HLASM Language Reference

DC Instruction—Character Constant
(EBCDIC) representation (see Appendix D, “Standard Character Set Code Table”
on page 421). For example:
DC
C'A,B'
is assembled as A,B with object code X'C16BC2'.
Give special consideration to representing single quotation marks and ampersands
as characters. Each single quotation mark or ampersand you want as a character
in the constant must be represented by a pair of single quotation marks or
ampersands. Each pair of single quotation marks is assembled as one single
quotation mark, and each pair of ampersands is assembled as one ampersand (see
▌3▐ in Figure 39).
Figure 39 (Page 1 of 2). Character Constants
Subfield Value Example Result
1. Duplication factor Allowed
2. Type C
3. Type Extension U
A
| C
| 4. Program type Allowed
5. Modifiers
Implicit length:
(length modifier
not present)
Alignment:
Evaluate as an
even number, if
Type Extension of
U is specified
Byte
Range for length: 1 to 256
(byte length)
Range for scale:
Range for exponent:
Must be a multiple
of 2 when the
Type Extension is U
.1 to .2048
(bit length)
(Not permitted
if Type Extension
of U is specified.)
Not allowed
Not allowed
C DC CU'UNICODE'
A DC CA'ASCII'
E DC CE'EBCDIC'
L'C = 14
L'C = 5
L'E = 5
C DC C'LENGTH' L'C = 6 ▌1▐
6. Nominal value
Represented by: Characters
DC C'A''B'
Object code
X'C17DC2' ▌3▐
| (all 256 8-bit DC CU'AA'
X'00410041'
| combinations) DC CA'AB'
X'4142'
Enclosed by:
Exponent allowed:
Single quotation
marks
No (would be
interpreted as
character data)
Chapter 5. Assembler Instruction Statements 143