the time the load module is built.
Example
This example illustrates how a COM area may be defined and shared across CSECTS.
COM CSECT
COM AMODE 31
COM RMODE ANY
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
L 15,ASUB
BALR 14,15
ICM 4,B'1111',ACOM
WTO TEXT=(4)
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
LA 15,0
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
ASUB DC V(SUB)
ACOM DC A(COMMON)
COMMON COM
MSG DS AL2
DS CL100
END
SUB CSECT
SUB AMODE 31
SUB RMODE ANY
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
L 4,ACOM
LA 5,15
STH 5,0(0,4)
MVC 2(15,4),=CL15'THIS IS SUB'
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
LA 15,0
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
ACOM DC A(COMMON)
COMMON COM
MSG DS AL2
DS CL100
END
JCL ASPECTS back
COPY BOOKS SOURCE MACLIBS
ASSEMBLER
OBJECT LIBRARIES OBJECT DECK
LINKER
LOAD MODULE
LOAD IN MAIN STORAGE FOR EXECUTION
program consists of Machine instructions

Assembler instructions
Macro Instructions.
Development cycle Coding

Pre Assembly
Assembly
Linkage Edit
Program fetch
JCL:- The ASMACL procedure that assembles and links a assembler program can be used. It is
usually found in SYS1.PROCLIB.
Look at this JCL on your system and understand the JCL.
If the C step is the compilation step and the L step is the Link edit step, the following DDNAMES
refer to the data sets mentioned against each:-
C.SYSIN points to the source

C.SYSLIB points to the Macro and Copy book libraries
C.SYSPRINT is the compilation listing.
L.SYSLIB points to an Object code Library which may contain subprograms in Object form
L.SYSLMOD points to the target Load library.
L.SYSPRINT is the linkage editor listing.
The C.SYSUT1 and L.SYSUT1 datasets are work files.
Some of the Important linkage editor options are given below

LET allows you to specify severity level of an error to determine whether the load module is to be
marked as unusable.
MAP | NOMAP Use map if you want a generated map of the load module
NCAL Do not make an automatic search of the object libraries when linking. Make sure you
remove it
RENT Indicates module is re-entrant, NORENT marks it as non re-entrant
AMODE 24|31|ANY . Use this parameter to override the attribute established by the assembler
in the assembly process
RMODE 24|ANY overrides this attribute as set by the assembly process
Assembler
OBJECT and LIST are the usual compilation options.
ALIGN instructs assembler to check for alignment where it is required

default ALIGN
DECK Assembler generates object deck on SYSPUNCH

default NODECK
ESD The External symbol dictionary is produced in the listing

default ESD
OBJECT instructs the assembler to generate an object data set on SYSLIN

default OBJECT
RENT instructs the assembler to check for possible violations of re-entrant default NORENT
RLD the assembler outputs the relocation dictionary in the listing default RLD
SYSPARM SYSPARM ( parmvalue………) max 255 chars
XREF(FULL) Ordinary symbol and literal cross reference listing produced including symbols that
are not referred to .
XREF(SHORT) Omits symbols not referred to. Default XREF(SHORT,UNREFS)
Special Considerations when the member name and the CSECT name do not match.
Source File-1
TEST6 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
WTO 'IN ASM3 BEFORE CALL TO SUB1',ROUTCDE=(11)
L 15,ASUB1
BALR 14,15
WTO 'IN ASM3 AFTER CALL TO SUB1',ROUTCDE=(11)

L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
SR 15,15
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
ASUB1 DC V(SUB1) Does not pose problems
ASUB2 DC V(SUB2) Does pose a problem
END
Source File-2, compiled and stored as SUB1 in the Object Library. It contains both SUB1 as
well as SUB2 CSECT.
SUB1 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
WTO 'IN SUB 1',ROUTCDE=(11)
DC F'0'
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
SR 15,15
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
*
* NEW CSECT
*
SUB2 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE1+4
LA 13,SAVE1
WTO 'IN SUB 2',ROUTCDE=(11)
L 13,SAVE1+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
SR 15,15
BR 14
SAVE1 DS 18F
*
* note that duplicate labels are not permitted in the same
* source file
*
END
If you are calling SUB2 , the linkage editor cannot resolve the external reference unless you make the
editor explicitly include module with the control statement below:-
//LKED.SYSIN DD *
INCLUDE SYSLIB(SUB1)
/*
Alternately, you can link edit the file containing SUB1 and SUB2 into a load module. Give the
Load module a primary name of SUB1 and an ALIAS of SUB2. The syntax of the ALIAS linkage
editor control statement is
ALIAS directory-name[(external symbol)]
Example
//LKED.SYSIN DD *
ALIAS SUB2
/*
Other Linkage editor control statements of interest are

MODE Sets the mode for the Load Module
MODE AMODE(31),RMODE(ANY)
LIBRARY specifies explicitly the Library to be used for specific external references
LIBRARY TESTLIB(DATE,TIME)
NAME Specifies the load module name. The (R) specifies that any existing module with the same
name in the load library is to be replaced.
NAME MYMOD(R)
SETSSI This sets the system service index of the module which is shown in a 3.4 DSLIST of the
members of the LOAD Library members. It is represented as 8 hex digits.
SETSSI 00000001
In addition to AMODE, RMODE and SSI which are stored in the directory entry for the load
module the following attributes can be set through the Linkage Editor PARM field:-
REUS The program is serially reusable. The system queues requests to use the module (via
LINK, XCTL, ATTACH) if it is in use
RENT The program is re-entrant. It means that more than one task can concurrently use the
program.
REFR The program is refreshable (it can be refreshed by a new copy from the PDS anytime ,
even while it is executing.
If none of these are specified, it means that the program must be fetched afresh from the load
library every time it is required.
REFR implies RENT and REUS as well. RENT implies REUS as well.
Note that using the program via BALR instruction can defeat the purpose of these attributes.
SUBROUTINES AND LINKAGES 24 BIT MODE back

SUBROUTINE
 Entry point Identified by a CSECT,START OR ENTRY assembler directives.
 An entry is made in the ESD for each Entry point.
 A CSECT can have multiple entry points specified by ENTRY directive
 Internal Subroutine :-A subroutine present in the source module from which it is called.
 External Subroutine :-A subroutine present in a different source module. Assembled and link
edited separately
 Static Subroutine :- A subroutine which is known at the link edit time. Can be an internal or an
external subroutine.
 Dynamic Subroutine:- A subroutine which is loaded at program run time using LOAD, LINK
macros
 V-type address constant:- To refer a symbol defined in another CSECT.
 External symbol directory (ESD) :- A table containing information about the name, location and
size off each all external symbols
Linking to subroutine
BALR R1,R2 Branch and link register
(R1) <--PC,PC <--R2)
BAL R1,S2 Branch and link

(R1) <--PC,PC <--S2
The next instruction address is loaded in the register specified by the

first operand and the branch is taken to the address specified by the second
operand. If R2 is zero, then no branch is taken
Return from subroutine

BR R1 Branch register
PC <--(R1)
Branch unconditionally to the address specified in the operand 1
Example:
MAIN START 0
.
.
BAL 14,SUB1
.
L 15,SUB2
BALR 14,15
*
RETURN. .
*
SUB1 DS OH
BR 14
SUB2 DC V(SUBROUT2)
END
Saving and restoring environment

Programs uses registers as base registers, index registers, and accumulators. If a program calls
a subprogram, when the control returns, these register values should not be altered. To achieve
this, the calling program provides a SAVEAREA into which the called program saves the
registers. Before the control is returned from the subprogram, the registers are restored to their
original values. Some subprograms return to the called program a return code (set in GPR15)
and a reason code. It is a good programming practice to save and restore the environment. If
this is done any subroutine can be used by any program with out the need to identify which
registers are modified by the subroutine.
Convention for saving registers

 Every calling routine has a save area of 18 full-words for the use of called routine
 The calling routine passes the save area address in register 13
 Every called routine saves the registers in this area before establishing addressability
 Address of called routine is in register 15
 Register 14 has the return address
SAVEAREA (18 Full words) layout

Savearea+0 Reserved for PL/1
Savearea+4 Address of save-area of program which called this sub-program
Savearea+8 Address of save-area of another program called by this program
Savearea+12 This programs Register 14 contents saved by called program
savearea+16 This programs Register 15 contents saved by called program
savearea+20 This programs Register 0 contents saved by called program
. .
. .
. .
Example
MAIN START 0
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LR 2,13
LA 13,SAVE
ST 13,8(2)
.
.
.
LA 15,0
L 13,SAVE+4
L 14,12(0,13)
LM 0,12,20(13)
*
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
END
Advantages of SAVEAREA
 Forward and backward pointers running through the save areas useful for trace-back
 Called program can first save the environment before acquiring storage in case of re-entrant
program
Parameter passing
 Fixed and variable number of parameters can be passed to a subprogram
 Parameters value are not passed directly
 Each parameter is saved in the storage. An array is created containing the addresses of the
parameters in the order they are expected in the called program. Register 1 is loaded with the
starting address of this address array. The last address in the array should have bit ' 0' set to
' 1'
 For variable number of parameters, the high order bit of the last parameter is set to one to
indicate the end of parameter list
Example
This example illustrates how three parameters P1,P2 and P3 may be passed by reference.
.
LA 2,P1
ST 2,PARM
LA 2,P2
ST 2,PARM+4
LA 3,P3
ST 3,PARM+8
LA 1,PARM
L 15,=V(PROC1)
BALR 14,15
.
.
LA 1,=A(P2,P1,P3)
L 15,=V(PROC2)
BALR 14,15
.
P1 DS CL8
P2 DC F'20'
P3 DC C'ABCDEFGHIJKL'
PARM DS 3F
Accessing the parameters

 On entry to the subprogram, R1 contains the base address of the array of pointers. Each
element of this array points to one of the parameters.
 Access the parameter pointer from the array and using this access the parameter itself.
 If a structure is passed as in the case of a COBOL program calling an Assembler program,
the address list contains only the address of the first byte of the structure. You can use this
address and map a DSECT over the calling programs data structure. The DSECT defines the
same structure as that of the data structure in the calling program.
Example of three parameters being passed to a sub program.

LM 4,6,0(1) Fetch address of P1-P3
L 4,0(4) R4 has P1
L 4,0(5) R4 has P2
L 4,0(6) R4 has P3
Functions in Assembly language

 To pass back a return value from function set register 0 to that value
 The return value in R15 can be used to indicate an error condition
 A return code of 0 means successful completion
 Return codes are usually a multiple of 4, so that it can be used to index into an address
table
Example
MAIN CSECT
. entry linkages
.
.
LA 1,=A(I,J)
L 15,=V(MIN)
BALR 14,15
ST 0,K
.
.
BR 14
I DC F'100'
J DC F'120'
K DS F
SAVE1 DS 18F
*
MIN CSECT
. entry linkages
.
LM 4,5,0(1)
L 4,0(4)
L 5,0(5)
CR 4,5
BGE BIG
LR 0,5
B RESTORE
BIG LR 0,4
RESTORE EQU *
.
. exit linkages
.
BR 14
SAVE2 DS 18F
END
Example of capturing PARM data from JCL

PARM CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
L 13,SAVE+4
L 2,0(0,1)
LH 3,0(0,2)
STCM 3,B'0011',MSG
S 3,=F'1'
EX 3,IN1
LA 4,MSG
WTO TEXT=(4)
LM 14,12,12(13)
LA 15,0
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
IN1 MVC MSG+2(0),2(2)
MSG DC AL2(0)
DS CL100
END
Example
A different style of achieving addressability through R15!!
TEST7 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
USING TEST13,15
ST 13,SAVE+4
LR 2,13
LA 13,SAVE
ST 13,8(0,2)
* LR 12,15
DROP 15
USING TEST13,12
*
*
*
*
L 13,SAVE+4
L 14,12(0,13)
LM 0,12,20(13)
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
END
Passing Structures (like a COBOL 01 level item)

TEST8 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
L 15,ASUB
LA 1,=A(PARMS)
BALR 14,15
L 5,RES
CVD 5,DW
UNPK MSG+2(16),DW
OI MSG+17,X'F0'
WTO 'RESULT IS'
LA 4,MSG
WTO TEXT=(4)
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
LA 15,0
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
MSG DC AL2(16)
DS CL16
ASUB DC V(SUB2)
DW DS D
DS 0F
PARMS DS 0CL12
A DC F'100'
B DC F'200'
RES DS F
END
SUB2 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
USING SUB,15
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
LR 12,15
DROP 15
USING SUB,12
LR 2,1
WTO 'IN SUB'
LR 1,2
L 2,0(1)
USING PARMS,2
L 5,A
A 5,B
ST 5,RES
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
LA 15,0
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
PARMS DSECT
A DS F
B DS F
RES DS F
END
Standard Entry and Exit Linkages

TEMP CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LR 2,13
LA 13,SAVE
ST 13,8(0,2)
*
*
*
L 13,SAVE+4
L 14,12(0,13)
LM 0,12,20(13)
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
END
Standard Entry and Exit Linkages using GETMAINED storage

TEMP1 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
LR 3,1
GETMAIN R,LV=LEN,LOC=BELOW
ST 13,4(0,1)
LR 2,13
LR 13,1
ST 13,8(0,2)
USING WS,13
LR 1,3
* BUSINESS LOGIC STARTS
*
* BUSINESS LOGIC ENDS
LR 2,13
L 13,4(0,2)
FREEMAIN R,LV=LEN,A=(2)
RETURN (14,12),,RC=0
WS DSECT
SAVE DS 18F
LEN EQU *-WS
END
MACROS AND CONDITIONAL ASSEMBLY Back

