IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3

Software Announcement
July 28, 1998
Announcement Letter Number: 298-271

Table of Contents:

• At a Glance
  
• DESCRIPTION
  
• PRODUCT POSITIONING
  
• SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
  
• TECHNICAL INFORMATION
  
• ORDERING INFORMATION
  
• TERMS AND CONDITIONS
  
• CALL NOW TO ORDER
  

Product name typographical error corrected throughout announcement.

At a Glance

IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 and IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3 provide:

• Support for IEEE binary floating-point arithmetic, data, and instructions, and the additional floating-point registers

• Enhanced cross-reference information, including the general purpose registers

• New and improved diagnostics to enhance program reliability

• Additional language features to improve programming accuracy and productivity

• Greater controls over source and object code

• Numerous conditional assembly enhancements

• Extensions to the capabilities of many Toolkit-Feature components

-----------------------------------------
For ordering, contact:
  Your IBM representative, an IBM
  Business Partner, or IBM North America
  Sales Centers at
    800-IBM-CALL  Reference: LE010

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Overview

IBM High Level Assembler for MVS (TM) & VM & VSE Release 3 and IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3 replace all previous System/370 (TM) and System/390 (R) assemblers. They provide powerful and flexible tools for developing and maintaining all Assembler Language applications, converting symbolic source statements to machine language object code with extensive checks for common coding errors. The assembler and its Toolkit feature enhance programmer accuracy, productivity, and application reliability, maintainability, and serviceability.

IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 and IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3 provide support for the recently announced ESA/390 (TM) IEEE binary floating-point instructions, data, and additional floating point registers; new diagnostic and cross-reference features; and numerous language enhancements.

Among the new features of IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 are:

• Support for the new binary floating-point instructions and data formats includes:
  • Accurate conversion of decimal values to binary floating-point representations, with selectable rounding modes.

  • Special values such as infinities and NaNs may be requested with symbolic forms.

  • All new binary and hexadecimal floating-point instructions are supported.
• The USING statement has been enhanced to allow specifying a limit to the resolution range.

• A new ACONTROL statement allows fine-grained controls over certain options within the source program, and its status may be saved and restored with the PUSH and POP instructions.

• A new INFO option provides details of the current service status of the customer's assembler.

• A full cross reference of general purpose register usage includes tags to indicate types of use.

• Enhancements to the conditional assembly language improve programming ease and flexibility.

Intended Customers

All customers using IBM host assembler products (IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE or Assembler H) should migrate to IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 to take advantage of its new and improved function and features.

Key Prerequisites

The High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 is designed to run on a broad range of processors and operating system families. For specific prerequisites, refer to the Technical Information section.

Planned Availability Date

September 25, 1998

------------------------------

This announcement is provided for your information only. For additional information, contact your IBM representative, call 800-IBM-4YOU, or visit the IBM home page at: http://www.ibm.com

DESCRIPTION

IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 and IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3 provide support for the recently announced ESA/390 IEEE binary floating-point instructions, data, and additional floating point registers; new diagnostic and cross-reference features; and numerous language enhancements.

Among the new features of IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 are:

• Support for the new binary floating-point instructions and data formats includes:
  • Accurate conversion of decimal values to binary floating-point representations, with selectable rounding modes.

  • Special values such as infinities and NaNs may be requested with symbolic forms.

  • All new binary and hexadecimal floating-point instructions are supported.
• As a byproduct of the binary floating-point support, new and more accurate hexadecimal floating point conversions are provided.

• The USING statement has been enhanced to allow specifying a limit to the resolution range.

• A new ACONTROL statement allows fine-grained controls over certain options within the source program, and its status may be saved and restored with the PUSH and POP instructions.

• A new INFO option provides details of the current service status of the customer's assembler.

• A full cross reference of general purpose register usage includes tags to indicate types of use.

• New diagnostics can detect inadvertent programming errors, and several diagnostics have been enhanced to provide more information about the specific causes of errors.

• New sub-options of the FLAG option control new forms of error checking.

• A new COMPAT(LITTYPE) option provides type-attribute compatibility for literal operands of macros.

• More detailed and precise information is provided in the source listing, with improved readability in many areas.

• SYSADATA records have been enhanced to provide:
  • An expanded header field that includes the length of the data portion of the record, to simplify downloading and processing

  • Register cross-reference records

  • The settings of the current PRINT status flags.
• Program readability is enhanced by allowing blanks among the digits of nominal values in most constant types.

• A new J-type address constant supplies the length of a class or DXD.

• The external-function interface is enhanced to support messages and function-requested closure.

• A zero duplication factor on a constant does not require that a nominal value be supplied.

• Enhancements to the conditional assembly language include:
  • A new AINSERT statement allows creation of records to be inserted into the assembler's input stream.

  • The BYTE and SIGNED internal functions simplify conditional assembly expressions.

