On 11/3/22 16:43:54, John Ganci wrote:
I think I've answered my question. Looking in HLASM Language Reference Chapter 9, there is a section "Evaluation of character expressions" following the description of the X2D built-in function. Item 2 in the Notes of that section states "A double ampersand generates a double ampersand as part of the value of a character expression."So, C2B('&&') is correctly returning the value of two ampersands.
But is there no way to extract the 8-bit C2B value of a single ampersand? the DOUBLE BIF isn't right; there should be a corresponding UNDOUBLE. HLASM lexical analysis is irreparably maldesigned. Compatibility dictates that it can never be fixed. A prime example of mindless adherence to Conway's Law. Case in point: the behavior of doubled ampersands in the SETC instruction differs from their treatment when they appear as macro parameters. Rexx got it right; Assembler missed the goal. -- gil