Macro
 An extension of assembler language.
 Provides convenient way to generate a sequence of assembler language statements
 A macro definition is written only once
 Macro invocation expands to the desired sequence of statements
 Conditional assembly statements can be used to tailor the statements generated
 Parameters can be passed to the macro
 Expanded during the pre-assembly time and generates inline code
Macro definition
 Can appear at beginning of a source module in which case it is called a source MACRO
 System macros reside in a system library (ddname SYSLIB)
 User macros reside in a user library or in the source program itself
 Nested macro invocations possible
Format of a Macro definition

 Header. Indicates the beginning of a macro definition (MACRO)
 Prototype statement. Defines the macro name and the symbolic parameters
 Body. Contains model statements, processing statements, comments statements and
conditional assembly statements.
 Trailer. Indicates the end of a macro definition (MEND)
Prototype
 Must be the second non-comment statement in every macro definition.
 Only internal comments are allowed between the macro header and the macro prototype.
 Format of the prototype statement:
{Name} Operation {Operands}
Name field : A variable symbol. The name entry in the calling macro instruction is
assigned to this symbol.
Operation field: The name of the macro. The macro is invoked with this name.
Operands : Specify positional or keyword parameters. Maximum 240 parameters
can be passed
Macro body :
 Contains the sequence of statements that are generated in the macro expansion.
 Model statements from which assembler language statements are generated.
 Processing statements that can alter the content and sequence off the statements
generated or issue error messages.
 Comments statements.
 Conditional assembly instructions to compute results to be displayed in the message
created by the MNOTE instruction, without causing any assembler language statements to
be generated
Model Statement
 Assembler language statements are generated at pre-assembly time from model
statement
 Variable symbols can be specified to vary the contents of the statements generated
 Statements generated must not be conditional assembly instructions
Variable Symbols
 Prefixed with '&' character
 Can appear in macros and in conditional assembly statements

 Can be symbolic parameters, system variables or set symbols
 System variables are read only and their value is maintained by the Assembler
Example
USER: &L &NAME &VARI &PARAM(1)
SYSTEM: &SYSNDX &SYSDATE &SYSECT
Concatenation (".")
 Used when a character string has to be concatenated to a variable symbol
 Concatenation character is mandatory
1) when an alphanumeric character is to follow a variable symbol
2) A left parenthesis that does not enclose a subscript is to follow a variable symbol
 To generate a period, two periods must be specified in the concatenated string following the variable
symbol
 Concatenation character is not required
1) when an ordinary character string precedes a variable symbol
2) A special character, except a left parenthesis or a period, is to follow a variable symbol
3) A variable symbol follows another variable symbol
4) Between a variable symbol and its subscript
String Symbol Value Result

&FLD.A &FLD AREA AREAA
&FLDA &FLDA SUM SUM
&B 10
&D.(&B) &D 100 100(10)
&I 99
&F 98
D'&I..&F' D'99.98'
D'&I.&F' D'9988'
&A+3 &A A A+3
Symbolic Parameters
 Variable symbols included in macro prototype are supplied values by the macro call
 Actual value supplied for a formal parameters is a character string (max=255chars)
 Two kinds of symbolic parameters
 Positional Parameters
 Keyword Parameters
 Null string for the omitted parameters
 Defaults can be specified for keyword parameters
 Parameters can be subscribed
 Have local scope
 Read only
Example
MACRO
MAC1 &P1,&K1=10
.
MEND
Invocation of above Macro:

START 0
.
.
.
MAC1 ONE,K1=12
.
MAC1 TWO
.
.
END
Example
MACRO
DIVIDE &R1,&R2,&TYPE
M &R1,=F`1'
D&TYPE &R1,&R2
MEND
Invocation
MAIN CSECT
.
.
.
DIVIDE 8,NUM
+ M 8,=F`1'
+ D 8,NUM
.
.
DIVIDE 4,6,R
+ M 4,=F'1'
.
.
+ DR 4,6
END
Processing Statements
 Macro instruction
 Conditional assembly instructions
Macro instructions
MNOTE instruction
<SEQ SYM> MNOTE <opt> <message>
 To generate error messages or display intermediate values of variable symbols
 Can be used in open code or in a macro
 Opt specifies a severity code. If"," is specified then the severity code value is "1"
 If opt is omitted or a `*' is specified, then the message is generated as a comment
Example:
MNOTE 2, Èrror in syntax'
MNOTE ,Èrror, severity 1'
MNOTE *, À comment'
MNOTE Ànother comment'
MEXIT instruction
<SEQ SYM> MEXIT
 Exit from the current macro definition
 Can be used only inside a macro definition
Comments
 A "*" in column generates an ordinary comment which will appear in the listing
 A ".*" sequence in column 1 generates an internal comment which will not appear in the listing
System Variables
Variables set by the system

&SYSDATE, &SYSPARM, and &SYSNDX can be used only within a macro
Name Description
&SYSLIST Provides alternate way of accessing positional parameters
&SYSPARM To obtain the compile time parm value passed thru JCL EXEC statement
&SYSECT To get the name of CSECT from where macro is invoked
&SYSTIME To get time in HH.MM format
&SYSDATE To get date in MM/DD/YY format
Example
Prototype statement : LOOP VNAME V1,V2,,V4,(V5,V6)
&SYSLIST(0) = LOOP
&SYSLIST(1) = V1
&SYSLIST(2) = V2
&SYSLIST(3) = NULL STRING
&SYSLIST(4) = V4
&SYSLIST(5) = (V5,V6)
&SYSLIST(5,1) = V5
&SYSLIST(5,2) = V6
N'&SYSLIST = 5
N'&SYSLIST(5) = 2
Sublists
 To specify variable number of parameters to a macro
 One or more entries separated by commas and enclosed in parenthesis
 Including the parenthesis, maximum length is 255 characters
Example
MACRO
&L VAR &P1,&P2,&KEY=(F0,F,0)
.
&KEY(1) DC &KEY(2)'&KEY(3)'
&P1(1) DC &P1(2) '&P1(3)'
DC A&P2
.
MEND
invocation:
MAIN START 0
.
VAR (H20,H,200), (A,B,C),KEY=(F1,F,1)
+F1 DC F' 1'
+H20 DC H'200'
+ DC A(A,B,C)
END
Labels in macro
If ordinary symbols are used as label, then for each macro invocation, the same label will be generated
and duplicate symbol error will occur at assembly time. To avoid this &SYSNDX system variable can be
concatenated with a symbol, so that the label generated is unique.
Example
MACRO
LOOP
LOOP&SYSNDX EQU *
BNE LOOP&SYSNDX
MEND
Invocation
MAIN START 0
LOOP
+LOOP0001 EQU *
+ BNE LOOP0001
LOOP
+LOOP0002 EQU *
+ BNE LOOP0002
Conditional Assembly
 Selectively assemble a sequence of instructions
 Can be used in the open code or in the macros
 Processed at the pre-assembly time
 Many functions like a programming language is available
 Variable declarations and assigning values
 Arithmetic and logic functions
 Character processing
 Control facilities
 Conditional assembly statement labels are called sequence symbols and are prefixed with "."
Set Symbols
 Provides arithmetic, binary, or character data
 Values can be varied at pre-assembly time
 Can be subscripted (set symbol array)
 Can be local(within a macro) or global (across other macros in this assembly)set symbols
 Used as
 Terms in conditional assembly expressions
 Counters, Switches and character strings
 Subscripts for variable symbol
 Values for substitution
Global set symbols

 Values can be accessed any where in the source
 Has to be defined in each part of the program in which it is accessed (macro, open code)
 Declared using
GBLA, for global arithmetic set symbols
GBLB, for global binary set symbols
GBLC, for global character set symbols
 GBLA and GBLB have a default value 0 (zero)
 GBLC has null string as default value
 SYNTAX
GBLA <VARLIST>
GBLB <VARLIST>
GBLC <VARLIST>
Example
GBLA &TEST,&VAL
GBLC &NAME,&ID
GBLB &TRUE
Local set symbols

 Values can be accessed only in the macro in which it is defined
 Declared using
LCLA, for local arithmetic set symbols
LCLB, for local binary set symbols
LCLC, for local character set symbols
 LCLA and LCLB have default value 0 (zero)
 LCLC has null string as default value
 SYNTAX
LCLA <VARLIST>
LCLB <VARLIST>
LCLC <VARLIST>
Example
LCLA &CNT,&VAL
LCLC &STR1
LCLB &TRUE
Conditional Assembly Expressions

 Three kinds
 Arithmetic
 Character
 Binary
 Can be used as operands of conditional branch instruction
 To assign values to set symbols
 Arithmetic expressions are formed using arithmetic operators
 Character expressions can produce strings of up to 255 chars
 Parameter substitution within quoted strings
 Duplication factor for quoted strings
 Boolean expression by combining arithmetic or character expressions using relational
operators
Assigning Values to Set Symbols

 Global set symbols have to be defined before assigning values
 Undeclared set symbols are defined as local set symbols
 More than one element in an array can be assigned values in a single set statements
Set Arithmetic
 <VAR SYMBOL> SETA <arithmetic expression>
 To assign an arithmetic value to a SETA symbol
 Value represented by SETC symbol variable string can be used as a term in an
arithmetic expression provided they contain only numeric digits.
 Value represented by SETB symbol variable can also be used in arithmetic expression
 Valid unary operators are +,-.Binary operators are +,-,*,/
Examples
&A SETA 10 10
&B SETA 2 2
&C SETA &A + 10/&B 15
&D SETA (&A+10)/&B 10
&A SETA 11 11
&B SETA &A/2 5
&A SETA 1 1
&B SETA &A/2 0
Set Binary
 <VAR SYMBOL> SETB <Boolean expression>
Example
&B SETB 1
&A SETB 0
 To assign an binary bit value to a SETB symbol
Set Character
 <VAR SYMBOL> SETC <expression>
 To assign characters value to a SETC symbol
 The expression could be
 A type attribute reference
 A character expression
 A sub string notation
 A concatenation of sub string notations, or character expressions, or both
 A duplication factor can precede any of the first three options
Example:
&C SETC 'STRING0'
*
* &C="STRING0"
*
&D SETC ‘&C(4,2)’
*
* &D = "IN"
*
&E SETC 'L''SYMBOL'
*
* &E = "L'SYMBOL"
*
&F SETC 'HALF&&'
*
* &F="HALF&"
*
&G SETC '&D.NER'
*
* &G="INNER"
*
&C1 SETC 3('ABC')
*
* &C1 = ‘ABCABCABC’
*
Example
MACRO
&NAME MOVE &TO,&FROM
LCLA &A1
LCLB &B1,&B2
LCLC &C1
&B1 SETB (L'&TO EQ 4)
&B2 SETB (S'&TO EQ 0)
&A1 SETA &B1
&C1 SETC '&B2'
&NAME ST 2,SAVEAREA
L 2,&FROM&A1
ST 2,&TO&C1
L 2,SAVEAREA
MEND
Invocation
MAIN START 0
HERE MOVE FLDA,FLDB
+HERE ST 2,SAVEAREA
+ L 2,FLDB1
+ ST 2,FLDAO
+ L 2,SAVEAREA
Conditional Branch
<SEQ SYMBOL> AIF (<LOGICAL EXPR>).<SEQ SYMBOL>
The logical expression in the operand field is evaluated at pre-assembly time to determine if it is true or
false. If the expression is true, the statement named by the sequence symbol in the operand field is the
next statement processed. If the expression is false, the next sequential statement is processed by the
assembler.
Logical operators are EQ,NE,LE,LT,GE,GT
Example
AIF (`&C' EQ `YES').OUT
.ERROR ANOP
.
.
.
.OUT ANOP
Unconditional branch
 <SEQ SYMBOL> AGO <SEQ SYM2>
 Branches to the statement identified by "SEQ SYM2"
Conditional Assembly Loop Counter

 <SEQ SYMBOL> ACTR <ARITHMETIC EXPRESSION>
 Set a conditional assembly loop counter either within a macro definition or in open code.
 Can appear any where in the program.
 Each time AGO or AIF is executed the counter value is decremented by one and if its is zero
exit from the macro or stop processing the statements in the open code
 Avoids excessive looping
 Assembler has a default counter and it is initialised with 4096
NOP
 <sequence symbol> ANOP
 Performs no operation
 Used to define a sequence symbol which can be used in AIF and AGO
Data Attributes
<c> 'SYMBOL
Attribute Description
T Type of the symbol
Values returned by assembler are
A,V,S,Q For the various address constants
B Binary constant
C Character constant
D,E,L Floating point constant

F,H Integer constants
P Packed decimal constant
H Hexadecimal constant
Z Zoned decimal constant
I Machine instruction
M Macro
J Control section
T EXTRN symbol
N Self defining term
O undefined (omitted)
L Length of symbol number of bytes
C Number of characters contained by the variable symbol
N Number of element in a sublist associated with the symbol
D Defined attribute, indicates whether or not the symbol has been defined prior
Example
MACRO
TABLE
LCLA &I
&SYSLIST(0) DS 0D
.WHILE AIF (&I GT N'SYSLIST).DONE
DC D'&SYSLIST(&I)
&I SETA &I+1
AGO .WHILE
.DONE MEND
Macro help facility

 <name> MHELP <value>
 Controls a set of trace and dump facilities
 Can occur anywhere in open code or in macro definitions
 Remains in effect until superseded by another MHELP statement
 More than one facility can be specified
Value Function
1 Macro Call Trace
2 Macro Branch Trace
4 Macro AIF Dump
8 Macro Exit Dump
16 Macro Entry Dump
32 Global Suppression
64 Macro Hex Dump
128 Mhelp Suppression
Example of SAVE macro

