Assembler Language

Prerequisites:

Delegates are expected to have some knowledge of the organisation and operation of zSeries Enterprise Servers. Some previous programming experience is necessary and knowledge of hexadecimal arithmetic would also be useful.

Course Description:

This course is suitable for Systems Programmers, Technical Support and Applications Programmers who need the ability to write and debug Assembler language programs and understand better the software that their installation uses.

The objectives of this course are to:

Develop a better understanding of the machine and how it processes instructions.
Develop the ability to read, maintain and write assembler programs, particularly those small functions which will increase corporate IT throughput.
Provide delegates with a practical introduction to the essential operating system interfaces with Assembler.
Improve skills in Diagnostics and dump analysis.

This course includes the following modules:

Control Section

• Source Code Definitions: Object Modules and Load Modules
• Control Section Definitions
• START Command Definition
• CSECT Command Definition
• Setting up Addressability in a Control Section
• USING Statement
• BASR Instruction (Branch and Save Register)
• Multiple Base Register Specifications
• MVC Move Character Instruction
• LA Load Address Instruction
• Symbolic Address
• Base Addressing
• Displacement Calculations
• Index Addressability
• MVI Move Immediate
• LITERALS
• EQUATES

Data Definitions

• Define Constant
• Binary
• Characters
• Hexadecimal
• Fixed Point
• Define Storage
• Addressing

Instruction Set

• CLC Compare Logical Character
• B Branch Instruction Format
• CLI Compare Logical Integer
• STM Storage Multiple
• IC Insert Character
• STC Store Character
• L Load
• LH Load Halfword
• LR Load Register
• SH Subtract Halfword
• ST Store
• LTR Load and Test
• DSECT Dummy Section
• How to define a Dummy Section.
• What a Dummy Section is.
• How to use a Dummy Section.
• Workshop: Read Card Input Until Last Card, then Output Cards

Instruction Set (continued)

• MVS I/O needs
• DOS I/O needs
• C Compare Function
• CH Compare Halfword
• CR Compare Register
• BCT Branch on Count
• BCTR Branch on Count Register
• BAL Branch and Link

Binary Conversion

• PACK Pack
• CVB Convert to Binary
• CVD Convert to Decimal
• UNPK Unpack

Binary Arithmetic

• AR Add Register
• A Add Instruction
• AH Add Halfword
• SR Subtract Register
• SH Subtract Halfword
• MH Multiply Halfword
• M Multiply
• D Divide
• DR Divide Register
• Workshop: Sort Data Using A Bubble Sort

Decimal Arithmetic

• AP Add Decimal
• CP Compare Decimal
• DP Divide Decimal
• ED Edit
• EDMK Edit and Mark
• MP Multiply Decimal
• SRP Shift and Round Decimal
• SP Subtract Decimal
• ZAP Zero and Add
• Workshop: Binary Arithmetic

Linkage Instructions

• BAS/BASR Branch and Save Register
• Workshop: Packed Arithmetic