diff --git a/src/fileaccess.c b/src/fileaccess.c
index c425ee7..14bf70d 100644
--- a/src/fileaccess.c
+++ b/src/fileaccess.c
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
-#define MAX_ASM_LINE_LENGTH 100
-
 //validates inputted charlist as valid filename against expected extension
 int isValidFileFormat(char filename[], char expectedExtension[]){
     int *pointLoc = strrchr(filename, '.');
@@ -45,7 +43,7 @@ int readAssemblyFile(char inputFile[]) {
     }
 
     FILE *fp;
-    char savedLine[MAX_ASM_LINE_LENGTH];
+    char savedLine[sizeof(a64inst_instruction)];
 
     fp = fopen(inputFile, "r");
 
diff --git a/src/parser.c b/src/parser.c
index 1c56c8e..1d7c2cd 100644
--- a/src/parser.c
+++ b/src/parser.c
@@ -14,6 +14,43 @@
 // - count operands and match type/values
 // - generate final a64inst and return
 
-a64inst_instruction parser(char asmLine[]){
+char *splitOperands(char* str, int operandCount, char *operands[]){
+    char *operandsDupe = strdup(str);
+    int operandCount = 0;
+    char *operand = strtok(operandsDupe, OPERAND_DELIMITER);
+    operands[0] = operand;
+
+    while (operand != NULL){
+        operandCount++;
+        operand = strtok(NULL, OPERAND_DELIMITER);
+        operands[operandCount] = operand;
+    }
+    return(operands);
+
+}
+
+a64inst_instruction *tokeniser(char asmLine[]){
+    a64inst_instruction *instr = malloc(sizeof(a64inst_instruction)); 
+    if (instr == NULL){
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
+    //"opcode operand1, {operand2}, ..."
+    char *stringptr = strdup(asmLine);
+
+    char *opcode = strtok(stringptr, " ");
+    char *operands = strtok(NULL, "");
+
+    if(opcode[0]=="."){
+        //type is directive
+    } else if(opcode[strlen(opcode)-1]==":") {
+        //type is label
+    } else {
+        //type is instruction
+        int operandCount = 0;
+        const char *operandList[4];
+        splitOperands(operands, &operandCount, operandList);
         
+    }
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/parser.h b/src/parser.h
index e69de29..5542aca 100644
--- a/src/parser.h
+++ b/src/parser.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#define OPERAND_DELIMITER ", "
\ No newline at end of file