What Is High-Level Assembler (HLASM)?
It's been a long time, but the new kid on the block is finally here. High-Level Assembler (HLASM) is an assembler programming language developed by IBM and released in June 1992. HLASM mainly works within IBM-based operating systems. At the time, HLASM was IBM's first new assembler language since 1972. The language contains a number of innovative features, including support for address spaces larger than 64KB and a human-readable source code format that uses white space and comments to identify blocks of code. It also supports a number of advanced features not found in other languages, such as the ability to handle floating point arithmetic directly instead of through subroutines. Despite its age, HLASM remains popular with developers because it provides both high performance and flexibility in terms of addressing memory locations directly without having to deal with pointers or indirect addressing modes like those found in languages like C++ or Java (which must be compiled into native code before they can run). HSLAM translates basic computer instruction into binary code like any other assembler program. You know what?cWe are not even going to explain what binary code is. You can look it up on Wikipedia. It's the final form of code that a computer can process, and it's what HSLAM uses to do its thing. If you're new to programming, you can think of HLASM as the younger sibling of IBM's older assembler programs like DOS/VSE and VSE/AF. Like those older programs, HLASM included support for older applications, common task automation and cross-referencing—allowing for more efficient development and administration. But unlike its older siblings, HLASM improved debugging power by providing greater code-finding efficiency. So if you're looking for an assembler to help you build something easy for your users to navigate and use, look no further than HLASM!
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