That's sticky. Do you include RR instruction with a zero R2 field? BAKR? PC?
My first take is "call instructions", but that excludes, e.g/, BALR R12,0. "linkage instructions has the same issue." ________________________________________ From: IBM Mainframe Assembler List <ASSEMBLER-LIST@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of David Cole <dbc...@colesoft.com> Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2022 11:04 AM To: ASSEMBLER-LIST@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Subject: Branch-and-Link nomenclature question In Assembler there are many machine instructions that are suitable for calling subroutines: - They go somewhere, - But they also set a register that can be used to return to the next following instruction. These instructions include: - BAL (Branch and link) - BALR (Branch and link register) - BAS (Branch and save) - JAS (jump and save) - BRAS (Branch relative and save) - BRASL (Branch relative and save long) - BASSM (Branch and save and set mode) My question is this... What is the collective name for these instructions? In a sentence such as "Then you branch and link to a subroutine...", I tend to say "branch and link", but I'm always unhappy about that... - Yes, "branch and link" is an accurate description of you're doing, - While "branch and save" is a bit opaque. - However, the phrase "branch and link" is ambiguous and invites unnecessary quibbling. So my question is... What would you say? TIA, David Cole dbc...@gmail.com (personal) dbc...@colesoft.com (business) 540-456-6518 (cell)
