Terms

A term is the smallest element of the assembler language that represents a distinct and separate value. It can, therefore, be used alone or in combination with other terms to form expressions. Terms are classified as absolute or relocatable, depending on the effect of program relocation upon them. Program relocation is the loading of the object program into storage locations other than those originally assigned by the assembler. Terms have absolute or relocatable values that are assigned by the assembler or that are inherent in the terms themselves.

A term is absolute if its value does not change upon program relocation. A term is relocatable if its value changes by n if the origin of the control section in which it appears is relocated by n bytes. Table 1 summarizes the various types of terms, and gives a reference to the page number where the term is discussed and the rules for using it are described. For more information about absolute and relocatable expressions, see Absolute and relocatable expressions.
Table 1. Summary of terms
Terms Term can be absolute Term can be relocatable Value is assigned by assembler Value is inherent in term Topic reference
Symbols X X X   Symbols
Literals X X X   Literals, constants, and self-defining terms
Self-defining terms X     X Self-defining terms
Location counter reference   X X   Location counter
Symbol length attribute X   X   Symbol length attribute reference
Other data attributes1 X   X   Other attribute references
Notes:
  1. Other valid data attributes are scale and integer.