MACRO
&LABEL SAVE &REGS, X
&T, X
&ID
.*
AIF ('&LABEL' EQ '').NOLAB
&LABEL DS 0H
.NOLAB ANOP
AIF ('&ID' EQ '').CONTINU
.* This is a macro comment
B 12(15)
* This is a normal assembler comment
AIF ('&ID' EQ '*').IDHERE
DC CL8'&ID'
AGO .CONTINU
.IDHERE ANOP
AIF ('&LABEL' EQ '').NOID
DC CL8'&LABEL'
AGO .CONTINU
.NOID ANOP
DC CL8'&SYSECT'
.CONTINU ANOP
.*
AIF ('&REGS' EQ '').NOREGS
STM &REGS(1),&REGS(2),12(13)
.NOREGS ANOP
MEND
Example of RETURN macro

MACRO
&LABEL RETURN &REGS, X
&T, X
&RC=
.*
LCLA &WORK,&VALU
.*
AIF ('&LABEL' EQ '').NOLAB
&LABEL DS 0H
.NOLAB ANOP
.*
AIF ('&REGS' EQ '').NOREGS
AIF (&REGS(1) GE &REGS(2)).RET1
AIF (&REGS(2) EQ 15).RET1
AIF ('&RC' EQ '').RCT3
AIF ('&RC'(1,1) EQ '(').RCT2
LA 15,&RC
.RCT3 ANOP
LM &REGS(1),&REGS(2),12(13)
BR 14
MEXIT
.RCT2 ANOP
&VALU SETA &RC(1)
LR 15,&VALU
LM &REGS(1),&REGS(2),12(13)
BR 14
MEXIT
.*
.RET1 ANOP
&WORK SETA (15-&REGS(1))*4
AIF ('&RC'(1,1) EQ '(').RCT1
LA 15,&RC
ST 15,12+&WORK.(13)
.RCT4 ANOP
LM &REGS(1),&REGS(2),12(13)
BR 14
MEXIT
.RCT1 ANOP
&VALU SETA &RC(1)
ST &VALU,12+&WORK.(13)
LM &REGS(1),&REGS(2),12(13)
BR 14
MEXIT
.*
.NOREGS ANOP
AIF ('&RC'(1,1) EQ '(').RCT5
LA 15,&RC
.RCT6 ANOP
BR 14
MEXIT
.RCT5 ANOP
&WORK SETA &RC(1)
LR 15,&WORK
BR 14
MEXIT
MEND
MVS SYSTEM MACROS back

QSAM
DCB Macro
 Included for every data set accessed by the program
 Access method depends upon the parameters passed to the DCB
 All parameters are keyword parameters specifying various options for the data set
 Generates non executable code (control block) and should therefore be coded in the data area
Name DCB DDNAME =External DD name in JCL,

DSORG =PS | PO,
MACRF={{(G{M|L})}
{(P{M|L})}}
{(G{M|L},P{M|L})}}
G specifies that GET macros are used. Specifying G also provides the routines that allow the
problem program to issue RELSE macros. G is required if the OPEN option is INPUT or UPDAT.
It has no effect if the OPEN option is OUTPUT or EXTEND.
L specifies that the locate transmittal mode is used; the system provides the address of the buffer
containing the data.
M specifies that the move transmittal mode is used; the system moves the data from the buffer to
the work area in the problem program.
P specifies that PUT or PUTX macros are used. P is required if the OPEN option is OUTPUT
or EXTEND. It has no effect if the OPEN option is INPUT. P may be specified if the OPEN option
is UPDAT.
LRECL =,
BLKSIZE=,
RECFM =F | FB | FBA | V |VBA,
EODAD=,
Notes:- G Get,
P Put,
G,P Get and PUT
M Move mode I/O
L Locate mode I/O
F Fixed unblocked
FB Fixed blocked
FBA Fixed blocked with first character as a ASA control character. Used only for
printer output
V Variable unblocked
VB Variable blocked
Notes:-
In MOVE mode the data is transferred to or from a data area in your program.
In LOCATE mode if you issue a GET the address of the record in the system buffer is returned
in register 1. You can load it into a work register and map a DSECT over the system buffer by a
USING instruction.
If you issue a PUT in LOCATE mode the system returns you an address in register 1 where
you can build the new record. The next PUT will write the previously built record and return you
a new buffer address in register 1.
DCBE Macro
This macro is used (optionally) to extend the DCB functionality. The most common use is when
the program is changed from AMODE 24 to AMODE 31. See a sample program that illustrates
this usage in the chapter on 24 / 31 bit programming issues.
RDJFCB Macro
This macro is used to change the JFCB (Job file control block) that the system creates, one for
each DD statement. This macro copies the JFCB to a user defined 176 byte area where the
information from the DD statement may be modified before the file is opened. Be aware that
some operations need your program to be in authorised mode. The following program uses the
same DD statement to open and read three PS files one at a time.
Example
This example illustrates how one single DD statement can be serially used to open and
read three different files in the same VOLUME.
RDJFCB CSECT
SAVE (14,12)
BALR 9,0
USING *,9
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
*
OPEN (SYSPRINT,OUTPUT),MODE=31
LTR 15,15
BNZ OPENERR
*
USING INFMJFCB,10
USING IHADCB,11
USING DSTBLMAP,12
*
BAL 6,RDJFCB
NEXTFILE BAL 6,MDFYJFCB
BAL 6,OPEN
BAL 6,PROCESS
BAL 6,CLOSE
B NEXTFILE
CLOSE SYSPRINT
VOLEND B RETURN
*
RDJFCB RDJFCB (FILEDCB,INPUT)
LTR 15,15
BNZ NODD
BR 6
NODD WTO 'FILE DD NOT SPECIFIED IN JCL'
ABEND 901
*
MDFYJFCB LA 10,JFCB
L 12,DSTBLPTR
CLI DSNAME,X'00'
BE VOLEND
MVC JFCBDSNM,DSNAME
LA 14,TBLENLEN(0,12)
ST 14,DSTBLPTR
*
OPEN LA 11,FILEDCB
OPEN (FILEDCB,INPUT),TYPE=J
LTR 15,15
BNZ OPENERR
BR 6
*
CLOSE CLOSE (FILEDCB)
BR 6
*
OPENERR WTO 'OPENERROR'
L 13,SAVE+4
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
*
PROCESS GET FILEDCB,BUFFER
MVC OUTREC(80),BUFFER
PUT SYSPRINT,OUTCARD
B PROCESS
EOF BR 6
*
RETURN L 13,SAVE+4
*
SAVE DS 18F
DSTBLPTR DC A(DSNTBL)
*
DSNTBL DS 0F
TBLENTBG EQU *
DC A(L'DS01)
DS01 DC C'userid.FILE1'
DC CL(45-L'DS01)' '
DS 0F
TBLENTX EQU *
DC A(L'DS02)
DC CL(45-L'DS02)' '
DC A(L'DS02)
DC CL(45-L'DS03)' '
NULL DS A
DC X'00'
TBLENLEN EQU TBLENTX-TBLENTBG
*
*
QNAME DC CL8'SYSDSN'
RNAME DS CL44
*
JFCB DS 44F
JFCBPTR DC X'87' /* this must be on a fullword boundary */
DC AL3(JFCB)
BUFFER DS CL80
*
FILEDCB DCB DSORG=PS,MACRF=GM,EXLST=JFCBPTR,EODAD=EOF, X
DDNAME=INFILE
*
OUTCARD DC AL2(137),AL2(0)
OUTREC DC CL133' '
SYSPRINT DCB DDNAME=SYSPRINT,MACRF=PM,DSORG=PS, X
LRECL=137,BLKSIZE=1370,RECFM=VB
*
DCBD DSORG=PS
DSECT
IEFJFCBN
*
DSTBLMAP DSECT
DSNMLEN DS CL4
DSNAME DS CL44
DS CL1
END
The JCL for the above program

//userid1 JOB NOTIFY=&SYSUID,CLASS=A,MSGLEVEL=(1,1)
// JCLLIB ORDER=(userid.PROCLIB)
//STEP1 EXEC ASMACL,REGION=0M
//ASM.SYSIN DD DSN=userid.ASM.SOURCE(RDJFCB),DISP=SHR
//LKED.SYSLMOD DD DSN=userid.LOADLIB(RDJFCB),DISP=SHR
//LKED.SYSLIB DD DSN=userid.OBJECT,DISP=SHR
// DD DSN=CEE.SCEELKED,DISP=SHR
//RUN EXEC PGM=RDJFCB
//STEPLIB DD DSN=userid.LOADLIB,DISP=SHR
// DD DSN=CEE.SCEERUN,DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//INFILE DD VOL=SER=(volser),DISP=SHR
OPEN Macro
Name OPEN (DCB-name,{options...})
 Logically connect a data set
 Data set identified in the DCB is prepared for processing
 Option Meaning
INPUT Input data set
OUTPUT Output data set
UPDAT Data set to be updated in place
EXTEND Add records to the end of the data set
 DISP Disp options (PASS,KEEP,DELETE,CATLG,UNCATLG)
Example
OPEN (EMPLOYEE,(INPUT),SALES,(OUTPUT))
CLOSE Macro
Name CLOSE (DCB-NAME {,option),...})
 Logically disconnect a data set
 Option Meaning
REREAD Position to the beginning of the data set
LEAVE Position to the logical end of the data set
REWIND Magnetic tape has to be positioned at the beginning
 DISP Disp options like PASS,KEEP,DELETE,CATLG, and UNCATLG
Example
CLOSE (EMPLOYEE,SALES)
GET Macro (QSAM)

Name GET DCB-NAME, {area name}
 Retrieve the next record
 Control is returned after the record is read
 In locate mode the address of the record is returned in R1
 In move mode the record is moved to the user area
Example
GET EMPLOYEE, EMPREC
PUT Macro (QSAM)

Name PUT DCB-NAME,{area name}
 Write a record.
 Control is returned after the record is written
 In locate mode the area name parameter is omitted and the system returns the address of the
I/O buffer in R 1. The data has to be moved to this area and it is written in the next PUT call.
 In moved mode, the system moves the record to an output buffer before the control is
returned.
Example
PUT EMPLOYEE,EMPREC
Example
This example illustrates how a SYSPRINT (SYSOUT) file may be defined and created.
PRINT CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
OPEN (SYSPRINT,OUTPUT)
LTR 15,15
BNZ OPENERR
LA 5,20
MVC OUTREC+1(132),=CL132'THIS IS LINE ONE.'
LOOP PUT SYSPRINT,OUTCARD
BCT 5,LOOP
CLOSE SYSPRINT
L 13,SAVE+4
OPENERR L 13,SAVE+4
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
OUTREC DC CL133' '
LRECL=137,BLKSIZE=1370,RECFM=VBA
SAVE DS 18F
END
Required JCL statement

Example of LOCATE mode I/O

GET
QSAMLOCR CSECT
SAVE (14,12)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LR 2,13
LA 13,SAVE
ST 13,8(0,2)
*
LTR 15,15
BNZ OPENERR1
*
OPEN (INFILE,INPUT)
LTR 15,15
BNZ OPENERR2
*
USING INREC,2
*
LOOP GET INFILE
LR 2,1
MVC DATA+1(80),INDATA
PUT SYSPRINT,RECORD
B LOOP
*
EOF CLOSE SYSPRINT
CLOSE INFILE
L 13,SAVE+4
*
OPENERR1 L 13,SAVE+4
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
*
RETURN (14,12),,RC=20
*
SAVE DS 18F
RECORD DC AL2(137),AL2(0)
DATA DC CL133' '
SYSPRINT DCB DDNAME=SYSPRINT,DSORG=PS,MACRF=PM,RECFM=VBA,LRECL=137, X
BLKSIZE=1370
INFILE DCB DDNAME=INFILE,DSORG=PS,MACRF=GL,EODAD=EOF
*
INREC DSECT
INDATA DS CL80
END
PUT in locate mode

QSAMLOCW CSECT
SAVE (14,12)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LR 2,13
LA 13,SAVE
ST 13,8(0,2)
*
LTR 15,15
BNZ OPENERR1
*
OPEN (INFILE,INPUT)
LTR 15,15
BNZ OPENERR2
*
OPEN (OUTFILE,OUTPUT)
LTR 15,15
BNZ OPENERR3
*
USING INREC,2
*
LOOP GET INFILE
LR 2,1
PUT OUTFILE
LR 3,1
MVC DATA+1(80),INDATA
MVC 0(80,3),INDATA
PUT SYSPRINT,RECORD
B LOOP
*
EOF CLOSE SYSPRINT
CLOSE INFILE
CLOSE OUTFILE
L 13,SAVE+4
*
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
*
RETURN (14,12),,RC=20
*
RETURN (14,12),,RC=24
*
SAVE DS 18F
RECORD DC AL2(137),AL2(0)
DATA DC CL133' '
SYSPRINT DCB DDNAME=SYSPRINT,DSORG=PS,MACRF=PM,RECFM=VBA,LRECL=137, X
BLKSIZE=1370
INFILE DCB DDNAME=INFILE,DSORG=PS,MACRF=GL,EODAD=EOF
OUTFILE DCB DDNAME=OUTFILE,DSORG=PS,MACRF=PL,RECFM=FB,LRECL=80, X
BLKSIZE=800
*
INREC DSECT
INDATA DS CL80
END
UPDATE (GET/PUTX)
QSAMLOCU CSECT
SAVE (14,12)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LR 2,13
LA 13,SAVE
ST 13,8(0,2)
*
OPEN (INFILE,UPDAT)
LTR 15,15
BNZ OPENERR
*
GET INFILE
LR 2,1
MVC 0(4,2),=CL4'9999'
PUTX INFILE
*
EOF CLOSE INFILE
L 13,SAVE+4
*
OPENERR L 13,SAVE+4
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
*
SAVE DS 18F
INFILE DCB DDNAME=INFILE,DSORG=PS,MACRF=(GL,PL),EODAD=EOF
*
INREC DSECT
INDATA DS CL80
END
Memory Management
GETMAIN
 To allocate virtual storage
 Can be allocated on double word or page boundary
 Storage is not initialised
 Storage allocation above or below 16MB line
 Use FREEMAIN to release the storage
 Register 1 contains the storage address
Syntax
Name GETMAIN RC,LV=lv,BNDRY=bndry,LOC=Loc
R Register form
LV Length value
BNDRY DBLWD / PAGE
LOC BELOW / ANY (16MB line)
Example
GETMAIN RC,LV=4096,BNDRY=PAGE,LOC=ANY
A simple Illustration of GETMAIN / FREEMAIN

