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The program status word (PSW) is 32 bits in length and contains the
information
required for proper program execution. The PSW includes the instruction
address, condition code, and other fields. In general, the PSW is used
to
control instruction sequencing and to hold and indicate the status of
the
system in relation to the program currently being
executed. The active or controlling PSW is called the current PSW. By
storing
the current PSW during an interruption, the status of the CPU can be
preserved
for subsequent inspection. By loading a new PSW or part of a PSW, the
state of
the CPU can be initialized or changed.
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Previous: Address Generation