Assignment - UNSPEC Pseudovariable

Purpose

Evaluates and converts an expression to a bit string.

Syntax

UNSPEC(r)=e;

Parameters

r
A reference to any variable except an array or structure.
e
Any valid expression.

Description

The UNSPEC pseudovariable interprets any reference to a scalar variable as a reference to a bit string.

Assignment to the UNSPEC pseudovariable evaluates and converts the expression e to an implementation-defined bit string that is copied into the storage of r (For more information, see your Open PL/I User's Guide.) Subsequent use of r is invalid unless the bit string is a valid value for that variable.

Use of the UNSPEC pseudovariable is discouraged, since it relies heavily on particulars of the PL/I implementation and, as such, may prove to be an obstacle to portability.

Example

UNSPECĀ©) = '0'B;

After the previous assignment, C contains all zero bits.

Restrictions

None.