The \label gets a definition that differs a little than the one in LaTeX, and is more complicated because of cases like in the example:
Note that the above fails if \@currentlabel has a ‘\Link[]...’.
<..equations of amstex.sty..>
\append:defI\subequations{\cur:lbl{}\let\cur:lbl=\:gobble \ignorespaces}
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With the exception of \subequations, the \refstepcounter of LaTeX is not used. The following is to compensate for the lost \Link.
<..equations of amstex.sty..>+
\let\:stepcounter=\stepcounter
\append:defI\stepcounter{%
\ifx \EndPicture\:UnDef\else \def\:temp{equation}\def\:tempa{#1}%
\ifx\:temp\:tempa
\edef\:currentlabel{E\the\c@equation}\let\cur:lbl=\:gobble
\edef\cur:th{<.haddr prefix.>\last:haddr}%
\edef\:temp{\noexpand\AfterPicture{\noexpand\a:eqno\noexpand
\Make:Label{\cur:th \:currentlabel}{}%
\noexpand\html:addr}}\:temp
\let\stepcounter=\:stepcounter
\fi\fi }
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<..haddr prefix..>
x-_-_-
<..equations of amstex.sty..>+
\let\:insplit=\insplit@
\def\insplit@{\let\halign=\TeXhalign \:insplit}
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Place the number with the equation; not under.
<..equations of amstex.sty..>+
\NewConfigure{eqn}[1]{\def\a:eqno{#1}}
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<..equations of amstex.sty..>+
\pend:def\gather{\a:gather}
\append:def\endgather{\b:gather}
\@xp\pend:def\csname gather*\endcsname{\Picture*{}}
\@xp\append:def\csname endgather*\endcsname{\EndPicture}
\NewConfigure{gather}{2}
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In amslatex.sty, equation is defined in terms of gather.
<..equations of amstex.sty..>+
\pend:def\equation{\bgroup \let\tagform@=\:gobble}
\append:def\endequation{\egroup}
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<..equations of amstex.sty..>+
\pend:def\align{\Picture*{}}
\append:def\endalign{\EndPicture}
\@xp\pend:def\csname align*\endcsname{\Picture*{}}
\@xp\append:def\csname endalign*\endcsname{\EndPicture}
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<..equations of amstex.sty..>+
\pend:defI\alignat{\Picture*{}}
\append:def\endalignat{\EndPicture}
\expandafter\pend:defI\csname alignat*\endcsname{\Picture*{}}
\expandafter\append:def\csname endalignat*\endcsname{\EndPicture}
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<..equations of amstex.sty..>+
\pend:defI\xalignat{\Picture*{}}
\append:def\endxalignat{\EndPicture}
\expandafter\pend:defI\csname xalignat*\endcsname{\Picture*{}}
\expandafter\append:def\csname endxalignat*\endcsname{\EndPicture}
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<..equations of amstex.sty..>+
\pend:defI\xxalignat{\Picture*{}}
\append:def\endxxalignat{\EndPicture}
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<..equations of amstex.sty..>+
\pend:def\alignedat{\Picture*{}$}
\append:def\endalignedat{$\EndPicture}
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<..equations of amstex.sty..>+
\pend:def\gathered{\Picture*{}$}
\append:def\endgathered{$\EndPicture}
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<..equations of amstex.sty..>+
\pend:def\multline{\Picture*{}}
\append:def\endmultline{\EndPicture}
\expandafter\pend:def\csname multline*\endcsname{\Picture*{}}
\expandafter\append:def\csname endmultline*\endcsname{\EndPicture}
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<..equations of amstex.sty..>+
\let\:smallmatrix=\smallmatrix
\def\smallmatrix{\Picture*{}$\:smallmatrix}
\append:def\endsmallmatrix{$\EndPicture}
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<..body of amstex.sty..>
<.amsmath.sty and amstex.sty.>
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