TEST9 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,4(0,1)
LR 13,1
USING WS,13
LH 3,=H'16'
STH 3,MSG
MVC MSG+2(16),MSG1
LA 3,MSG
WTO TEXT=(3)
*
* show where we getmained storage

*
CVD 13,DW
UNPK MSG+2(16),DW
OI MSG+17,X'F0'
LA 3,MSG
WTO TEXT=(3)
LR 2,13
L 13,4(0,2)
*
* constants can be part of CSECT like this
*
MSG1 DC CL16'THIS IS MSG 1'
*
* This DSECT maps over getmained storage
*
WS DSECT
SAVE DS 18F
MSG DS AL2
DS CL16
DW DS D
ARRAY DS 1000D
LEN EQU *-WS
END
Example
DXD, CXD and Q Type Address Constant
This example illustrates the use of DXD, CXD data types and Q type address constants.
DXD refers to storage allocated in an external dummy section. A DSECT can also be considered
an external dummy section if it is used in a Q type constant. The CXD is initialised by the linkage
editor to the sum of the lengths of all external dummy sections in the load module. It is used to
getmain storage for the external dummy sections at run time. The Q type address constants are
set to the offset of the corresponding dummy sections.
ROUTINE A
A CSECT
.
L 3,LEN
GETMAIN R,LV=(3)
LR 11,1
.
L 15,=V(C)
BALR 14,15
.
L 15,=V(B)
BALR 14,15
.
AX DXD 2DL8
BX DXD 4FL4
LEN CXD
.
DC Q(AX)
DC Q(BX)
.
ROUTINE B
B CSECT
.
L 3,DOFFS
AR 3,11
ST 2,0(0,11)
.
G DXD 5D
D DXD 10F
.
GOFFS DC Q(G)
DOFFS DC Q(D)
.
ROUTINE C
E DSECT
ITEM DS F
NO DS F
SUM DS F
C CSECT
.
L 3,EOFFS
AR 3,11
USING E,3
ST 9,SUM
.
.
EOFFS DC Q(E)
.
.
FREEMAIN
 Releases the acquired virtual storage
 Address should be on a double word boundary
Syntax
Name FREEMAIN RC,LV=lv,A=addr
RC Register form
lv Length value
A Virtual storage address
Example
FREEMAIN RC,LV=4096,A=(1)
Example of a program that dynamically acquires its working storage and initialises it with
constants from static read only storage.
TEST10 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
LR 2,1
ST 13,4(0,1)
USING WS,13
LR 13,1
LR 1,2
*
* initialise the getmained storage at one shot
*
MVC WS+72(LEN-72),WSCONST+72
*
* some initialisations, notably addresses of data items in * getmained
storage can be done only at run time
*
BAL 2,INIT
LOAD EP=ADD,ERRET=LOADERR
LR 15,0
LA 1,PARM
BASSM 14,15
WTO 'BACK'
L 5,RES
CVD 5,DW
UNPK MSG+2(16),DW
OI MSG+17,X'F0'
WTO 'RESULT IS'
LA 4,MSG
WTO TEXT=(4)
LR 2,13
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
LA 15,0
BR 14
LOADERR WTO ‘FAILED TO LOAD ADD’
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
LA 15,16
BR 14
WSCONST DS 0F
DS 18F
DC F'100'
DC F'200'
DS F
DS F
DS F
DS F
DC AL2(16)
DS CL16
DS D
LEN EQU *-WSCONST
INIT DS 0H
LA 3,A
ST 3,PARM
LA 3,B
ST 3,PARM+4
LA 3,RES
ST 3,PARM+8
BR 2
WS DSECT
SAVE DS 18F
A DS F
B DS F
RES DS F
PARM DS F
DS F
DS F
MSG DS AL2
DS CL16
DW DS D
END
ADD CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
LR 2,1
WTO 'IN ADD'
LR 1,2
LM 2,4,0(1)
L 5,0(0,2)
A 5,0(0,3)
ST 5,0(0,4)
WTO 'EXITING ADD'
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
LA 15,0
BSM 0,14
SAVE DS 18F
END
Program Management
LOAD
 Brings the load module into virtual storage
 Module contains program or table
 Placed above or below line
 Returns
 Authorisation code
 Length of the module
 Entry point to the module
 AMODE of the module
 Control is not passed to the module
 Used in dynamic subroutine call
 Modules can be shared
Name LOAD EP=entry name

On return to caller the registers contain the following
0 Entry point address of requested load module. The high order bit reflects the load modules AMO
(1 for 31 bit AMODE, else 0 for 24 bit AMODE).
If AMODE is any then the bit reflects callers AMODE.
15 Zero if no error, else reason code
Example
LOAD EP=MYPROG,ERRET=LERROR
LR 15,0 stick to using register 15 for entry point
BSSM 14,15 BSSM takes care of switch of AMODE if reqd.
LERROR WTO ‘LOAD OF MYPROG FAILED’

L 13,SAVE+4
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
An important point to note is that if the module has already been loaded into the callers address
space because of a earlier request ( Possibly from some asynchronous exit routine) then control
is given to the existing copy of the module. Since we branch to the entry point directly, we can
have a problem if the module is in use and it is not re-entrant or is only serially reusable. For this
reason XCTL or LINK is preferred as the control is passed via system which checks for this
possible source of error.
DELETE
 Remove a module from virtual storage
 Entry name same as used in load macro
 Task termination removes the module
Name DELETE EP=entry name

Register 15 is zero on successful completion.
CALL
Name CALL entry-name | (n),(parm1,parm2,….),VL
Notes
Control returns only after called program returns. Hence register 15 reflects return code of called
program If entry name is used, the called program gets link edited into the main program (caller)
at linking time
XCTL
 To transfer control to another module
 Module loaded if not in virtual storage
 Handles the addressing mode
 Control does not return back
name XCTL (reg1,reg2), EP=entry name, PARAM=(parm1,parm2,…),VL=1,

MF=(E, user area | (n))
Notes:- The reg1,reg2 indicates the registers that are to be restored from save area before the
called routine gets control . Usually coded (2,12). MF=(E,User area). User area points to an area
where the parameter list can be generated .Since the transfer is through the system, the system
takes care of the AMODE switch if required. The system also takes care of re-entrancy of the
module transferred to. Control does not return back to caller in any case.
The caller has to dynamically acquire storage for the user area where the system generates the
parameter list. Additionally parm1, parm2 etc must be in getmained storage so that the data
areas are available even after the calling program transfers control to the target program.
The receiving program gets control with register 1 pointing to the user area where the XCTL
macro builds the parameter list.
Example:
This example illustrates how an XCTL may be issued. The point to note is that you must
set up any parameters that are passed in GETMAINED storage. That is because the
invoking programs storage is released on XCTL and cannot be used to set up parameters.
XCTL CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
GETMAIN RC,LV=LEN,LOC=BELOW
*
LR 2,1
USING PARMS,2
LA 3,100
ST 3,A1
LA 3,200
ST 3,A2
*
L 13,SAVE+4
L 14,12(0,13)
XCTL (2,12),EP=XCTL1,MF=(E,(2)),PARAM=(A1,A2)
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
SR 15,15
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
*
PARMS DSECT
DS 2A
A1 DS F
A2 DS F
LEN EQU *-PARMS
END
XCTL1 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
LR 2,1
USING PARMS,2
WTO 'IN XCTL1',ROUTCDE=(11)
L 6,ADDR
L 5,0(0,6)
L 6,ADDR+4
A 5,0(0,6)
*
CVD 5,DW
UNPK MSG+2(8),DW
OI MSG+9,X'F0'
WTO TEXT=MSG,ROUTCDE=(11)
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
SR 15,15
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
DW DS D
MSG DC AL2(8)
DS CL8
PARMS DSECT
ADDR DS 2A
A1 DS F
A2 DS F
END
LINK
 To pass control to an entry point
 Module loaded if not in virtual storage
 Handles the addressing mode
 Parameter list could be passed
 Control returns back
 Error handling could be specified
Name LINK EP=entry name,

PARAM=(parm1,parm2,…..),VL=1,
ERRET=error routine
Called routine gets control with the following values in the register
 1 address of parameter list
 15 Entry address of called program
If the link was unsuccessful the error routine gets control with the following
 1 Abend Code that would have been issued if the caller had not provided error exit
 2-12 unchanged
 15 Address of the error exit
 14 used as work register by system
Example LINK EP=MYPROG,PARAM=(parm1,parm2),

ERRET=ERROR
.
.
PARM1 DS F
PARM2 DS F
ERROR …
Process Management
ABEND
Name ABEND compcode,REASON=,DUMP,STEP
compcode value 0 to 4095.Register notation (2) to (12) permitted

REASON This code is passed to subsequent user exits if specified. 32 bit hexadecimal value or
31 bit decimal number
DUMP Requests a dump of virtual storage assigned to task. Needs //SYSABEND,
//SYSDUMP or //SYSUDUMP DD statement to be present in the JCL for the job step.
STEP Requests all tasks associated with this Job step of which this task is a part to abend
ATTACH
 To create a new task

 New task is the subtask
 Parameter list could be passed
 ECB can be provided
 Limit priority same as that of the creating task
 Dispatching priority same as that of the creating task
 Use DETACH macro to remove the sub task
 Returns TCB address in register 1
Name ATTACH EP=entry name,
PARAM=(parm1,parm2,…),
VL=1,
ECB=ecb-addr,
EXTR=Address of end of task routine
Registers on entry to subtask are

 0 Used as work area by system
 1 Used by macro to point to parameter list
 2-12 Used as work registers by System
 13 Should point to a 18F save area in callers module
 14 Return address. Bit 0 is 0 if subtask gets control in 24 bit mode else 1 if subtask
gets control in 31 bit mode
 15 Entry point address of subtask
Registers on return to caller after issue of ATTACH

 1 address of TCB of subtask
 15 A return code of non zero means subtask could not be attached
Load Libraries searched are

 Job pack area
 Requesting tasks task library and all unique task libraries of parent tasks
 Step library
 Job library
 Link Pack area
 Link Library
In simplest form usage can be :

ATTACH EP=PROG1,ECB=ECB1
ECB1 DS F
Notes:-
 This macro creates a separate thread of execution in callers address space
 Within the Address space this subtask will compete for processor resources
1) There is a despatching priority for address space
2) At a lower level there is a despatching priority for the subtasks
 The attaching task has to wait for subtasks to end before terminating else it will abend when
attempting to terminate
 The attaching task has to wait on the ECB which is posted by the system when the subtask
ends
 The attaching task then issues a DETACH macro.
 EXTR exit routine gets control with the following register values
 0 used as a work register by the system
 1 Address of TCB of subtask. Needed for issuing DETACH macro
 2-12 Work registers
 13 18F save area provided by system
 14 return address
 15 entry point of exit routine
DETACH
 Removes a subtask
 If issued before task completion, terminate the task
 Should be issued if ECB or ETXR is used in ATTACH
 Removing a task removes all its dependent tasks also
 If ECB or ETXR is used, and the parent task does not issue DETACH, then the
parent task will abend
Name DETACH tcb address | (n)
Operand can be in register notation in which case regs 1 thru 12 may be used.
The TCB address should have been previously obtained by EXTR exit routine
Example
ATTACH EP=PROG1,EXTR=ENDOFTSK
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR
ST 1,TCB1 save address of TCB for later use
.
.
TCB1 DC F'0'
ENDOFTSK DETACH (1)
BR 14
WAIT
 Wait for completion of events
 Initialise the ECB before calling
 A list of ECB’s can be specified for waiting on any number of events
Example
WAIT 1,ECB=ECB1
.
.
ECB1 DC F’0’
POST
 Posts a ECB through a system call
Example
LA 4,ECB1
POST (4)
.
.
ECB1 DC F’0’
Example of MAIN creating two subtasks TASK1 and TASK2. The job step task waits for
the sub tasks to complete before detaching the subtasks and exiting.
MAIN1 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
WTO 'MAIN1 STARTING'
ATTACH EP=TASK1,ECB=ECB1
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR1
ST 1,TCB1
ATTACH EP=TASK2,ECB=ECB2
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR2
ST 1,TCB2
WTO 'MAIN1 ENTERING WAIT FOR TASK1 COMPLETION'
WAIT 1,ECB=ECB1
WTO 'MAIN1 ENTERING WAIT FOR TASK2 COMPLETION'
WAIT 1,ECB=ECB2
LA 4,TCB1
DETACH (4)
LA 4,TCB2
DETACH (4)
L 13,SAVE+4
ERROR1 L 13,SAVE+4
ERROR2 L 13,SAVE+4
SAVE DS 18F
ECB1 DC F'0'
ECB2 DC F'0'
TCB1 DS F
TCB2 DS F
END
TASK1 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
LA 5,50
LOOP WTO 'TASK1 REPORTING'
BCT 5,LOOP
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
SR 15,15
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
END
TASK2 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
LA 5,50
LOOP WTO 'TASK2 REPORTING'
BCT 5,LOOP
L 13,SAVE+4
LM 14,12,12(13)
SR 15,15
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
END
Example
This example illustrates how a main task and sub task can work in a synchronized fashion
writing every alternate record to a shared SYSPRINT dataset. The synchronisation is
achieved using WAIT and POST macros.
ATTACH3 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
ATTACH EP=SUBTASK3,PARAM=(SYSPRINT,ECBM,ECBS), X
ECB=ECB1
ST 1,TCB1
LTR 15,15
BNZ ATTERR
LA 4,50
MVC OUTREC+1(132),=CL132'MAIN MESSAGE'
SR 5,5
LA 6,ECBS
LA 7,ECBM
POST (7)
LOOP WAIT 1,ECB=ECBM
ST 5,ECBM
POST (6)
BCT 4,LOOP
WAIT 1,ECB=ECB1
LA 4,TCB1
DETACH (4)
CLOSE SYSPRINT
L 13,SAVE+4
ATTERR L 13,SAVE+4
RETURN (14,12),,RC=10
OUTREC DC CL133' '
SYSPRINT DCB DDNAME=SYSPRINT,DSORG=PS,MACRF=PM, X
SAVE DS 18F
ECB1 DC F'0'
ECBM DC F'0'
ECBS DC F'0'
TCB1 DS F
END
SUBTASK CODE: Compile and linkedit this first separately

