EQUS is used to define string-symbols. Wherever the assembler meets a string symbol its name is replaced with its value. If you are familiar with C you can think of it as the same as #define.

COUNTREG EQUS "[hl+]"
          
         ld   a,COUNTREG

(Note that : following the label-name is not allowed.)

This will be interpreted as:

         ld   a,[hl+]

String-symbols can also be used to define small one-line macros:

PUSHA    EQUS "push af\npush bc\npush de\npush hl\n"

Note that a colon (:) following the label-name is not allowed. String equates can't be exported or imported.

See also:

• String expressions, functions and formatting