Migrating object programs

The object module produced by High Level Assembler is portable across all the supported operating systems (but GOFF object files are not portable to z/VSE). Therefore, an assembler program can be assembled under any of the supported operating systems and run under any of the supported operating systems. For example, an assembler program can be assembled under CMS and run under z/VSE if the appropriate macro libraries are used for assembling the program.

The object module is portable across the supported operating systems with the following restrictions:

Wherever the assembler program uses system macros, the system macros for the target system must be used.
The object module must be link-edited using the target system linkage editor.
The assembler instructions included in the assembler program must be supported by the system linkage editor.
The z/VSE linkage editor before VSE/ESA Version 2 Release 1 does not support dummy external DSECTS. Therefore, to link-edit the assembler program under earlier VSE operating systems, the assembler program must not include any DXD or CXD statements or Q-type address constants.
The TEST assembler option should only be used if the object module is to be link-edited under z/OS.
z/VM and Nz/OS

The TEST option cannot be specified with the GOFF assembler option, which produces the generalized object format module.
A generalized object format module cannot be ported to a z/VSE or CMS environment.
Some enhancements such as external relative-immediate references and quadword-aligned control sections might not be supported on some z/VM and z/VSE systems.