HLASM Language Reference

Data Attributes
this example indicates, created SET symbols may be declared and used as arrays
of dimensioned variables.
Created SET symbols also enable you to achieve some of the effect of
multiple-dimensioned arrays by creating a separate name for each element of the
array. For example, a 3-dimensional array of the form &X(&I,&J,&K) could be
addressed as &(X&I.$&J.$&K), where &I, &J, and &K would typically have numeric
values. Thus, &X(2,3,4) would be represented by &X2$3$4. The $ separators
guarantee that &X(2,33,55) and &X(23,35,5) are unique:
&X(2,33,55) becomes &X2$33$55
&X(23,35,5) becomes &X23$35$5
Data Attributes
The data, such as instructions, constants, and areas, that you define in a source
module, can be described by its:
Type, which distinguishes a property of a named object or macro argument, for
example, fixed-point constants from floating-point constants, or machine
instructions from macro instructions
Length, which gives the number of bytes occupied by the object code of the
named data
Scaling, which shows the number of positions occupied by the fractional portion
of named fixed-point, floating-point, and decimal constants in their object code
form
Integer, which shows the number of positions occupied by the integer portion of
named fixed-point and decimal constants in their object code form
Count, which gives the number of characters that would be required to
represent the named data, such as a macro instruction operand, as a character
string
Number, which gives the number of sublist entries in a macro instruction
operand
Defined, which determines whether a symbol has been defined prior to the
point where the attribute reference is coded
Operation Code, which shows if an operation code, such as a macro definition
or machine instruction, is defined prior to the point where the attribute reference
is coded
These characteristics are called the attributes of the symbols naming the data. The
assembler assigns attribute values to the ordinary symbols and variable symbols
that represent the data.
Specifying attributes in conditional assembly instructions allows you to control
conditional assembly logic, which, in turn, can control the sequence and contents of
the statements generated from model statements. The specific purpose for which
you use an attribute depends on the kind of attribute being considered. The
attributes and their main uses are shown below:
324 HLASM V1R5 Language Reference