Stack

The document discusses the MIPS stack and procedure calls. It explains that the stack grows from high to low memory addresses, with the stack pointer ($sp) indicating the current top of the stack. When calling a procedure, registers are used to pass arguments and return values, the return address is saved on the stack, and local variables may also be saved on the stack. Frame pointers ($fp) are used to reference values within a stack frame for a given call.

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Stack

Uploaded by

Mohamed Sedik CHEBOUT

Available Formats

Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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MIPS

Stack

Giovani Gracioli
[email protected]
http://www.lisha.ufsc.br/~giovani

Set 2007

Set 2007 Giovani Gracioli (http://www.lisha.ufsc.br/~giovani) 1
Memory Usage

Set 2007 Giovani Gracioli (http://www.lisha.ufsc.br/~giovani) 2
The Stack
High Addresses

$sp
 The stack grows from High
Addresses to Low Addresses
 Stack pointer ($sp)

Low Addresses

Set 2007 Giovani Gracioli (http://www.lisha.ufsc.br/~giovani) 3
Registers and Instructions for
Procedures Calls

Registers $a0$a3 are used to pass arguments to
procedures

Register $v0$v1 are used to return values from
procedures

$ra – return address register

jal procedure (Jump And Link)

jr $ra (Jump Register)

Set 2007 Giovani Gracioli (http://www.lisha.ufsc.br/~giovani) 4
Calling a Procedure
 Six steps are executed during the procedure
call:
1. to put the parameters in a place that can be
accessed by procedure;
2. to transfer the control to the procedure;
3. to guarantee the memory resources;
4. to execute the task;
5. to put the return value in a place that can be
accessed by the program;
6. to return the control to the source point.

Set 2007 Giovani Gracioli (http://www.lisha.ufsc.br/~giovani) 5
Saving the Return Address

push $ra =
sub $sp, $sp – 4
sw $ra, 0($sp)

pop $ra =
lw $ra, 0($sp)
addi $sp, $sp, 4

Set 2007 Giovani Gracioli (http://www.lisha.ufsc.br/~giovani) 6
Returning a value

int function(int a, int b) {

return = a + b;
}

.globl function
function:
add $v0, $a0, $a1
jr $ra

Set 2007 Giovani Gracioli (http://www.lisha.ufsc.br/~giovani) 7
MIPS Stack Functionalities
 Save arguments regs
(if necessary)
 Save the return
address register ($ra) $fp Saved Arguments Regs
 Save the old value of
Saved Return Address
$fp
 Save regs $s0-$s7 (if Saved old $fp
necessary)
Saved Regs $s0$s7
 Pass more than 4
arguments Local Variables and
 Declare Local Structures
Variables and $sp
Stuctures (if exists)
Set 2007 Giovani Gracioli (http://www.lisha.ufsc.br/~giovani) 8
MIPS Stack Functionalities

$fp Saved Arguments Regs
 $fp points to the Saved Return Address
first word of frame
Saved old $fp
 $sp points to the

last word of frame Saved Regs $s0$s7

Local Variables and
Structures
$sp

Set 2007 Giovani Gracioli (http://www.lisha.ufsc.br/~giovani) 9
Example: local variables
 Save the local variables or .globl func_a
structures on the stack func_a:
sub $sp, $sp, 12
sw $ra, 8($sp)
void func_a(void) {
li $t8, 10
int a = 10; sw $t8, 4($sp)
int b = 20; li $t8, 20
return; sw $t8, 0($sp)
} lw $ra, 8($sp)
addi $sp, $sp, 12
jr $ra
Set 2007 Giovani Gracioli (http://www.lisha.ufsc.br/~giovani) 10
Example: saving the $s* register
.globl func_a
func_a:
 The registers $s0$s7 sub $sp, $sp, 20
must be saved inside the sw $ra, 16($sp)
procedure stack if they sw $s0, 12($sp)
sw $s5, 8($sp)
are used by the program li $t0, 10
void func_a(void) { sw $t0, 4($sp)
int a = 10; li $t0, 20
sw $t0, 0($sp)
int b = 20; ....

lw $ra, 16($sp)
...
lw $s0, 12($sp)
return; lw $s5, 8($sp)
} addi $sp, $sp, 20
Set 2007 Giovani Gracioli (http://www.lisha.ufsc.br/~giovani)jr $ra 11
Example: frame pointer
 stack frames or activation records are the stack
segments that have the saved registers and local
variables

Saved Arguments Regs
Saved Return Address

stack frame Saved old $fp
Saved Regs $s0$s7

Local Variables and
Structures

Set 2007 Giovani Gracioli (http://www.lisha.ufsc.br/~giovani) 12
Example: frame pointer

int func_a(int a, int b) {

int var_local;
var_local = func_b();
...
return var_local;
}
int func_b(void) {
int var = 20;
...
return var;
}

Set 2007 Giovani Gracioli (http://www.lisha.ufsc.br/~giovani) 13
Example: frame pointer
.globl func_a .globl func_b
func_a: func_b:
sub $sp, $sp, 12 sub $sp, $sp, 12
sw $ra, 8($sp) sw $ra, 8($sp)
sw $fp, 4($sp) sw $fp, 4($sp)
move $fp, $sp # $fp = $sp move $fp, $sp
jal func_b li $t0, 20
sw $vo, 0($fp) sw $t0, 0($fp)
.... ....
lw $v0, 0($fp) lw $v0, 0($fp)
move $sp, $fp # $sp = $fp move $sp, $fp
lw $fp, 4($sp) lw $fp, 4($sp)
lw $ra, 8($sp) lw $ra, 8($sp)
addi $sp, $sp 12 addi $sp, $sp, 12
Set 2007
jr $ra jr $ra
Giovani Gracioli (http://www.lisha.ufsc.br/~giovani) 14