On 2017-03-21, at 11:03, MELVYN MALTZ wrote:

> Hi Steves, and Paul,
> 
> Ok, I don't want this argument to get circular
>  
Yet, here I am.

>>>> Why not just specify -1
> As in:
> CLI HERE,-1  
>  
No. You took a a well-reasoned statement of Steve's:

On 2017-03-20, at 20:18, Steve Smith wrote:

> On 3/20/2017 20:58, Paul Gilmartin wrote:
>> Please don't reply with "Subject:...Digest..."
> Sorry... I wish I remembered to do that, but I usually don't.
>> 
>> On 2017-03-20, at 17:45, Steve Smith wrote:
>> 
>>> ..., so if you intend to specify -1, then you
>>> must write X'FFFFFFFF'.
>>>  
>> Why not just write -1?
> I would.  You could.  This was for those who really, really, want to pound 
> the square peg into the round hole.
> 

... our of context and put it in an absurd context, proving nothing.

> CLFI 1,-1
> Ok, much easier to code CLFI 1,4X'FF'
> Yes...I know why or why not
> 
And that's an inadequacy of HLASM.  The immediate operand of CLFI is
supposed to be an unsigned 32-bit number, a value not expressible in
HLASM expressions.  There's an argument here for HLASM's support of
64-bit (or longer than 32) expressions.  Every value that can be used
in a machine instruction field should be available in a HLASM expression.
Changing the venerable meaning of X'FFFFFFFF' is a disruption, not a
solution.  2**31-1 is not equal to -1.

> I have enough support for an RFE to be created, this will probably go to a 
> vote in the UK and then be submitted to IBM. It will be up to IBM to judge 
> the cost/benefit factors
>  
Unless it's more orderly than I've seen here, I'd oppose it.

> Let me restate, whatever form the final RFE takes it will not affect current 
> code, though it may produce warning messages not previous produced, eg. for 
> LHI 1,X'FFFFFFFF' which has aleady been discussed to death
>  
The rules are clear.  That does not produce a warning, and never should.

-- gil

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