then, compile, linkedit and run 'attach3'
SUBTASK3 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
MVC OUTREC+1(132), X
=CL132'Message from Subtask'
SR 5,5
L 4,0(0,1) SYSPRINT
L 6,4(0,1) ECBM
L 7,8(0,1) ECBS
LA 3,50
LOOP1 WAIT 1,ECB=(7)
PUT (4),OUTCARD
ST 5,0(0,7)
POST (6)
BCT 3,LOOP1
L 13,SAVE+4
L 14,12(0,13)
LM 0,12,20(13)
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
OUTREC DC CL133' '
END
RETURN
Name RETURN (reg1,reg2),T,RC=retcode
restores reg1 to reg2 from save area pointed by R13
T sets a flag in the save area in the called program for dump analysis if required
Maximum value for return code is 4095 which is set in R15
(see example of implementation under MACROS and conditional assembly)
SAVE
Name SAVE (reg1,reg2)
Saves reg1 thru reg2 in save area pointed to by R13
(see example of implementation under MACROS and conditional assembly)
SNAP
This macro enables you to take a snap shot of your program when it is running. It is useful for
debugging run time errors. You can issue calls for the snap dump as often as you wish and
specify the range of addresses, from one byte to your whole program. You can also request for a
register dump and save area trace by coding PDATA=(REGS,SA)
Here is a sample program skeleton for issuing a SNAP macro:-
BEGIN CSECT
SAVE (14,12)
BALR 3,0
USING *,3
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
.
.
OPEN (SNAPDCB,OUTPUT)
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR3
.
.
SNAP DCB=SNAPDCB,ID=1,PDATA=(REGS,SA), X
STORAGE=(BEGIN,LAST)
.
.
SNAP DCB=SNAPDCB,ID=2,PDATA=(REGS,SA), X
STORAGE=(BEGIN,LAST)
.
.
.
L 13,SAVE+4
ERROR3 L 13,SAVE+4
.
SNAPDCB DCB DSORG=PS,RECFM=VBA,BLKSIZE=882,LRECL=125, X
MACRF=W,DDNAME=SNAPDMP
LAST EQU *
END BEGIN
REENTERABILITY
For load modules which may be shared amongst more than one concurrent task, re-entrancy is
important. Most macros (in standard form) generate an inline parameter list of data areas
which are used for passing as well as receiving information from the macro call. Obviously inline
parameter list makes the load module non re-entrant and at best serially re-entrant.
For this reason to make a load module re-entrant, do not define data areas in the program which
will be part of the load module. Instead at run time (using GETMAIN or STORAGE OBTAIN) to
dynamically acquire storage. A typical example of this would be to acquire the 18 full word save
area dynamically. Where the acquired area needs to be accessed by field you can use a DSECT
to format the block of storage.
As for MACROS IBM provides, apart from standard form which develops inline parameter lists,
LIST and EXECUTE (MF=L or MF=E) form of the macro exist. The list form does not generate
any executable code. Instead it generates only a parameter list. At run time you acquire storage
equivalent in size to this list and copy the list to this area. This way each thread of execution will
have it's own discrete parameter area. At run time use the execute form of the macro (which can
also be used to change some of the parameters generated earlier) with a pointer to the
parameter list built up in virtual storage.
The list form of the macro is signalled to the assembler by the parameter MF=L
The execute form is signalled to the assembler by using the parameter MF=E
Example
.
.
LA 3,MACNAME load address of the list generated
LA 5,NSIADDR load address of end of list
SR 5,3 GPR5 will now have length of list
BAL 14,MOVERTN go to rtn to move list
DEQ ,MF=(E,(1)) GPR1 points to parm list, execute form
.
. processing here
.
BR 14
* acquire storage sufficient to hold the list
MOVERTN GETMAIN R,LV=(5)
LR 4,1 address of area in gpr4
BCTR 5,0 subtract 1 from gpr5
EX 5,MOVEINST
BR 14
MOVEINST MVC 0(0,4),0(3) change the length field and copy the list
MACNAME DEQ (NAME1,NAME2,8,SYSTEM),RET=HAVE,MF=L
NSIADDR EQU *
NAME1 DC CL8'MAJOR'
NAME2 DC CL8'MINOR'
Example using WTO

The following example GETMAINS storage for the WTO parameter list as well as writable
storage for the program (SAVE, MSG and the 16 byte display area. The ultimate test of the re-
entrancy of the program is in making it an RSECT and ensuring that the assembler does not
detect any violations of re-entrancy.
WTORENT RSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
LR 2,1
ST 13,4(0,1)
LR 3,13
LR 13,1
ST 13,8(0,3)
LR 1,2
USING WS,13
*
GETMAIN RC,LV=WTOLEN,LOC=BELOW
LR 2,1
MVC 0(WTOLEN,2),WTOL
*
LH 3,=H'40'
STH 3,MSG
MVC MSG+2(40),=CL40'THIS IS FROM WTORENT'
*
LA 3,MSG
WTO TEXT=(3),MF=(E,(2))
*
LR 2,13
L 13,SAVE+4
FREEMAIN RC,LV=LEN,A=(2)
*
WTOL WTO TEXT=,ROUTCDE=(11),MF=L
WTOLEN EQU *-WTOL
WS DSECT
SAVE DS 18F
MSG DS AL2
DS CL40
LEN EQU *-WS
END
VSAM MACROS back
Macros
Name ACB AM=VSAM,
BUFND=,
BUFNI=,
BUFSP=,
DDNAME=,
MACRF=([ADR],[,CNV][,KEY][,DIR][,SEQ][,SKP][,IN][,OUT] )
EXLST=
NOTES:
AM : Always code VSAM for access to VSAM data sets
BUFND : Number of data buffers, default=2,override possible through JCL
BUFNI : Number of Index buffers, default=1,override possible through JCL
BUFSP : Size of area for Index and Data Buffers. Defaults to specification
in catalogue
DDNAME : Connects a DD statement in run time JCL with this ACB
EXLST : Address of EXLST macro
MACRF : ADR Access by RBA
CNV Access by Control Interval
KEY Access by Record Key
DIR Direct Processing
SEQ Sequential Processing
SKP Skip Sequential Processing
IN Input only
OUT Input / Output
Note: This macro generates a control block and should therefore be placed in Data area of your
program
Name EXLST [AM=VSAM]

[,EODAD=(address[,A|N][,L] )]
[,JRNAD=(address[,A|N][,L] )]
[,LERAD=(address[,A|N][,L] )]
[,SYNAD=(address[,A|N][,L] )]
Notes
EODAD Is the exit routine for end of file
JRNAD exit routine for journal file updates/deletions/insertions
LERAD Logical error exit
SYNAD Physical error exit
A Routine is active
N Routine is inactive
L Routine is to be dynamically loaded when required
Name RPL ACB=,

AREA=,
AREALEN=,
RECLEN=,
ARG=,
KEYLEN=,
OPTCD=,
NXTRPL=
NOTES :
ACB : Address of ACB macro (label)

AM : Always code VSAM (used for documentation purposes only)
AREA : In move mode address of work area for record (label of data area)
: In locate mode is used by VSAM to set address of record in VSAM
buffer
AREALEN : Length of work area. In locate mode will be at least 4.(Full word)
RECLEN : For a PUT request is length of record for variable length record
: For a GET request is updated by VSAM to indicate length of record
read
ARG : Label of Argument Field (Key | RBA) field used with GET,PUT,
: POINT
KEYLEN : Used to specify key length if Generic key is used (OPTCD=GEN)
NXTRPL : address of next RPL in chain if chained RPL'S are used.
OPTCD : ( [ADR|CNV|KEY],[DIR|SEQ|SKP],[FWD|BWD],[ARD|LRD],
: [NSP|NUP|UPD],[LOC|MVE],[ASY|SYN],[KEQ|KGE],
: [FKS|GEN])
:
: ADR Access by RBA
: CNV Access by control interval
: KEY Access by record key
:
: DIR Direct processing
: SEQ Sequential Processing
: SKP Skip sequential processing
:
: FWD Forward Sequential processing
: BWD Backward Sequential processing
: ARD Start sequential processing forward or backward with the

: record identified by the ARG field
: LRD For Backward processing start from the last record in the
file
: NSP No updating(for Direct processing VSAM is positioned at
: the next record in the file).
: NUP No updating, VSAM is not positioned for subsequent
: processing
: UPD Retain position for Updating
: LOC Locate mode I/O(record is processed in VSAM Buffers)

: MVE Move mode I/O(records are processed in programs data
area)
: ASY Asynchronous operation. Program can continue with
: other processing. Later uses CHECK macro to wait on
: completion
: SYN synchronous operation. Program waits until operation is
: complete
: FKS full key search

: GEN generic search. KEYLEN must be specified
: KEQ search key equal

: KGE search key greater than or equal.
 You can code only one option from each group

 The options must be consistent with one another and with ACB parameters
 The first two groups correspond to the MACRF parameter in the ACB macro
 The third group specifies direction of processing
 The fourth group specifies whether processing is to start with last record in file or record identified by
the ARG field
 The fifth group specifies whether the record is being read with intention to update. If not which
record is to be read next.
 The last group specifies whether the MOVE or LOCATE mode of I/O is to be used.
 This macro generates a control block and should therefore be placed in Data area of your program
OPEN Address of ACB Macro

CLOSE Address of ACB Macro
GET RPL=Label of RPL macro | (register) retrieve a record
PUT RPL=Label of RPL macro | (register) write a record
POINT RPL=Label of RPL macro | (register) position for subsequent access
ERASE RPL=Label of RPL macro | (register) Delete a record
Note : These MACROS generate executable code and should therefore be in the Instruction area of the
Program
MACROS FOR CONTROL BLOCK MANIPULATION.
SHOWCB This macros is fetch control block fields

TESTCB This macro is used to test control block fields
MODCB This macro used to modify control block fields
Name SHOWCB ACB|EXLST|RPL=,

AM=VSAM, only for documentation purpose
AREA=,
LENGTH=,
FIELDS=(keyword[,keyword]…)
Notes:
ACB | EXLST | RPL : Address (label) of specified Macro
AREA : Area into which VSAM will put the contents of field
specified
LENGTH : Length of Data area specified under AREA. Each field of the ACB|EXLST|
RPL macro fields are 4 bytes long except : DDNAME which is 8 bytes
FIELDS : Can be most of any field specified in the ACB|EXLST|RPL macro;
FOR RPL : ACB,AREA,AREALEN,FDBK,KEYLEN,RECLEN

: RBA,NXTRPL all one full word of data
FOR EXLST : EODAD,JRNAD,LERAD,SYNAD
FOR ACB : ACBLEN length of ACB
Can be attributes of an open file as below

AVSPAC number of bytes of available space
BUFNO Number of buffers in use for this file
CINV Size of Control Interval
FS Percent of Free control intervals
KEYLEN Length of key field
LRECL Maximum record length
NCIS Number of Control Interval Splits
NDELR Number of deleted records from file

NEXT Number of Extents allocated to file
NINSR Number of records inserted in file
NLOGR Number of records in file
NRETR Number of records retrieved from file
NUPDR Number of records updated in file
RKP Position of record key relative to start of record
Name TESTCB ACB|EXLST|RPL=,

ERET=,
keyword=,
OBJECT=
ACB|EXLST|RPL : Address(label) of any of the control block macros

ERET : Address of error handler to be executed if test cannot be executed
keyword : Any field of the ACB,EXLST,RPL macro;
The length of any ACB,EXLST,RPL macro using the keywords
ACBLEN,EXLLEN,RPLLEN
OBJECT : DATA or INDEX
Example
TESTCB RPL=RPL1,FDBK=8
BE DUPKEY
.
.
.
RPL1 RPL ….
Notes: Some common VSAM FDBK codes are

