[Info-vax] Listeners in VMS Basic, was: Re: Integrity iLO Configuration?

[Chris Townley]

On 12/07/2021 21:16, Stephen Hoffman wrote:
> On 2021-07-09 23:45:31 +0000, Dave Froble said:
> 
>> Just because some agree, doesn't make them right.
>>
>> But, Ok, a practical example, tell me, too many comments, not enough 
>> comments, what?
>>
>> ;+
>> ;       Base block must be > 0
>> ;       # of blocks must be > 0 & < 128
>> ;       End block must be <= EOF block
>> ;       Grant lock if caller has exclusive access to the file
>> ;-
>>
>>          MOVZWL  #SS$_ABORT,R0           ; Assume failure
>>          TSTL    R3                      ; Base block zero?
>>          BNEQU   020$                    ; No, continue
>> 010$:   BRW     RETURN                  ; Yes, return
>> 020$:   TSTL    R4                      ; Block count zero?
>>          BEQLU   010$                    ; Yes, return
>>          CMPL    #127,R4                 ; Block count <= 127
>>          BLSSU   010$                    ; No, return
>>          MOVAB   -1(R3)[R4],R5           ; Last block to lock
>>          CMPL    CIB_L_FILSIZ(R7),R5     ; LE filesize?
>>          BGEQU   030$                    ; Yes, continue
>>          MOVL    CIB_L_FILSIZ(R7),R5     ; Else lock only to EOF
> 
> 
> BLEQU, not BLSSU? Or BLSSU with 128?
> 
> I'd suggest using a string constant for 127 (or 128) rather than a magic 
> number, too.
> 
> 
This is quite enlightening to me, and confirms an earlier decision.

When I joined out development team in 1997 (after years running an 
operational unit using the software) I stated that I was fine with a 
high level language, but I would refuse to use or learn macro -my only 
experience of a low level language was Z80, and I failed then,and did 
not want to go through that  again. This was accepted.

Only twice did I come across issues with the macro - the first time I 
got someone from the original software house to correct some language 
translation issue when we moved Germany onto Alpha - two of them spent 
about 4 hours and change two characters, which worked.

Next time was during my IA64 port, where 2 bits of macro didn't work, so 
I recoded one in C, and one in Basic - both based on the function 
documentation. Both worked.

Excepting low level stuff, why does anyone use macro?


-- 
Chris