Using the Block Character Routine

For printer-destined output, the separator routine can use an IBM-supplied routine to construct separation records in a block character format. This routine is a reentrant module named IEFSD095 that resides in the module library SYS1.AOSB0.

The block character routine constructs block letters (A to Z), block numbers (0 to 9), and a blank. The separator routine furnishes the desired character string and the construction area. The block characters are constructed one line position at a time. Each complete character is contained in 12 lines and 12 columns; therefore, a block character area consists of 144 print positions. For each position, the routine provides either a space or the character itself.

The routine spaces 2 columns between each block character in the string. However, the routine does not enter blanks between or within the block characters. The separator routine must prepare the construction area with blanks or other desired background before entering the block character routine.

To invoke the IBM-supplied block character routine, the IBM-supplied separator routine executes the CALL macro with the entry point name of IEFSD095. Since the block characters are constructed one line position at a time, complete construction of a block character string requires 12 entries to the routine. Each time, the address of a 7-word parameter list is provided in register 1.

The parameter list contains the following:

Table 1. Block Character Routine Parameter List
Byte	Meaning
0-3	This fullword is the address of a field containing the desired character string in EBCDIC format.
4-7	This fullword is the address of a field containing the line count as a binary integer from 1 to 12. This represents the line position to be constructed on this call.
8-11	This word is the address of a construction area where the routine will build a line of the block character string. The required length in bytes of this construction area is 14n-2, where n represents the number of characters in the string.
12-15	This word is the address of a fullword field containing, in binary, the number of characters in the string.
16-19	Address of the data set PROC name in the SSOB extension.
20-23	Address of the data set STEP name in the SSOB extension.
24-27	Address of the data set DD name in the SSOB extension.