  • Five new system variable symbols are provided: &SYSCLOCK provides detailed date/time information; &SYSMAC provides the name of the macro in which it is used and the names of all macros in the call chain; &SYSOPT_XOBJECT indicates that the XOBJECT option was specified; and &SYSM_SEV and &SYSM_MSEV provide the highest severity codes from MNOTE statements in the most recently called macro and in the entire assembly, respectively.

  • Macro debugging is simplified by improvements to the MHELP facility.
• A single set of product publications is provided for MVS, VM, and VSE.

• An enhanced common instruction-disassembly routine is used by both the disassembler and the Interactive Debug Facility, and includes all currently supported machine instructions.

• The Program Understanding tool has been enhanced to support all current machine instructions, and to run on Windows 95 and Windows NT (R).

  Note: Windows (TM) support for the Program Understanding tool will be made available in fourth quarter 1998.

• The Interactive Debug Facility has been enhanced to support the additional floating-point registers of the G5 processor family.

• The disassembler and the Interactive Debug Facility support debugging and disassembly of modules contain in PDSE's.

• The disassembler is enhanced to accept CMS modules.

Year 2000

This product does not have date dependencies and is, therefore, Year 2000 ready.

This product is Year 2000 ready. When used in accordance with its associated documentation, it is capable of correctly processing, providing, and/or receiving date data within and between the 20th and 21st centuries, provided all other products (for example, software, hardware, and firmware) used with the product properly exchange accurate date data with it.

PRODUCT POSITIONING

IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 and IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3 are the flagship ESA/390 assembler products.

HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE SUPPORT SERVICES

SmoothStart (TM)/Installation Services

IBM SmoothStart or Installation Services will not be provided for IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 and IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3.

REFERENCE INFORMATION

Refer to the following:

• Software Announcement 292-244, dated May 5, 1992 (IBM High Level Assembler/MVS & VM & VSE, Release 1)

• Marketing Announcement 394-070 dated April 5, 1994 (Price Changes: High Level Assembler)

• Marketing Announcement 394-205 dated August 6, 1994 (Price Changes: Low-End System/390 Software)

• Software Announcement 295-006 dated January 26, 1995 (IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE, Release 2)

• Software Announcement 295-498 dated December 12, 1995 (IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature)

• Marketing Announcement 397-189 dated October 7, 1997 (Price Changes: System/390 Products -- 1-2 MSU Prices)

      MVS, System/370, ESA/390, and SmoothStart are trademarks of
      International Business Machines Corporation in the United
      States or other countries or both.
      System/390 is a registered trademark of International Business
      Machines Corporation in the United States or other countries or
      both.
      Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
      Windows NT is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
      Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or
      service marks of others.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Specified Operating Environment

Hardware Requirements: IBM High Level Assembler for MVS (TM) & VM & VSE Release 3 supports IBM308x, 3090 (TM), and later processors of the System/370 (TM) and System/390 (R) family. It requires at least 800K virtual storage, and possibly more depending on the application being assembled.

IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3 supports the same processors; its storage requirements depend on the component being executed.

The Program Understanding tool (ASMPUT) component of IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3 requires a workstation capable of running OS/2 (R), Windows 95, or Windows NT (R) with a minimum of 16 MB memory (32 MB recommended) and 80 MB of available hard-drive space, plus a host-system connection or other means of transferring SYSADATA files to the workstation for analysis.

Software Requirements: IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 executes on MVS/ESA (TM) 4.2.0 (5695-047 or 5695-048) and later; on OS/390 (TM) 1.1.0 (5645-001) and later, and on OS/390 2.4.0 (5647-A01) and later; on VM/ESA (R) 1.1.5 (5684-112) with 370 feature, VM/ESA 1.2.2 (5684-112) , and VM/ESA 2.1.0 (5654-030) and later; on VSE/ESA (TM) 1.3.0 (5750-ACD), and on VSE/ESA 2.1.0 (5690-VSE) and later.

IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3 executes on the above platforms, except that VSE/ESA 2.2.0 or later is required for the Interactive Debug Facility.

The Program Understanding tool (ASMPUT) component of IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3 requires one of:

• OS/2 Version 3 with fixpack 32 (fixpack 35 recommended) or later

• OS/2 Version 4 (8H1426) with fixpack 5 (fixpack 6 recommended) or later

• Windows (TM) 95 with Service Pack 1 or later

• Windows NT Version 4.0 with Service Pack 3 or later

Compatibility: IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 and IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3 are upward compatible with previous releases of IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE and the Toolkit Feature. In this release, a new format of the Associated Data (SYSADATA) file is produced, which will be incompatible with the formats created by previous releases.

Limitations

Performance Considerations: IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 is designed to utilize storage efficiently; large regions will help eliminate any need for utility file I/O. New language features can speed assembler processing of large macro-based programs.

