Enhancements from V3R3

More XML support

The XMLCHAR built-in function will write XML with the names and values of the elements of a referenced structure to a buffer and return the number of bytes written. This XML can then be passed to other applications, including code using the PL/I SAX parser, which want to consume it.

Improved performance

• The compilation time under OPT(2) will be significantly less than under Enterprise PL/I V3R2, especially for large programs.
• The compiler now uses the ED and EDMK instructions for inlined numeric conversions to PICTURE and CHARACTER. This results in faster, shorter code sequences and also in faster compilations.
• The compiler now generates better code for string comparisons. This also results in faster, shorter code sequences.
• The compiler now generates shorter, faster code for conversion from FIXED DECIMAL to PICTURE with trailing overpunch characters.
• The ARCH and TUNE compiler options now accept 5 as a valid sub-option. Under ARCH(5), the compiler will generate, when appropriate, some new z/Architecture® instructions such as NILL, NILH, OILL, OILH, LLILL, and LLILH.

Easier migration

• The new BIFPREC compiler option controls the precision of the FIXED BIN result returned by various built-in functions and thus provides for better compatibility with the OS PL/I compiler.
• The new BACKREG compiler option controls which register the compiler uses as the backchain register and thus allows for easier mixing of old and new object code.
• The new RESEXP compiler option controls the evaluation of restricted expressions in code, and thus provides for better compatibility with the OS PL/I compiler.
• The new BLKOFF compiler option provides for controlling the way offsets in the compiler's pseudo-assembler listing are calculated.
• The STORAGE compiler option causes the compiler to produce, as part of the listing, a summary, similar to that produced by the OS PL/I compiler, of the storage used by each procedure and begin-block.

Improved usability

• The new LAXDEF suboption of the RULES compiler option allows the use of so-called illegal defining without having the compiler generate E-level messages.
• The new FLOATINMATH compiler option offers easier control of the precision with which math functions are evaluated.
• The new MEMINDEX, MEMSEARCH(R) and MEMVERIFY(R) built-in functions provide the ability to search strings larger than 32K.
• The new ROUTCDE and DESC suboptions of the DISPLAY(WTO) compiler option offers control of the corresponding elements of the WTO.
• The compiler now stores in each object a short string that will be in storage even when the associated code runs and that records all the options used to produce that object. This allows various tools to produce better diagnostics.
• The compiler now issues messages identifying more of the places where statements have been merged or deleted.
• The PLIDUMP output now includes a hex dump of user static.
• The PLIDUMP output now includes the options used to compile each program in the Language Environment® traceback.
• The PLIDUMP output now includes more information on PL/I files.

Improved debug support

• BASED structures using REFER are now supported in DebugTool and in data-directed I/O statements (with the same restrictions as on all other BASED variables).
• BASED structures that are BASED on scalar members of other structures (which, in turn, may be BASED, etc) are now supported in DebugTool and in data-directed I/O statements (with the same restriction as on all other BASED variables).