The prototype statement can be specified in one of the following
three ways:
- The normal way, with all the symbolic parameters preceding any
remarks
- An alternative way, allowing remarks for each parameter
- A combination of the first two ways
The continuation rules for macro instructions are different from
those for machine or assembler instruction statements. This difference
is important for those who write macros that override a machine/assembler
mnemonic.
The following examples show the normal statement format (
&NAME1),
the alternative statement format (
&NAME2), and
a combination of both statement formats (
&NAME3):
Opera-
Name tion Operand Comment Cont.
&NAME1 OP1 &OPERAND1,&OPERAND2,&OPERAND3 This is the normal X
statement format
&NAME2 OP2 &OPERAND1, This is the alter- X
&OPERAND2 native statement format
&NAME3 OP3 &OPERAND1, This is a combination X
&OPERAND2,&OPERAND3, of both X
&OPERAND4
Notes: - Any number of continuation lines is allowed. However, each continuation
line must be indicated by a non-space character in the column after
the end column on the preceding line.
- For each continuation line, the operand field entries (symbolic
parameters) must begin in the continue column; otherwise, the whole
line and any lines that follow are considered to contain remarks.
No error diagnostic message is issued to indicate that operands are treated as
remarks in this situation. However, the FLAG(CONT) assembler option
can be specified so that the assembler
issues warning messages if it suspects an error in a continuation
line.
- The standard value for the continue column is 16 and the standard
value for the end column is 71.
- A comma is required after each parameter except the last. If you
code excess commas between parameters, they are considered null positional
parameters. No error diagnostic message is issued.
- One or more spaces is required between the operand and the remarks.
- If the DBCS assembler option is specified, the continuation features outlined in Continuation of double-byte data
apply to continuation in the macro language. Extended continuation
is useful if a macro keyword parameter contains double-byte data.