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Module 8

This document discusses procedures in assembly language programs. It defines a procedure as a set of instructions that perform a specific task and can be called from other procedures. Procedures are useful for routines that are frequently used, saving storage space by only needing to write the code once. The CALL instruction calls a procedure, pushing the return address onto the stack, while the RET instruction returns from a procedure by popping the address back off the stack. The document provides an example of a simple procedure that adds two numbers and calls it from another section of code. It also lists four tasks for writing assembly language programs that make use of procedures.

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58 views

Module 8

This document discusses procedures in assembly language programs. It defines a procedure as a set of instructions that perform a specific task and can be called from other procedures. Procedures are useful for routines that are frequently used, saving storage space by only needing to write the code once. The CALL instruction calls a procedure, pushing the return address onto the stack, while the RET instruction returns from a procedure by popping the address back off the stack. The document provides an example of a simple procedure that adds two numbers and calls it from another section of code. It also lists four tasks for writing assembly language programs that make use of procedures.

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akhiyarwaladi
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PROCEDURE

Lecturers: ARD, SWJ

Lab Tutors: VDE, WUL

A procedure is a set of instructions that perform a specific task. They are invoked
from another procedure the calling procedure (or program) and provide results to the
calling program at the end of execution. Procedures (also called subroutines) are utilized
primarily for routines that are called frequently by other procedures. The procedure routine is
written only once, but used repeatedly; thereby, saving storage space. Procedures permit a
program to be coded in modules; thus, making the program easier to code and test. A program
can contain many procedures.
Defining a Procedure
NASM has very sparse, very clean, very simple syntax. To make a procedure, you just give it
a label, and call the label. The call pushes the return address, and a ret pops it off and jumps
to it.
Sample:
_main:
mov eax, 3
mov ebx, 5
call _Add_Two_Things
; Result in eax
ret
_Add_Two_Things:; Into eax
add eax, ebx
ret

CALL and RET Instructions


The CALL instruction calls a procedure by directing the processor to begin execution at a
new memory location. The procedure uses a RET (return from procedure) instruction to bring
the processor back to the point in the program where the procedure was called. Mechanically
speaking, the CALL instruction pushes its return address on the stack and copies the called
procedures address into the instruction pointer. When the procedure is ready to return, its
RET instruction pops the return address from the stack into the instruction pointer. In 32-bit
mode, the CPU executes the instruction in memory pointed to by EIP (instruction pointer
register). In 16-bit mode, IP points to the instruction.
The syntax for a CALL instruction is shown below.
CALL procedure_name_label

Tasks
1. Write an assembly language program that uses a procedure to multiply two single-digit
operands. Enter several operands for the multiplicand and multiplier and display the
products.
2. Write an assembly language program that uses a procedure to obtain the area of a triangle
from two integers that are entered from the keyboard. Enter several sets of single-digit
numbers for the base and height and display the areas.
3. Write an assembly language program that uses a procedure to convert an 8-bit binary
code number to the corresponding Gray code number. The binary number is entered from
the keyboard.
4. Write an assembly language procedure to find the minimum and maximum elements in an
array of 32-bit integers.

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