  Macro64 syntax for RMS? ($FAB, $RAB) 
 The Question is:
 
I'm teaching assembly on the Alpha for the first time, after doing it
successfully on the VAX several times.   Am trying to demo  FABs and RABs
and file i/o.  The code below is from an old VAX (working) program, but will
not compile at all in Macro-64. I
have commented nearly all lines; the one remaining one is causing 5 errors
and 5 warnings, the first of which is that at $FAB the compiler sees an
unexpected end of line.  Here is the code:
 
 
        .title  rmsstuff
        $routine        rmsstuff, data_section_pointer=true, -
                        kind=stack,   saved_regs=&lt;R2, R15&gt;
        .psect A,quad,mix,noexe
;       $data_section
.show
OutFile:        $FAB     FAC=put,FNM=&lt;"MyFile.txt"&gt;
.noshow
;Records_to_go:  $RAB64  FAB = OutFile,          -
;                        RBF = TextBuffer,       -
;                        RSZ = 5
 
;$data_section
;TextBuffer:     .ASCII  /ABCde/
 
        $code_section
        .base   R27, $ls
        ldq     R15, $dp
        .base   R15, $ds
start:
;        $OPEN           FAB = OutFile
;        $CONNECT        RAB = Records_to_go
;        $PUT            RAB = Records_to_go     ; Output the first record.
;        $PUT            RAB = Records_to_go     ; Do it again for fun.
;        $CLOSE          FAB = OutFile
done::  mov     1, R0
        $return
        $end_routine rmsstuff
        .end  rmsstuff
 
Here is the first error:
OutFile:     $FAB    FAC=put,  FNM=&lt;"MyFile.txt"&gt;
................^
%MACRO64-E-INVEXP, Assembler found end of line when expecting a valid
expression.
 
I'm obviously missing something critical.  Thanks for any help.
--Joe T.
 
 
 The Answer is:
 
  Alpha Macro64 is a rather different environment than VAX Macro.  The use
  of the Alpha Macro64 compiler is generally not recommended.  Further, the
  support for Alpha Macro64 within the OpenVMS operating system is rather
  different (and more primitive) than that for the traditional support for
  the Macro32 assembler (on OpenVMS VAX) and for the Macro32 compiler (on
  OpenVMS Alpha).
 
  The use of a language other than Alpha Macro64 is generally recommended.
  In particular, the use of the Macro32 compiler on OpenVMS Alpha would be
  recommended here, as this will permit you to use your existing VAX Macro
  examples and your existing programming experience -- with a minimum of
  effort and a minimum of source changes required.
 
  If you wish to pursue the use of the Macro64 assembler, you will have to
  create your own $FAB macro or explicit creation of the $FAB data structure
  based on the contents of $FABDEF, as well as the need to create various
  other macros -- the contents of the existing STARLET.MLB macro library
  are largely targeted at the Macro32 compiler, not the Macro64 assembler.
  Many will work, but not all.  (In particular, the way that the Macro32
  $FAB macro operates within the Alpha Macro64 environment runs afoul of
  the Macro64 assembler code generator expectations, hence the OVERLAP
  errors during the FAB initialization operations.  The OpenVMS Wizard
  would have expected an .error directive to be included within the $FAB
  and $RAB macros (in MACRO64.MLB) indicating that the macros do not
  operate with Macro64, but that was apparently omitted.)
 
  nb: When working with the Macro64 assembler, do *not* use /OPTIMIZE.
 
