HLASM Language Reference

SET Symbols
Figure 86 (Page 3 of 3). Features of SET Symbols and Other Types of Variable Symbols
Features
Values can be
changed within
scope of symbol
SETA,
SETB,
SETC
symbols
Yes
Symbolic
Parameters
No, read only
value
System Variable
Symbols
No, read only
value
Notes:
1. The value assigned to a SET symbol can be changed by using the SETA, SETAF,
SETB, SETC, or SETCF instruction within the declared or implied scope of the SET
symbol.
2. A symbolic parameter and the system variable symbols (except for &SYSSTMT,
&SYSM_HSEV, and &SYSM_SEV) are assigned values that remain fixed throughout
their scope. Wherever a SET symbol appears in a statement, the assembler replaces
the symbol's current value with the value assigned to it.
SET symbols can be used in the name, operation, and operand fields of macro
instructions. The value thus passed through the name field symbolic parameter
into a macro definition is considered as a character string and is generated as
such. If the COMPAT(SYSLIST) assembler option is specified, the value passed
through an operand field symbolic into a macro definition is also considered a
character string and is generated as such. However, if the COMPAT(SYSLIST)
assembler option is not specified, SET symbols can be used to pass sublists into a
macro definition.
Subscripted SET Symbol Specification
The format of a subscripted SET symbol is shown below.
►►──&symbol(subscript) ─────────────────────────────────────────────►◄
&symbol
is a variable symbol.
subscript
is an arithmetic expression with a value greater than or equal to 1.
Example:
&ARRAY(2)
The subscript can be any arithmetic expression allowed in the operand field of a
SETA instruction (see “Arithmetic (SETA) Expressions” on page 352).
The subscript refers to one of the many positions in an array of values identified by
the SET symbol.
A subscripted SET symbol can be used anywhere an unsubscripted SET symbol is
allowed. However, subscripted SET symbols must be declared as subscripted by a
previous local or global declaration instruction, or implicitly as a local subscripted
SET symbol in a SETx instruction of the desired type.
322 HLASM V1R5 Language Reference