8 Duplicate key
12 Record out of sequence
16 No record found
68 Access requested does not match access specified
92 A put for update without a corresponding get for update
104 Invalid or conflicting RPL options
Name MODCB ACB|EXLST|RPL=,

Operand keyword= new value
Example:
MODCB RPL=RPL1,OPTCD=(DIR)
.
.
.
RPL1 RPL ….
Example to load a KSDS from a QSAM PS file

Sample JCL to create the Cluster
//STEP1 EXEC PGM=IDCAMS
//SYSIN DD *
DELETE userid.KSDS1
DEFINE CLUSTER (NAME(userid.KSDS1) INDEXED KEYS(5,0) -
RECORDSIZE(80,80) TRACKS(1,1) VOLUME(USR001)) -
DATA(CONTROLINTERVALSIZE(2048))
//
Sample JCL to print contents of the cluster

//userid1 JOB MSGCLASS=A,NOTIFY=&SYSUID
//MYSTEP EXEC PGM=IDCAMS
//SYSIN DD *
PRINT INDATASET(userid.KSDS1) CHAR
/*
//
The program that loads the file in sequential mode

VSAMLS CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
OPEN (VSAMACB)
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERR1
OPEN (QSAMDCB,INPUT)
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERR2
LOOP GET QSAMDCB,BUFFER
PUT RPL=RPL1
LTR 15,15
BZ OK
WTO 'PUT ERROR FOR VSAM'
OK B LOOP
ERR1 WTO 'ERROR OPENING VSAM FILE'
L 13,SAVE+4
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
ERR2 WTO 'ERROR OPENING QSAM FILE'
L 13,SAVE+4
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
EOF WTO 'EOF ON INPUT'
CLOSE (QSAMDCB)
CLOSE (VSAMACB)
L 13,SAVE+4
SAVE DS 18F
VSAMACB ACB AM=VSAM,DDNAME=OUTFILE,MACRF=(KEY,SEQ,OUT)
RPL1 RPL AM=VSAM,ACB=VSAMACB,AREA=BUFFER,AREALEN=80,RECLEN=80, X
ARG=KEYFLD,OPTCD=(KEY,SEQ,FWD,MVE)
BUFFER DS CL80
KEYFLD DS CL5
QSAMDCB DCB DDNAME=INFILE,DSORG=PS,EODAD=EOF,MACRF=GM
END
Example to read a VSAM KSDS sequentially

VSAMRS CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
OPEN (VSAMACB)
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERR1
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERR2
LOOP GET RPL=RPL1
MVC OUTREC+1(80),BUFFER
B LOOP
L 13,SAVE+4
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
ERR2 WTO 'ERROR OPENING SYSPRINT FILE'
L 13,SAVE+4
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
CLOSE (SYSPRINT)
CLOSE (VSAMACB)
L 13,SAVE+4
SAVE DS 18F
VSAMACB ACB AM=VSAM,DDNAME=INFILE,MACRF=(KEY,SEQ,IN),EXLST=EXLST1
OPTCD=(KEY,SEQ,FWD,MVE)
EXLST1 EXLST AM=VSAM,EODAD=EOF
BUFFER DS CL80
OUTREC DC CL133' '
END
Example to read a VSAM KSDS in direct mode

VSAMRD CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
OPEN (VSAMACB)
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERR1
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERR2
OPEN (KEYFILE,INPUT)
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERR3
LOOP GET KEYFILE,KEYBUFF

MVC KEYFLD,KEYBUFF
GET RPL=RPL1
LTR 15,15
BZ OK
MVC OUTREC,=CL133' '
SHOWCB AM=VSAM,RPL=RPL1,AREA=FDBKAREA,FIELDS=(FDBK),LENGTH=4
L 4,FDBKAREA
CVD 4,DW
UNPK STATUS,DW
OI STATUS+15,X'F0'
MVC OUTREC+40(16),STATUS
MVC OUTREC+1(15),=CL15'INVALID KEY'
MVC OUTREC+20(5),KEYFLD
B LOOP
OK MVC OUTREC+1(80),BUFFER
B LOOP
L 13,SAVE+4
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
ERR2 WTO 'ERROR OPENING SYSPRINT FILE'
L 13,SAVE+4
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
ERR3 WTO 'ERROR OPENING KEYFILE'
L 13,SAVE+4
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
CLOSE (SYSPRINT)
CLOSE (VSAMACB)
CLOSE (KEYFILE)
L 13,SAVE+4
VSAMACB ACB AM=VSAM,DDNAME=INFILE,MACRF=(KEY,DIR,IN)
OPTCD=(KEY,DIR,MVE),ARG=KEYFLD
KEYFILE DCB DSORG=PS,MACRF=GM,DDNAME=KEYFILE,EODAD=EOF
SAVE DS 18F
BUFFER DS CL80
KEYFLD DS CL5
KEYBUFF DS CL80
OUTREC DC CL133' '
FDBKAREA DS F
STATUS DS CL16
DW DS D
END
Example of direct insertion

VSAMUD CSECT
SAVE (14,12)
BALR 3,0
USING *,3
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
OPEN (FILE1,INPUT)
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR1
OPEN (VSAMACB)
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR2
LOOP GET FILE1,INBUFF
MVC OUTBUFF,INBUFF
MVC VSAMKEY,OUTKEY
PUT RPL=VSAMRPL
B LOOP
ERROR1 L 13,SAVE+4
ERROR2 L 13,SAVE+4
EOFRTN CLOSE (FILE1,,VSAMACB)
L 13,SAVE+4
INBUFF DS CL80
OUTBUFF DS 0CL80
OUTKEY DS CL5
DS CL75
SAVE DS 18F
FILE1 DCB DSORG=PS,RECFM=FB,BLKSIZE=800, X
LRECL=80,MACRF=GM,DDNAME=INFILE, X
EODAD=EOFRTN
VSAMACB ACB AM=VSAM,DDNAME=OUTFILE, X
MACRF=(KEY,DIR,OUT)
VSAMRPL RPL AM=VSAM,ACB=VSAMACB, X
AREA=OUTBUFF,AREALEN=80, X
ARG=VSAMKEY,KEYLEN=4, X
OPTCD=(KEY,DIR),RECLEN=80
VSAMKEY DS CL5
END VSAMUD
FRAMEWORK OF ASSEMBLER PROGRAMS TO ACCESS VSAM FILES

Keyed Direct Deletion
DELETE ACB MACRF=(KEY,DIR,OUT)
LIST RPL ACB=DELETE,AREA=WORK,AREALEN=50, X
ARG=KEYFIELD,OPTCD=(KEY,DIR,SYN,UPD,MVE,FKS,KEQ)
.
.
LOOP MVC KEYFIELD,source
GET RPL=LIST
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR
.
.
B LOOP if you do not want to delete this record
ERASE RPL=LIST
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR
ERROR .
WORK DS CL50
KEYFIELD DS CL5
Note that when you GET a record with UPD in the OPTCD option of the RPL vsam maintains
position after the get anticipating either an ERASE or PUT (update). Instead if you issue a GET it
goes ahead with the GET and position for the previous record is lost.
Keyed sequential retrieval (backward)

INPUT ACB DDNAME=INPUT,EXLST=EXLST1
RETRVE RPL ACB=INPUT,AREA=IN,AREALEN=100, X
OPTCD=(KEY,SEQ,LRD,BWD)
EXLST1 EXLST EODAD=EOD
POINT RPL=RETRVE
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR
LOOP GET RPL=RETRVE
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR
.
. process the record here
B LOOP
EOD EQU *
.
. come here for end of file
ERROR .
. come here for any error
.
IN DS CL100
Keyed Direct Retrieval in LOCATE mode(KSDS, RRDS)

INPUT ACB MACRF=(KEY,DIR,IN)
RETRVE RPL ACB=INPUT,AREA=IN,AREALEN=4,OPTCD=(KEY, X
DIR,SYN,NUP,KEQ,GEN,LOC),ARG=KEYAREA, X
KEYLEN=5
.
.
LOOP MVC KEYAREA,source
GET RPL=RETRVE
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR
. Address of record is now in IN
.
B LOOP
ERROR ..
.
IN DS CL4 Where VSAM puts the address of the
record in the I/O buffer
KEYAREA DS CL5
Notes: In LOCATE mode (LOC) there is no transfer of the record from the VSAM buffer to the
data area in your program. Instead VSAM supplies your program the address of the record in the
VSAM (Control Interval) buffer.
When Generic (GEN) is specified also specify KEYLEN=, and condition like KEQ. VSAM
positions at first record which meets the condition. To continue in the sequence
 Change to sequential mode and issue GET(s).
 Or use GET with KGE using the key of the current record
 If the data set is a RRDS the ARG field the search argument is a relative record number
Position with POINT macro

BLOCK ACB DDNAME=IO
POSITION RPL ACB=BLOCK,AREA=WORK,AREALEN=50, X
ARG=SRCHKEY,OPTCD=(KEY,SEQ,SYN,KEQ,FKS)
LOOP MVC SRCHKEY,source
POINT RPL=POSITION
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR
LOOP1 GET RPL=POSITION
LTR 15,15,
BNZ ERROR
. process record
.
B LOOP1 continue in sequential mode
ERROR .
SRCHKEY DS CL5
WORK DS CL50
Keyed Sequential insertion KSDS variable length

BLOCK ACB DDNAME=OUTPUT,MACRF=(KEY,SEQ,OUT)
LIST RPL ACB=BLOCK,AREA=BUILDRCD,AREALEN=250, X
OPTCD=(KEY,SEQ,SYN,NUP,MVE)
LOOP L 2,source-length
MODCB RPL=LIST,RECLEN=(2)
*
* alter record length field
*
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR
PUT RPL=LIST
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR
B LOOP
ERROR .
BUILDRCD DS CL250
Keyed direct insertion

OUTPUT ACB MACRF=(KEY,DIR,OUT)
RPL1 RPL ACB=OUTPUT,AREALEN=80, X
OPTCD=(KEY,DIR,SYN,NUP,MVE), X
AREA=WORK
*
* set up record in WORK
*
LOOP PUT RPL=RPL1
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR
* set up next record
B LOOP
ERROR ..
WORK DS 80C
Note VSAM extracts the key field from the record area.
Keyed Direct Update

INPUT ACB MACRF=(KEY,DIR,OUT)
UPDTE RPL ACB=INPUT,AREA=IN,AREALEN=120, X
OPTCD=(KEY,DIR,SYN,UPD,KEQ,FKS,MVE), X
ARG=KEYAREA,KEYLEN=5
*
* set up search argument
*
LOOP GET RPL=UPDTE
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR
SHOWCB RPL=UPDTE,AREA=RLNGTH,FIELDS=RECLEN,LENGTH=4
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR
*
* update the record
* does the new record have a different length
BE STORE If not go to PUT
L 5,length set R5 for new length
MODCB RPL=UPDTE,RECLEN=(5)
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR
STORE PUT RPL=UPDTE
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR
B LOOP
ERROR ..
IN DS CL120
KEYAREA DS CL5
RLGTH DS F
LINKAGE CONVENTIONS 24 / 31 BIT ADDRESSING back
LINKAGE CONVENTIONS
 Another program can be invoked through BALR, BASR, BASSM or LINK, XCTL and CALL
macros
 A primary mode program is one which operates in primary Address Space Control mode or
primary ASC for short. In this mode access of machine instructions is only in the primary
address space. All your application programs run in this mode. System programs, like the DB2
subsystem, etc can switch to Address Space modes.
 The called program needs to save the registers when it receives control and restore them when
returning. For this the caller provides a 18 Full word save area pointed to by R13.
When a caller provides a 18F save area the area is used as below
Word Usage
0 Used by language products
1 Address of previous ( caller) save area
2 Address of next save area
3 GPR14
4 GPR15
5-17 GPR0-12
Example of using the caller provided save area

Calling program linkage
.
LA 1,=A(P1,P2,P3+X’80000000’)
L 15,=V(PGM)
BALR 14,15
.
Called program linkage

PGM CSECT
PGM AMODE 31
PGM RMODE ANY
STM 14,12,12(13) save callers registers in callers save area
LR 12,15 set up base register
LR 2,1
USING PGM,12
GETMAIN RC,LV=72 obtain save area
ST 13,4(,1) and store callers R13 point in it
ST 1,8(,13) store this programs save area in callers save area
LR 13,1 set R13 to point to this save programs area
LR 1,2
LM 2,4,0(1) set R2 thru R3 to address of P1,P2 and P3
.
.
.
LR 2,13 Set R1 to the address of this programs save area
L 13,4(,13) set R13 to point to callers save area
FREEMAIN RC,A=(2),LV=72 release this programs save area
SR 15,15 Zero R15
L 14,12(0,13) Restore R14 of caller
LM 0,12,20(13) Restore R2 to R12 of caller
BR 14 Return
END
Calling program must do the following

