<P> Mnemonics are arbitrary symbols; in 1985 the IEEE published Standard 694 for a uniform set of mnemonics to be used by all assemblers . The standard has since been withdrawn . </P> <P> There are instructions used to define data elements to hold data and variables . They define the type of data, the length and the alignment of data . These instructions can also define whether the data is available to outside programs (programs assembled separately) or only to the program in which the data section is defined . Some assemblers classify these as pseudo-ops . </P> <P> Assembly directives, also called pseudo-opcodes, pseudo-operations or pseudo-ops, are commands given to an assembler "directing it to perform operations other than assembling instructions .". Directives affect how the assembler operates and "may affect the object code, the symbol table, the listing file, and the values of internal assembler parameters ." Sometimes the term pseudo-opcode is reserved for directives that generate object code, such as those that generate data . </P> <P> The names of pseudo-ops often start with a dot to distinguish them from machine instructions . Pseudo-ops can make the assembly of the program dependent on parameters input by a programmer, so that one program can be assembled different ways, perhaps for different applications . Or, a pseudo-op can be used to manipulate presentation of a program to make it easier to read and maintain . Another common use of pseudo-ops is to reserve storage areas for run - time data and optionally initialize their contents to known values . </P>

How assembly language is converted into machine language