User Group Requirements: This announcement satisfies or partially satisfies 28 requirements from one or more of the worldwide user group communities, which include Australasian SHARE/GUIDE (ASG), COMMON, COMMON Europe, GUIDE International, G.U.I.D.E./SHARE Europe (GSE), Japan GUIDE/SHARE (JGS), Guide Latin American (LAG), SHARE Incorporated, and other sources. Requirements satisfied include:

• GO4CPR83005: Provide cross-reference of registers

• GO1INM84014: Provide AMODE support for ENTRY

• CATOOL91009: Improve diagnostics for macro writers

• SALANG91632: Allow null strings in character constants

• SSMVSE95205: Allow user to front-end existing macros

• SSMVSE95208: Mark code included via COPY statement

• R065248: Allow generation of comment within a macro

• R050236: Common exit intercommunication feature

• Detect inadvertent references to page zero

• Provide a mechanism to control USING range

• Provide localization controls over certain classes of diagnostics

• Provide an option for compatibility with Assembler H for type attribute references to literal macro operands

• Provide a register XREF and usage map

• Support PSECT capabilities

• Provide statistics on external functions used and number of calls

• Provide an additional interface for I/O input exits indicating end of COPY or end of member

• Provide PRINT status flags in ADATA source records

• Add an option so HLASM prints information about service, added features, and so forth

• Extend adcons to support inter-class references

• Provide a system variable symbol to indicate which type of object file is being produced

• Clarify interactions of OBJECT and XOBJECT options

• Display PUSH USING level in the USING heading

• Make DXD alignments be determined from the most stringent requirement of all operands

• Provide a system variable symbol for the name of the macro being expanded

• Add more conditional assembly functions

• Provide a method for external functions to know when an assembly is terminating

• Identify which operand is in error in diagnostic messages

• Toolkit disassembler should support more module types

Planning Information

Customer Responsibilities: Detailed planning information is included in the IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 and IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3 Installation and Customization Guides. The changes from previous releases are minimal.

Installability: Changes to the format of the assembler-produced SYSADATA file may require changes to tools that process ADATA records.

The introduction of many new machine instructions and two new assembler instruction statements could conflict with existing customer macros.

Packaging: All IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 and IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3 components are shipped as host files, on a variety of media.

Security, Auditability, and Control

The announced program uses the security and auditability features of the host operating system. The customer is responsible for evaluation, selection, and implementation of security features, administrative procedures, and appropriate controls in application systems and communication facilities.

ORDERING INFORMATION

Current Licensees

Current licensees of IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 and IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3 will be sent a program reorder form that may be returned directly to IBM Software Manufacturing Solutions (SMS). These reorder forms are scheduled to be mailed by October 9, 1998. Reorder forms returned to SMS will be processed within 10 workdays of receipt. When Release 3 is available, Release 2 will no longer be available.

New Licensees

Orders for new licenses will be accepted now.

Shipment will begin on the planned availability date.

• Orders that ship before the planned availability will receive IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 2.

• Orders that ship after the planned availability date will receive IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3

New users of IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 should specify:

          Type        Model

          5696         234

Basic License: Refer to the following announcements for prices and ordering information for IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3:

• Software Announcement 292-244, dated May 5, 1992 (IBM High Level Assembler/MVS & VM & VSE, Release 1)

• Marketing Announcement 394-070 dated April 5, 1994 (Price Changes: High Level Assembler)

• Marketing Announcement 394-205 dated August 6, 1994 (Price Changes: Low-End System/390 Software)

• Software Announcement 295-006 dated January 26, 1995 (IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE, Release 2)

• Software Announcement 295-498 dated December 12, 1995 (IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature)

• Marketing Announcement 397-189 dated October 7, 1997 (Price Changes: System/390 Products -- 1-2 MSU Prices)

Entry Support License (ESL): To order an ESL license, specify the program number, feature number 9001 for asset registration, and the applicable ESL OTC feature number. Also specify the feature number of the desired distribution medium.

Note: ESL machines can be determined by referring to the IBM Entry End User/390 Attachment (Z125-4379).

Program Upgrade: If Version 1 Release 2 is a DSLO license and the customer wants to upgrade to a Version 1 Release 3 basic license, Version 1 Release 2 must be converted from a DSLO license to a basic license first.

Basic Machine-Readable Material: To order, select the feature numbers of the host and workstation master desired distribution medium.

There are no changes to ordering information for basic machine-readable material for IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 and IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3. Refer to the following:

• Software Announcement 292-244, dated May 5, 1992 (IBM High Level Assembler/MVS & VM & VSE, Release 1)

• Software Announcement 295-006 dated January 26, 1995 (IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE, Release 2)

• Software Announcement 295-498 dated December 12, 1995 (IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature)

• Software Announcement 292-244, dated May 5, 1992 (IBM High Level Assembler/MVS & VM & VSE, Release 1)

• Software Announcement 295-006 dated January 26, 1995 (IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE, Release 2)

• Software Announcement 295-498 dated December 12, 1995 (IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature)

This information is unchanged from previous releases. Refer to the announcements listed in the Basic Machine-Readable material.

