Hi John (John Payson), in <199709091645.LAA13274@Jupiter.Mcs.Net> on Sep 9 you
 wrote:

> Labels:

I really want MPASM to assemble LOCAL LABELs, outside of macros.  I'm used
to them from another system.  There, a local label begins with a dot and
exists only inbetween two normal labels.  This is very handy for loop back
locations and similar stuff that does not deserve to waste a name on its
own.

>   Other than data or constant definitions, I almost always put labels on
>   a line by themself; this makes it much easier

..and even more important, it helps MPASM assemble your code!  If you put a
label and an IF statement on the same line, your label will not be defined.
This of course will trigger error messages throughout your code.

>   The one proper format for hex numbers is $ABCD.  Unfortunately, Microchip
>   doesn't support that in their MPASM assembler.  But maybe if people bug
>   them enough they will [I don't think "$" is used for anything else].

$ is designator for the current PC.  I use this often to work around the
lack of local labels (see above) as follows:

        btfsc   port,bit
        goto    action
        btfss   port,anotherbit
        goto    $-3

But an assembler should be able to discriminate these two uses by checking
for hexdigits following the $ sign.