Benefits of Using Assembler Language

Although coding in assembler language requires more effort, this language has greater flexibility than other supported languages. The advantages of assembler language include:

• Display flexibility. Although full-screen display support is provided to all languages through the VIEW command, you can take advantage of special features of your workstation, such as wide screens or cursor-dependent functions. By writing in assembler language, you gain direct access to the 3270 data-stream commands.
• Special data handling. The following are an example:
  • Reentrant updates to a global data structure
  • Complex functions at operator logoff or abend-reinstatement
• Privileged functions. Access to all system functions and macros.
• Interaction with other commands. You can examine the status of, or wait on, asynchronous events other than the standard set that the VIEW command provides. These include timed events or completion of commands under another task.
• Performance. While supported high-level language routines usually run faster than interpreted command lists, some types of data manipulation are faster with assembler language.