DSLO License: There are no changes to prices or ordering information for IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 and IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3. Refer to the following:

• Software Announcement 292-244, dated May 5, 1992 (IBM High Level Assembler/MVS & VM & VSE, Release 1)

• Marketing Announcement 394-070 dated April 5, 1994 (Price Changes: High Level Assembler)

• Marketing Announcement 394-205 dated August 6, 1994 (Price Changes: Low-End System/390 Software)

• Software Announcement 295-006 dated January 26, 1995 (IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE, Release 2)

• Software Announcement 295-498 dated December 12, 1995 (IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature)

• Marketing Announcement 397-189 dated October 7, 1997 (Price Changes: System/390 Products -- 1-2 MSU Prices)

Unlicensed Documentation: The VSE/ESA-specific publications (GC26-8261, GC26-8263, GC26-8264, and GC26-8265) will be discontinued; their content is being merged into the equivalent MVS/VM publications to form a single set of product publications. There are no changes to the Unlicensed Documentation for MVS and VM from previous releases. Refer to:

• Software Announcement 292-244, dated May 5, 1992 (IBM High Level Assembler/MVS & VM & VSE, Release 1)

• Software Announcement 295-006 dated January 26, 1995 (IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE, Release 2)

• Software Announcement 295-498 dated December 12, 1995 (IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature)

These displayable manuals can be used with the BookManager (R) READ licensed programs in any of the supported environments. Terms and conditions for use of the machine-readable files are shipped with the files.

Subsequent updates (technical newsletters or revisions between releases) to the publications shipped with the product will be distributed to the user of record for as long as a license for this software remains in effect. A separate publication order or subscription is not needed.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The terms for IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 and IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3 are as previously announced in Software Announcement 292-244, dated May 5, 1992, as modified in Marketing Announcement 392-070, dated April 5, 1994, Marketing Announcement 394-205 dated August 6, 1994, and Marketing Announcement 397-189 dated October 7, 1997, and Software Announcements 295-006 dated January 26, 1995, and Software Announcement 295-498 dated December 12, 1995, licensed under the IBM Customer Agreement are unaffected by this announcement.

Program Currency: IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Release 3 and IBM High Level Assembler for MVS & VM & VSE Toolkit Feature Release 3 (5696-234)

Available until discontinued with 12 months' written notice.

Support Line: S/390 (R)

CHARGES

One-Time Charge: Customers who pay a one-time charge for a licensed program receive enhancements and future releases, if any, at no additional charge. Significant new function may be offered as an optional feature and charged for separately. If a replacement program is announced and the customer elects to license the replacement program for a one-time charge and replace the prior program, an upgrade charge may apply.

Distributed Feature One-Time Charge: Customers who pay a one-time charge for additional distributed features may copy machine-readable program material and documentation. One copy may be made for each additional distributed feature ordered.

Variable Charges

Entry Support License One-Time Charge: One-time charge authorizes use only on IBM Entry End User/390 machines.

Program Upgrade Charge: For additional product information, refer to:

• Software Announcement 292-244, dated May 6, 1992

• Software Announcement 295-006 dated January 26, 1995

• Software Announcement 295-498 dated December 12, 1995

• Marketing Announcement 394-070 dated April 5, 1994

• Marketing Announcement 394-205 dated August 6, 1994

• Marketing Announcement 397-189 dated October 7, 1997

CALL NOW TO ORDER

To order, contact the IBM North America Sales Centers, your local IBM representative, or your IBM Business Partner.

IBM North America Sales Centers, our national direct marketing organization, can add your name to the mailing list for catalogs of IBM products.

 Phone:     800-IBM-CALL (TM)
 Fax:       800-2IBM-FAX
 Internet:  ibm_direct@vnet.ibm.com
 Mail:      IBM North America Sales Centers
            Dept. LE010
            P.O. Box 2690
            Atlanta, GA  30301-2690
 Reference: LE010

To identify your local IBM Business Partner or IBM representative, call 800-IBM-4YOU.

Note: Shipments will begin after the planned availability date.

Trademarks

      MVS, 3090, System/370, MVS/ESA, OS/390, VSE/ESA, eNetwork, and
      800-IBM-CALL are trademarks of International Business Machines
      Corporation in the United States or other countries or both.
      System/390, OS/2, VM/ESA, BookManager, and S/390 are registered
      trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in
      the United States or other countries or both.
      Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
      Windows NT is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
      Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or
      service marks of others.