On entry:-
 Save callers registers 14 thru 12 in the save area pointed to by R13 + 12 bytes Offset.
 Establish a GPR as a base register.
 Establish a base area of 18 Full words of its own.
 Save callers R13 into our own save area + 4.
 Set GPR 13 to point to its own save area
 Set our save area address into callers save area + 8 (optional).
On exit
 Place parameter information that may be returned to caller in R1, R0
 Load R13 with callers save area address and restore R0-R12,R14
 Load R15 with return code
 Issue the BR 14 instruction.
Passing Parameters
 Use R1 to point to a parameter list which is an array of 32 bit addresses which point to parameters.
 The last element of the Address List array should have bit 0 set to 1 to indicate it is the last element.
GPR1
A(PARM1) 2 BYTE LENGTH PARM FIELD
A(PARM2)
2 BYTE LENGTH PARM FIELD
A(PARM3)
B’1’+ A(PARMN)
Example
if control is passed to another program in same mode.
L 15,NEXTADDR
CNOP 0,4
BAL 1,GOOUT
PARMLIST DS 0A
DCBADDR DC A(P1)
DC A(P2)
ANSWERAD DC A(P3+X'80000000’)
NEXTADDR DC V(SUBPGM)
GOOUT BALR 14,15
RETURN .
.
P1 DC 12F'0'
P2 DC .
P3 DC .
Addressing
AMODE is the mode in which a program expects to receive control. AMODE = 31 means that the
program expects to receive control in 31 bit mode (bit 32 of PSW on) and any addresses are
passed as 32 bit values with bit 0 on to represent 31 bit addressing mode. AMODE = 24 means
that the program expects to receive control in 24 bit addressing mode. In this case the high order
8 bits are not reckoned for computing the effective address. The mode of operation affects
operation of some machine instructions like
BAL, BALR, LA
In the case of BAL and BALR, in 24 bit mode the link register (first operand) which contains the
return address in low order 24 bits, has the high order 8 bits set to the ILC (Instruction length
code, CC (Condition code) and Program mask. When in 31 bit addressing mode the link register
has bit 0 set to 1 and rest of the 31 bits represent the address. In the case of LA, in 24 bit mode
the high order 8 bits are cleared and low order 24 bits are set to represent a 24 bit address. In 31
bit mode, bit 0 is set to 0 and rest of the bits represent a 31 bit address.
RMODE of a program indicate where it can be loaded by the system for execution. A RMODE of
any indicates it can be loaded either above or below what is known as the 16MB line or simply
the line. A RMODE of 24 indicates that it is to be loaded only below the line.
AMODE and RMODE can be set in the assembler source as below:
MAIN CSECT
MAIN AMODE 31 AMODE can be 24 / 31 / any.Default=24
MAIN RMODE 24 RMODE can be 24 or any.Default=24.
Note that the attributes are propagated by the assembler, Linkage editor to the Directory entry for the
load module in the PDS.
The following instructions are used for linkage:-

 BAL Branch and Link
 BAL Branch and Link Register
 BAS Branch and Save
 BASR Branch and Save register
 BSM Branch and Set mode
 BASSM Branch and save and set mode
 BAS and BASR perform as BAL and BALR when in 31 bit mode. Note that BAL and BALR will set
the Link register as below in 24 bit mode:-
┌───┬───┬─────┬──────────────────────┐
│ │ │Prog │ │
│ILC│CC │Mask │ Instruction Address │
└───┴───┴─────┴──────────────────────┘
0 2 4 8 31
BAS and BASR set the high order byte to X’00’ in 24 bit mode. This is how BAS and BASR
differ from BAL and BALR.
 BSM provides an unconditional branch to the address in operand 2, saves the current
AMODE in the high order bit of the Link register (operand 1) and sets the AMODE to agree
with the high order bit in the to address.
 BASSM does all that BSM does and in addition the link register contains the return
address.
 If we need to transfer control without a change of addressing mode use the following
combinations
Transfer Return
BAL/BALR BR
BAS/BASR BR
If we need to change the AMODE as well use BASSM to call and BSM to return.
Example
This code snippet switches a AMODE 24 program to 31 bit mode while calling a AMODE 31
program.
TEST CSECT
TEST AMODE 24
TEST RMODE 24
.
.
L 15,EPA Obtain transfer address
BASSM 14,15 switch AMODE and branch
.
.
EXTRN SUB31
EPA DC A(X'80000000+SUB31) set high order bit to 1 to switch AMODE
.
.
END
SUB31 CSECT
SUB31 AMODE 31
SUB31 RMODE ANY
.
.
SLR 15,15 set return code to 0
BSM 0,14 return and switch to callers AMODE
END
31 Bit addressing
 A 370/XA or a 370/ESA processor can operate in 24 or 31 bit mode (Bimodal operation).
 The following kinds of programs must operate below the 16MB line
 Programs with AMODE 24
 Programs with AMODE any
 Programs that use system services that require their callers to be in 24 bit mode
 Programs that use system services that require their caller to have RMODE 24
 Programs that must be addressable by 24 bit callers
Rules and conventions for 31 bit operation

 Addresses are treated as 31 bit values
 Any data passed by a program in 31 bit mode to a program in 24 bit mode must lie below the
16MB line
 The AMODE bit affect the way some H/W instructions work (BAL,BALR,LA)
 A program must return control in the same mode in which it gained control
 A program expects a 24 bit address from a 24 bit mode program and 31 bit addresses from a
31 bit mode program
 A program must validate the high order byte of any address passed by a 24 bit mode program
before using it as an address in 31 bit mode.
CALL, BALR
Calling module Called module
AMODE 24
AMODE 24 RMODE 24
RMODE 24
LINK, XCTL, ATTACH
Calling module Called module

AMODE 24 AMODE 31
RMODE 24 RMODE 24
At Execution time only the following combinations are valid
 AMODE 24, RMODE 24

 AMODE 31,RMODE 24
 AMODE 31,RMODE any
AMODE/RMODE can be controlled and set at following levels

 In the assembler source
MAIN CSECT
MAIN AMODE 31
MAIN RMODE 24
 In the EXEC statement invoking the linkage editor
//LKED EXEC PGM=HEWL,PARM='AMODE=31,RMODE=24'
 Linkage editor control statement
MODE AMODE(31),RMODE(24)
 The Linkage editor creates indicators in the load module from inputs from Object Decks and
Load modules input to it
 It indicates the attributes in the PDS member to reflect PARM and LKED control
statements.
 System obtains the AMODE and RMODE information from the PDS entry.
 MVS support for AMODE and RMODE
 MVS obtains storage for the module as indicated in RMODE
 ATTACH,LINK,XCTL gives control as per the AMODE
 LOAD brings in a module into storage as per it's RMODE and sets bit 0 in R0 to indicate
the AMODE
 CALL passes control in the AMODE of its caller
Programs in 24 bit mode can switch mode to access data above 16MB line as follows
Example
USER1 CSECT
USER1 AMODE 24
USER1 RMODE 24
L 15,. . .
L 1,LAB1
BSM 0,1
LAB1 DC A(LAB2+X'80000000)
LAB2 DS 0H
L 2,4,(,15)
LA 1,LAB3
BSM 0,1
LAB3 DS 0H
.
.
END
Examples
TEST11 is coded to be AMODE31 and RMODE Any. It calls a sub program TEST11A which is a
AMODE24, RMODE24 program. The examples illustrate how this may be done.
TEST11 CSECT
TEST11 RMODE ANY
TEST11 AMODE 31
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,4(0,1)
LR 13,1
USING WS,13
L 3,=F'100'
ST 3,A1
L 3,=F'200'
ST 3,A2
LOAD EP=TEST11A,ERRET=LOADERR
* LOAD WAS OK IF YOU ARE HERE
LR 15,0
LA 3,A1
ST 3,AA1
LA 1,AA1
BASSM 14,15
* BACK FROM DYNAMIC CALL
WTO 'BACK FROM CALL',ROUTCDE=(11)
LH 4,=H'16'
STH 4,MSG
L 3,RES
CVD 3,DW
UNPK MSG+2(16),DW
OI MSG+17,X'F0'
LA 3,MSG
WTO TEXT=(3),ROUTCDE=(11)
LR 2,13
L 13,4(0,2)
LOADERR LR 2,13
L 13,4(0,2)
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
WS DSECT
SAVE DS 18F
MSG DS AL2
DS CL16
AA1 DS A
DW DS D
A1 DS F
A2 DS F
RES DS F
LEN EQU *-WS
END
Change LOC= above to demonstrate the need for being able to access the
arguments
TEST11A CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
LR 3,1
ST 13,4(0,1)
LR 13,1
USING WS,13
LR 1,3
L 3,0(0,1)
USING ARGS,3
L 4,A1
A 4,A2
ST 4,RES
* BUSINESS LOGIC ENDS
LR 2,13
L 13,4(0,2)
L 14,12(0,13)
LM 0,12,20(13)
LA 15,0
BSM 0,14
WS DSECT
SAVE DS 18F
LEN EQU *-WS
ARGS DSECT
A1 DS F
A2 DS F
RES DS F
END
AMODE 31 AMODE 31
OK
OK 16 MB LINE OK
OK
AMODE 31 AMODE 31
AMODE 31 AMODE 31
possible problem 16 MB line definitely a problem
AMODE 24 AMODE 24 possible problem
AMODE 31
A CSECT
A AMODE 31
A RMODE ANY
.
16MB LINE .
BSM 0,14
B CSECT
B AMODE 24
B RMODE 24
LOAD EP=A
ST 0,EPA
L 15,EPA
BASSM 14,15
The above method can be used for dynamic loading and branching to a module with a different
AMODE.
The following example indicates how to make a static call where the called module has a different
AMODE.
Example
RTN1 CSECT
EXTRN RTN2AD
EXTRN RTN3AD
.
.
L 15,=A(RTN2AD)
L 15,0(,15)
BASSM 14,15
.
.
L 15,=A(RTN3AD)
L 15,0(,15)
BASSM 14,15
.
.
END
RTN2 CSECT
RTN2 AMODE 24
ENTRY RTN2AD
.
BSM 0,14
RTN2AD DC A(RTN2)
RTN3 CSECT
RTN3 AMODE 31
ENTRY RTN3AD
.
BSM 0,14
RTN3AD DC A(X'80000000+RTN3)
Effect of AMODE on QSAM macros.

See the two samples below to illustrate what changes are needed to migrate a AMODE 24
application that uses QSAM macros to a AMODE 31 application.
The PRINT sample

PRINT31 CSECT
PRINT31 AMODE 31
PRINT31 RMODE ANY
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
LR 2,1
MVC 0(LEN,2),SYSPRINT
OPEN ((2),OUTPUT),MODE=31
LTR 15,15
BNZ OPENERR
LA 5,20
MVC OUTREC+1(132),=CL132'THIS IS A PRINT LINE.'
LOOP PUT (2),OUTCARD
BCT 5,LOOP
CLOSE (2),MODE=31
L 13,SAVE+4
OPENERR L 13,SAVE+4
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
OUTREC DC CL133' '
LEN EQU *-SYSPRINT
SAVE DS 18F
END
A sample that copies one QSAM PS file to another.

QSAM31 CSECT
QSAM31 AMODE 31
QSAM31 RMODE ANY
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
GETMAIN RC,LV=LENI,LOC=BELOW
LR 2,1
MVC 0(LENI,2),INFILE
GETMAIN RC,LV=LENO,LOC=BELOW
LR 3,1
MVC 0(LENO,3),OUTFILE
OPEN ((2),INPUT),MODE=31
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR1
WTO 'INFILE OPENED'
LTR 15,15
BNZ ERROR2
WTO 'OUTFIL OPENED'
LOOP GET (2),INBUFF
MVC OUTBUFF,INBUFF
PUT (3),OUTBUFF
B LOOP
ERROR1 L 13,SAVE+4
ERROR2 L 13,SAVE+4
EOFRTN CLOSE ((2),,(3)),MODE=31
L 13,SAVE+4
INBUFF DS CL80
OUTBUFF DS CL80
SAVE DS 18F
OUTFILE DCB DSORG=PS,RECFM=FB,BLKSIZE=800, X
LRECL=80,MACRF=PM,DDNAME=OUTFILE
LENO EQU *-OUTFILE
INFILE DCB DSORG=PS,RECFM=FB,BLKSIZE=800, X
LRECL=80,MACRF=GM,DDNAME=INFILE, X
DCBE=INDCBE
LENI EQU *-INFILE
INDCBE DCBE EODAD=EOFRTN
END QSAM31
Sample that uses the RDJFCB macro

RDJFCB31 CSECT
RDJFCB31 AMODE 31
RDJFCB31 RMODE ANY
SAVE (14,12)
BALR 9,0
USING *,9
ST 13,SAVE+4
LA 13,SAVE
*
GETMAIN RC,LV=SYSPL,LOC=BELOW
LR 3,1
MVC 0(SYSPL,3),SYSPRINT
LTR 15,15
BNZ OPENERR
*
GETMAIN RC,LV=FILDCBL,LOC=BELOW
LR 11,1
MVC 0(FILDCBL,11),FILEDCB
USING IHADCB,11
*
GETMAIN RC,LV=RDJL,LOC=BELOW
LR 5,1
MVC 0(RDJL,5),RDJ
*
GETMAIN RC,LV=JFCBL,LOC=BELOW
LR 10,1
MVC 0(JFCBL,10),JFCB
STCM 10,B'0111',177(10)
USING INFMJFCB,10
LA 4,176(10)
STCM 4,B'0111',DCBEXLSA
*
USING DSTBLMAP,12
BAL 6,RDJFCB
BAL 6,MDFYJFCB
BAL 6,OPEN
BAL 6,PROCESS
BAL 6,CLOSE
CLOSE (3),MODE=31
B RETURN
*
RDJFCB STCM 11,B'0111',1(5)
RDJFCB MF=(E,(5))
LTR 15,15
BNZ NODD
BR 6
NODD WTO 'FILEDD NOT SPECIFIED IN JCL'
ABEND 901
*
MDFYJFCB LA 12,DSNTBL
MVC JFCBDSNM,DSNAME
BR 6
*
OPEN OPEN ((11),INPUT),TYPE=J,MF=(E,(5))
LTR 15,15
BNZ OPENERR
BR 6
*
CLOSE CLOSE (11),MODE=31
BR 6
*
OPENERR WTO 'OPENERROR'
L 13,SAVE+4
RETURN (14,12),,RC=16
*
PROCESS WTO 'IN PROCESS'
GET (11),BUFFER
MVC OUTREC(80),BUFFER
PUT (3),OUTCARD
B PROCESS
EOF BR 6
*
RETURN L 13,SAVE+4
*
SAVE DS 18F
*
DSNTBL DC A(L'DS01)
DC CL(45-L'DS01)' '
DS 0F
*
JFCB DS 44F
JFCBPTR DC X'87'
DC AL3(JFCB)
JFCBL EQU *-JFCB
BUFFER DS CL80
*
RDJ RDJFCB (FILEDCB,INPUT),MF=L
RDJL EQU *-RDJ
*
FILEDCB DCB DSORG=PS,MACRF=GM,DCBE=DCBED,EXLST=JFCBPTR, X
DDNAME=INFILE
FILDCBL EQU *-FILEDCB
DCBED DCBE EODAD=EOF
*
OUTREC DC CL133' '
LRECL=137,BLKSIZE=1370,RECFM=VB
SYSPL EQU *-SYSPRINT
DCBD DSORG=PS
DSECT
IEFJFCBN
*
DSTBLMAP DSECT
DSNMLEN DS CL4
DSNAME DS CL44
DS CL1
END
JCL, Note the INFILE DD Statement

