[comp.lang.asm370] IBM 370 Assembly Language - Parsers

phil@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (07/26/89)

If someone is into writing or working on this sort of stuff, then I'd like
to see a more versatile form of 370 assembler for 370 itself (not a cross
assembler).  One feature I'd like to see is the ability to define structured
data with longer names.  Macros and object definitions could define names
and fields more easily this way.  Limit on symbols should be at least 32
characters.  Also, make sure it can deal with lower case.

--Phil howard--  <phil@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>

terry@uts.amdahl.com (Lewis T. Flynn) (07/28/89)

In article <6100006@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> phil@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu writes:
>
>If someone is into writing or working on this sort of stuff, then I'd like
>to see a more versatile form of 370 assembler for 370 itself (not a cross
>assembler).  One feature I'd like to see is the ability to define structured
>data with longer names.  Macros and object definitions could define names
>and fields more easily this way.  Limit on symbols should be at least 32
>characters.  Also, make sure it can deal with lower case.

You have something against Assembler H? It certainly has long symbol
names along with several other nice additions (multiple location
counters made structured macros a lot easier). Mixed case would be a
nice extra though (as I remember, it doesn't mind mixed comments but
barfs at lower case in the actual instruction).

Terry

No, I'm not speaking for the company.

EGNILGES@pucc.Princeton.EDU (Ed Nilges) (07/28/89)

In article <6100006@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>, phil@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu writes:

>
>If someone is into writing or working on this sort of stuff, then I'd like
>to see a more versatile form of 370 assembler for 370 itself (not a cross
>assembler).  One feature I'd like to see is the ability to define structured
>data with longer names.  Macros and object definitions could define names
>and fields more easily this way.  Limit on symbols should be at least 32
>characters.  Also, make sure it can deal with lower case.

The IBM Assembler H can deal with symbols up to 63 characters in length,
although it cannot deal with lower case.





>
>--Phil howard--  <phil@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
************************************************************************

Edward Nilges

"If the universe were perfect, it wouldn't exist" - Yogi Berra

ECULHAM%UALTAVM@RICE.EDU (Earl Culham) (07/29/89)

In article <6100006@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>, ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!phil@UXC.CSO.UIUC.EDU wr

>
>If someone is into writing or working on this sort of stuff, then I'd like
>to see a more versatile form of 370 assembler for 370 itself (not a cross
>assembler).  One feature I'd like to see is the ability to define structured
>data with longer names.  Macros and object definitions could define names
>and fields more easily this way.  Limit on symbols should be at least 32
>characters.  Also, make sure it can deal with lower case.
>
>--Phil howard--  <phil@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>

There have been extensions made to IBM's Assembler H which address all
your requests, and then some. These extensions were made independently
(and likely incompatibly) at the University of Michigan and Stanford
Linear Accelerator Center. I have no direct knowledge of the SLAC
version, other than it is available through the SHARE Program Library
Agency. The MTS version also supports a very nice set of structured
programming macros.

In addition, I have three structured programming macro libraries
that work with the standard (ie. no extra charge) IBM Assembler.
As they aren't mine, I can't forward them to you. But, if you are
interested, I should be able to track down their authors so that
you can request your own copy.

phil@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (07/31/89)

> The IBM Assembler H can deal with symbols up to 63 characters in length,
> although it cannot deal with lower case.

I can deal with that, by writing a program that precedes assembly and
converts all non-comments to upper case into a temporary file for the
actual assembly.  It will be in effect a CASE IGNORE as opposed to a
CASE RESPECT interpretation of the source case.

How universally is Assembler H used, particularly in educational
instutitions who are a part of the HESC (which appears to include
Assembler H on its list)?

--Phil howard--  <phil@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>

Will@SUN.COM (08/01/89)

Why not make REXX the macro language for 370 ASM?  One of Mike Cowlishaw's
original intents for the language was that it serve as a macro language
pre-processor for languages.

Will