>
>> 2. why isn't this instruction available for the new assembler
>> pasmx?  Am I missing a common practice that works better?
>
>    No.  If you have the newest version of PASMX and it doesn't
>    contain LCALL/LJMP instructions, it probably means that IT hasn't
>    been updated in years, either.  On the smaller 16Cxx parts (the
>    only ones that were available until a couple of years ago),
>    there's no need for LCALL and LJMP instructions, since the entire
>    destination address fits in the regular CALL and GOTO opcodes.
>
>    Check out Microchip's own MPASM assembler (available from their
>    BBS or Web page); it's a MUCH more serious development tool.
>
Parallax are upgrading their programmer and PASMX now. The expected release
date has been put back several times aready but it can't be to far away.
However with the advent of MPLAB, a *FREE* powerful simulator to be released
in arround April,  you are far better off using MPASM. This will give you a
free source level debugger and I imaging it will  be far better than what
parallax could dream of providing.

Actually, earlier on, the parallax assemblers had some good advantages over
the microchip assemblers but that has all changed now. Seriously, anyone
continuing to use the parallax assembler is cutting themselves off from
compatibility with the best and most numerous tools available.

Jim