//STEP1 EXEC ASMACL,REGION=0M
//ASM.SYSIN DD DSN=userid.ASM.SOURCE(RDJFCB2),DISP=SHR
//LKED.SYSLMOD DD DSN=userid.LOADLIB(RDJFCB2),DISP=SHR
//LKED.SYSLIB DD DSN=userid.OBJECT,DISP=SHR
//RUN EXEC PGM=RDJFCB2
//INFILE DD VOL=SER=(volser),DISP=SHR
MIXED MODE PROGRAMMING WITH COBOL AND ASSEMBLER back
This first example is an Assembler program calling a COBOL program. There are many ways to
prepare a COBOL / Assembler program.
Methods:-
1. Prepare the COBOL program first into an object module. Then compile and link edit the
Assembler program, making the COBOL object code available to the link edit step via
SYSLIB.
2. Prepare the Assembler program as an object module. Then compile and link edit the
COBOL program, making the assembler object code available to the link edit step via
SYSLIB.
3. Prepare both the COBOL and Assembler programs as Object code. Then have a separate
Link edit only job and use Linkage editor control statements to prepare the Load module,
name the module and specify an Entry point.
The following illustrates method (1) and illustrates an Assembler program(TEST11)

calling a COBOL sub program SUMCOB
Use the following JCL to compile the COBOL program. The IGYWC procedure is supplied by
IBM and will be available in the system.
Compile the COBOL source

//userid1 JOB CLASS=C,
// MSGCLASS=X,MSGLEVEL=(1,1),NOTIFY=&SYSUID
//COMPILE EXEC IGYWC
//COBOL.SYSIN DD DSN=userid.COBOL.SOURCE(SUMCOB),DISP=SHR
//COBOL.SYSLIN DD DSN=userid.COBOL.OBJECT(SUMCOB),DISP=SHR
//
See your system for understanding the IGYWC procedure used for compiling
a COBOL program. The IGYWCL procedure compiles and link edits a COBOL
program.
Here is the assemble and run JCL

// MSGCLASS=X,MSGLEVEL=(1,1),NOTIFY=&SYSUID,REGION=0M
// JCLLIB ORDER=userid.PROCLIB
//STEP1 EXEC PROC=ASMACL
//C.SYSIN DD DSN=userid.ASM.SOURCE(TEST11),DISP=SHR
//L.SYSLMOD DD DSN=userid.LOADLIB(TEST11),DISP=SHR
//L.SYSLIB DD DSN=userid.COBOL.OBJECT,DISP=SHR
//L.SYSIN DD *
ENTRY asm-csect-name
/*
//STEP EXEC PGM=TEST12
//
This COBOL program SUMCOB is called from an assembler module

IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. SUMCOB.
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
LINKAGE SECTION.
01 LS-VARS.
03 ARG1 PIC S9(8) COMP.
03 ARG2 PIC S9(8) COMP.
03 RES PIC S9(8) COMP.
PROCEDURE DIVISION USING LS-VARS.
PERFORM MAIN-PARA
PERFORM END-PARA.
MAIN-PARA.
COMPUTE RES = ARG1 + ARG2.
END-PARA.
STOP RUN.
Here is the Assembler program that calls SUMCOB
TEST12 CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LR 2,13
LA 13,SAVE
ST 13,8(0,2)
LA 1,=A(ARG1)
L 15,=V(SUMCOB)
BALR 14,15
L 5,RES
CVD 5,DW
UNPK MSG+2(16),DW
OI MSG+17,X'F0'
LA 4,MSG
WTO TEXT=(4)
SR 15,15
L 13,SAVE+4
L 14,12(0,13)
LM 0,12,20(13)
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
ARG1 DC F'100'
ARG2 DC F'200'
RES DS F
MSG DC AL2(16)
DS CL16
DW DS D
END
Here is the assembler version of SUMCOB , doesn’t make a difference from the COBOL
version.
SUMCOB CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LR 2,13
LA 13,SAVE
ST 13,8(0,2)
L 2,0(0,1)
USING ARGS,2
L 5,A1
A 5,A2
ST 5,RES
SR 15,15
L 13,SAVE+4
L 14,12(0,13)
LM 0,12,20(13)
BR 14
ARGS DSECT
A1 DS F
A2 DS F
RES DS F
SUMASM CSECT
SAVE DS 18F
END
The following Illustrates Method (2) with a COBOL program calling an Assembler
program
First Compile the Assembler program
// MSGCLASS=X,MSGLEVEL=(1,1),NOTIFY=&SYSUID,REGION=0M
// JCLLIB ORDER=userid.PROCLIB
//STEP1 EXEC PROC=ASMAC
//C.SYSIN DD DSN=userid.ASM.SOURCE(SUMASM),DISP=SHR
//C.SYSLIN DD DSN=userid.ASM.OBJECT(SUMASM),DISP=SHR
//
Then you run this JCL that compiles the COBOL program, link edits it with the Assembler
code and runs it.
//COMPILE EXEC IGYWCL
//COBOL.SYSIN DD DSN=userid.COBOL.SOURCE(TEST11CB),DISP=SHR
//LKED.SYSLMOD DD DSN=userid.LOADLIB(TEST11CB),DISP=SHR
//LKED.SYSLIB DD
// DD DSN=userid.ASM.OBJECT,DISP=SHR
//*
//RUN EXEC PGM=TEST11CB
//
TEST11CB COBOL PROGRAM (Main)

PROGRAM-ID. TEST11CB.
DATA DIVISION.
01 WS-VARS.
03 ARG1 PIC S9(8) COMP VALUE 100.
03 ARG2 PIC S9(8) COMP VALUE 200.
03 RES PIC S9(8) COMP.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
PERFORM MAIN-PARA
PERFORM END-PARA.
MAIN-PARA.
DISPLAY "EXECUTING TEST11CB"
CALL "SUMASM" USING WS-VARS
DISPLAY "RESULT IS:-" RES.
END-PARA.
STOP RUN.
Assembler Sub Program SUMASM

SUMASM CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LR 2,13
LA 13,SAVE
ST 13,8(0,2)
L 2,0(0,1)
USING ARGS,2
L 5,A1
A 5,A2
ST 5,RES
SR 15,15
L 13,SAVE+4
L 14,12(0,13)
LM 0,12,20(13)
BR 14
ARGS DSECT
A1 DS F
A2 DS F
RES DS F
SUM CSECT
SAVE DS 18F
END
Method (3)
Here compile the COBOL program SUMCOB into userid.COBOL.OBJECT. Compile the
Assembler program TEST11 into userid.ASM.OBJECT. Then run the link edit and run Job shown
below.

//LKED EXEC PGM=HEWL,REGION=1024K
//SYSLMOD DD DSN=userid.LOADLIB,DISP=SHR
//SYSLIB DD DSNAME=CEE.SCEELKED,DISP=SHR
//MYLIB DD DSN=userid.ASM.OBJECT,DISP=SHR
// DD DSN=userid.COBOL.OBJECT,DISP=SHR
//SYSLIN DD *
INCLUDE MYLIB(TEST11) include card
INCLUDE MYLIB(SUMCOB) include card
ENTRY TEST11 entry card
NAME TEST11(R) name card
/*
//GO EXEC PGM=TEST11
Any Storage that is either statically defined in the assembler program, getmained or is a
COM area can be shared with a COBOL program. Here is how a COBOL program can
access a COM area defined in an Assembler program.
COBOL and COM Area

PROGRAM-ID. TEST12CB.
DATA DIVISION.
LINKAGE SECTION.
01 LS-VAR-ONE.
03 ARG1 USAGE IS POINTER.
01 LS-VAR-TWO.
03 MSG PIC S9(4) COMP.
03 MSG-DATA PIC X(16).
PROCEDURE DIVISION USING LS-VAR-ONE.
PERFORM MAIN-PARA
PERFORM END-PARA.
MAIN-PARA.
SET ADDRESS OF LS-VAR-TWO TO ARG1.
MOVE 16 TO MSG
MOVE "TEST12CB" TO MSG-DATA.
END-PARA.
STOP RUN.
TEST12C CSECT
STM 14,12,12(13)
BALR 12,0
USING *,12
ST 13,SAVE+4
LR 2,13
LA 13,SAVE
ST 13,8(0,2)
L 4,ACOM1
USING DCOM1,4
LA 1,=A(ACOM1)
L 15,=V(TEST12CB)
BALR 14,15
LA 5,MSG
WTO TEXT=(5)
SR 15,15
L 13,SAVE+4
L 14,12(0,13)
LM 0,12,20(13)
BR 14
SAVE DS 18F
ACOM1 DC A(COM1)
DCOM1 DSECT
MSG DS AL2
DS CL16
COM1 COM
DS CL128 COBOL ‘sees’ only 18 bytes
END TEST12C
Recommended for Reference and further reading

1. High level assembler for MVS & VM & VSE, Programmers Guide MVS & VM edition
2. High level assembler for MVS & VM & VSE, Language Reference MVS & VM edition
3. MVS Programming Assembler Services guide
4. MVS Programming Assembler Services reference
5. MVS assembly language by Mc.Quillen and Prince
6. Assembly language programming for the IBM370 and compatible computers by Michael D.
Kudlick.
7. Advanced Assembler Language and MVS Interfaces by Carmine A. Cannatello
1 through 4 are IBM Manuals which are available for access at the IBM web site.

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ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE - 25/09/2004 1 / 117

What is Assembly Language

 Lowest-level of programming on a system

Advantages over high-level language

 Very efficient and tight code can be developed

 Applications development time is more

Advantages over machine language

 Use of mnemonic operation codes helps remembering the instructions

BASIC CONCEPTS back

IBM-370 MACHINE ARCHITECTURE

 Main storage Addressed by 24 bits or 31 bits

ASSEMBLY STATEMENT FORMAT

 Fixed Format. Can be changed only through ICTL Assembler Directive

FIRST HALF WORD SECOND HALF WORD THIRD HALF WORD

SYMBOLS, LITERALS, DATA AREAS, LOCATION COUNTER back

Symbol Length attribute

DUPL DC 3F'200' L'DUPL = 4

Self Defining terms

Decimal self-defining term

Binary Self Defining Term

Character self-defining term

Absolute expressions An expression is absolute if it's value is unchanged by program relocation

All these are absolute expressions:-

The following are relocatable expressions:-

Location counter Source Statements

CONSTANTS AND DATA AREAS

 Assembly time constants EQU statement

 Constants can be absolute / re-locatable

DC DUPLICATING FACTOR TYPE LENGTH MODIFIER CONSTANT

Run time constant

DEFINE STORAGE (DS)

DS DUPLICATING FACTOR TYPE LENGTH MODIFIER

A self defining term is an absolute constant that can be written as a

Example CLI 0(8),C'Z'

A literal is a symbolic representation of a constant to which the assembler assigns an address

The first two statements are exactly equivalent to the third.

IF ASSEMBLER OPTION ALIGN IS SPECIFIED

INTEGER OPERATIONS back

FIXED POINT ARITHMETIC

Constants used Type

 GPR's are 32 bits with bit 0 as a sign bit

Addition and Subtraction

+6 0110 -6 1010 +5 0101 -5 1011

L Copy full word from memory to GPR RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

ST Copy a full word from GPR to memory RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

LH Copies a half word from memory to GPR RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

Before 0000 4321 C321

STH Copy a half word from GPR to memory RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

LM Copies 1 to 16 Full words from memory RS R1,R3,D2(B2)

STM Copies 1 to 16 Full words to memory RS R1,R3,D2(B2)

LR Copies one GPR to another RR R1,R2

S Subtracts a memory field from GPR RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

AR Adds a GPR to another GPR RR R1,R2

SR Subtracts a GPR from another GPR RR R1,R2

AH Adds a half word memory field to a GPR RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

SH Subtracts a half word memory field from RX R1,D2(X2,B2) a GPR

AL Add Logical RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

ALR Adds a GPR logically to another GPR RR R1,R2

 Range of result in the GPR is from -2**31 to 2**31-1

Before multiplication Any number V1

After multiplication 64 bit product V1 X V2

MR Multiply one GPR with another RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

MH Multiply a GPR with a half word RX R1,D2(X2,B2)

 Range of result in the GPR is from -231 to 231-1