IBM Mainframe Forum

Hi,

Now I am working in Mainfranme systems side. I would like to learn the System programming (Assembler). I started reading the IBM redbooks for assembler. But it is very difficult for me to understand some concepts (as I am new to assemblers).

Could any one please suggest me best books for assembler fresher.

Thanks in anticipation.

Thanks,
Sridhar A

System programming actually has little to do with Assembler. System programmers typically can use Assembler, though it is not a requirement these days. Assembler is just a low-level language for the mainframe.

Google is your friend: mvs assembler returns over 3 million hits, including a number of books that can be bought along with web sites that have good examples.

Hello,

Could any one please suggest me best books for assembler fresher.

My personal favorite is an Assembler book written by Kevin McQuillen. It is (the newer edition) available thru http://www.murach.com which contains
http://www.murach.com/books/mbal/index.htm

Good luck

Shameless plug: I've had many students tell me the materials I developed and put on my site (http://csc.colstate.edu/woolbright/WOOLBRIG.htm) were helpful. There are general articles there about programming assembler, as well as specific articles that address many instructions. I've included much material on the site that I gleened from many years of teaching and writing assembler for corporations. There is a great text called Programming IBM Assembler IBM 370 by Peter Abel that you can still find on used book sites for a few dollars. Any version of that book will be helpful as the basic language for beginners hasn't changed much, even though the machine has evolved considerably. Abel also has a PC Assembler book, so make sure you get the IBM 370 or 390 version for mainframes.

Hello David and welcome to the forum,

Thank you for sharing the link to your material

d

Hi David,

it is an excellent material and very easy to understand. Thank you so much for providing such a great notes.

Thanks,
Sridhar A

I have a simple Hello World Assembler program with sample JCL to Compile Link and Execute.

http://polysyncronism.com/wordpress/?p=415

The code assumes that you know how to create a PDS and a Load Library. A load library is simply a RECFM=U PDS.

jeffld wrote:... A load library is simply a RECFM=U PDS.

That is correct.

Unfortunately the HLASMxxx procedures are a little different from site to site, but this might work.The default is to create a small load library in the L step that is then used to execute the program in the G step. This way you don't have to create a load library PDS, though the exercise of doing it might be a good introduction to creating data sets in z/OS.

steve-myers wrote:Unfortunately the HLASMxxx procedures are a little different from site to site, but this might work.

I remember the first time that I learned that things differ from site to site was when I got a job in my field after college. I talked to one of the mainframe system people at my first job and asked about why some code that worked for me in college, didn't work on the company mainframe. The term my first mainframe systems person told me is that some of the things you will see here are Installation specific.

I have had access to several mainframes over my career, and sure enough, things differ between them. It can be a bit annoying, but I guess there is a reason for it.