HLASM Language Reference

Sublists in Operands
&SYSLIST( n,m): The system variable symbol, &SYSLIST(n,m), can also refer to
sublist entries, but only if the sublist is specified in a positional operand.
Figure 81. Relationship between Subscripted Parameters and Sublist Entries
Parameter
Sublist specified in
corresponding operand
or as default value
of a keyword parameter
Value generated or
used in computation
▌1▐ &PARM1(3) (1,2,,4) Null character string
▌2▐ &PARM1(5) (1,2,3,4) Null character string
&PARM1
▌3▐ &PARM1(1)
&PARM1(2)
▌4▐ &PARM1
&PARM1(1)
▌2▐ &PARM1(2)
A
A
A
(A)
(A)
(A)
A
A
Null character string
(A)
A
Null character string
&PARM1
&PARM1(1)
&PARM1(2)
&PARM1(2)
()
()
()
(A, ,C,D)
()
Null character string
Null character string
Nothing
Notes:
&PARM1(1)
&PARM1
&PARM2(3)
&SYSLIST(2,3)
1. Considered a sublist.
( )
A,(1,2,3,4)
A,(1,2,3,4)
A,(1,2,3,4)
2. The space indicates the end of the operand field.
Nothing
3. Produces error diagnostic message ASMA88E Unbalanced parentheses in
macro call operand.
4. Positional operands.
A
3
3
Multilevel Sublists
You can specify multilevel sublists (sublists within sublists) in macro operands. The
depth of this nesting is limited only by the constraint that the total operand length
| must not exceed 1024 characters. Inner elements of the sublists are referenced
using additional subscripts on symbolic parameters or on &SYSLIST.
N'&SYSLIST(n) gives the number of operands in the indicated n-th level sublist.
The number attribute (N') and a parameter name with an n-element subscript array
gives the number of operands in the indicated (n+1)-th operand sublist. Figure 82
shows the value of selected elements if &P is the first positional parameter, and the
value assigned to it in a macro instruction is (A,(B,(C)),D).
306 HLASM V1R5 Language Reference