String-descriptor ASCII string storage directive

    Format

      .ASCID  quoted-literal

1  –  Parameter

 quoted-literal

    An ASCII string delimited with double quotes.

2  –  Description

    .ASCID performs the same function as the .ASCII directive, except
    that .ASCID inserts a string descriptor before the string data.
    The descriptor format is identical to that defined for OpenVMS
    Alpha and OpenVMS VAX. The string descriptor has the following
    format:

3  –  Notes

    o  String descriptors are used in calling certain system
       routines.

    o  The string-length field is two bytes in size.

    o  Descriptor information (2 bytes) is always set to ^X010E.

    o  The pointer field is a 32-bit pointer to the string (4 bytes).

    o  If natural alignment is enabled (using .ENABLE ALIGN_DATA),
       the descriptor is quadword aligned. This allows you to access
       the entire descriptor (2 data words and a longword address) on
       a quadword boundary.

    o  You can only use this directive within data or mixed psects
       (psects that have either the NOEXE or MIX attributes).

    o  This directive also accepts VAX MACRO syntax. See the
       VAX MACRO and Instruction Set Reference Manual for details.

4  –  Examples

      Example 1
        .DESCR1:   .ASCID "ARGUMENT FOR CALL"     ; String descriptor
      Example 2
        .DESCR2:   .ASCID "SECOND ARGUMENT"  ; Another string descriptor