My apologies. I did not realize the context and rqmnts. were so well defined. 
Mike 
-----Original Message-----
From: IBM Mainframe Assembler List [mailto:[email protected]] On 
Behalf Of Paul Gilmartin
Sent: Tuesday, June 2, 2020 10:55 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Returning bool and similar values from subroutines (was z/OS 
HLASM: EQU for statement labels)

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On 2020-06-02, at 19:37:25, Gary Weinhold wrote:
>
> I recall that VM/370 CP routines set CC before returning to the 
> caller; I don't have access to the source anymore (for the last 30 
> years or so) to verify this and what technique was used.  I just 
> remember thinking it was different and clever (coming from a VS1/MVS 
> background).
>
I'd guess stuffing it in the Old PSW before LPSW returns to caller.


> On 2020-06-02, at 18:45:20, Mike Hochee wrote:
>
> Hmmm...
>
> "I had a tough time in code review.  Reviewers called me naive for using a 
> negative value in a base register.  No, the were ignorant; the code worked 
> and was correct."
>
> Perhaps technically 'correct', in that it worked, but why run the risk of 
> having a customer stumble over the eventual bad fruit borne of the seemingly 
> enlightened developer decades earlier, but since maintained by lesser souls. 
> 'Danger Will Robinson! Danger!!!'
>
No.  This is not a case where "It happens to work despite lack of 
documentation, so I'll rely on it."  I've inveighed against such practice 
elsewhere.  Rather, I relied only on the instructions'
working as specified in the PoOps.

Our requirements were:
o Status returned in CC.
o Correct operation on 370 where IPM/SPM were unavailable.
o Correct operatioh in AMODE 31.

It's always possible that an ignorant maintainer break things.
"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens."

LH; LA would probably break in AMODE 64.  This was not a concerm those decades 
ago.  SH would be no better.

-- gil

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