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Lab # 03
Assembly Language Program Structure
An assembly language (or assembler language) is a low-level programming language for a
computer, or other programmable device, in which there is a very strong correspondence between
the language and the architecture's machine code instructions. Assembly language is converted into
executable machine code by a utility program referred to as an assembler; the conversion process is
referred to as assembly, or assembling the code.

How Does Assembly Language Relate to Machine Language?

Machine language is a numeric language specifically understood by a computer’s processor (the

CPU). All x86 processors understand a common machine language.
Assembly language consists of statements written with short mnemonics such as ADD, MOV, SUB,
and CALL. Assembly language has a one-to-one relationship with machine language: Each
assembly language instruction corresponds to a single machine-language instruction.

How Does C++ and Java Relate to Assembly Language?

High-level languages such as C++ and Java have a one-to-many relationship with assembly
language and machine language. A single statement in C++ expands into multiple assembly
language or machine instructions. We can show how C++ statements expand into machine code.
Most people cannot read raw machine code, so we will use its closest relative, assembly language.

Is Assembly Language Portable?

A language whose source programs can be compiled and run on a wide variety of computer systems
is said to be portable. A C++ program, for example, should compile and run on just about any
computer, unless it makes specific references to library functions that exist under a single operating
system. A major feature of the Java language is that compiled programs run on nearly any computer
system.
Assembly language is not portable because it is designed for a specific processor family. There are
a number of different assembly languages widely used today, each based on a processor family.
Some well-known processor families are Motorola 68x00, x86, SUN Sparc, Vax, and IBM-370.
The instructions in assembly language may directly match the computer‟s architecture or they
may be translated during execution by a program inside the processor known as a microcode
interpreter.
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Assembly Language Syntax:
Name: operation operand (s) ;comment
▪
Name field
Assembler translate name into memory addresses. It can be 31 characters long. The NAME field
allows the program to ref of code by name.
Examples of legal names
• COUNTER1
• @character
• SUM_OF_DIGITS • .TEST
Examples of illegal names

• TWO WORDS
• 2abc
• A45.28
▪
Operation field
It contains symbolic operation code (opcode) called “mnemonics”(MOV, ADD, e.t.c.). The
mnemonic (instruction) and operands together accomplish the tasks for which program was
written. The assembler translates mnemonics into machine language opcode.
▪
Operand field
It specifies the data that are to be acted on by the operation. An instruction may have a zero, one
or two operands.
Examples
• NOP
• INC AX
• ADD AX, 2
▪
Comment field
A semicolon marks the beginning of a comment. Good programming
practice dictates comment on every line Examples

• MOV CX, 0 ; move 0 to CX

• MOV CX, 0 ; CX counts terms, initially 0

✓ Program Structure:
The machine language programs consist of code, data and stack. Each part occupies a memory
segment. The same organization is reflected in an assembly language program. This time, the
code, data and stack structured as program segments. Each program segment is translated into
a memory segment by the assembler.
✓ Memory Models:
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The size of code and data in a program can have determined by specifying a memory model using
the .MODEL directive. The syntax is .MODEL memory_model The most frequently used
memory models are SMALL, MEDIUM, COMPACT and LARGE. They are described in table
below. Unless there is a lot of code or data, the appropriate model is SMALL. The .MODEL
directive should come before any segment definition.

Model Description

SMALL Code in one segment Data in one segment

MEDIUM Code in more than one segment

Data in one segment

COMPACT Code in one segment

Data in more than one segment

Code in more than one segment

LARGE
Data in more than one segment

No array larger than 64KB

Code in more than one segment

HUGE
Data in more than one segment

Arrays may be larger than 64KB

▪
Stack Segment:
The purpose of the stack segment declaration is to set aside a block of memory (the stack area)
to store the stack. The declaration syntax is .STACK sizeFor example, .STACK 100H sets aside
100h bytes for the stack area (a reasonable size for most applications). If size is omitted, 1KB is
set aside for the stack- area.

▪
Data Segment:
A program‟s data segment contains all the variable definitions. Constant definitions are often
made here as well, but they may be placed elsewhere in the program since no memory allocation
is involved. To declare a data segment, we use the directive .DATA, followed by variable and
constant declaration. For example,

.DATA
Word1 Dw 2
Msg Db “This Is A Message”
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▪
Code Segment:
The code segment contains a program‟s instructions. The declaration syntax is .CODE

Here name is the optional name of the segment (there is no need for a name in a SMALL program,
because the assembler will generate an error). Inside a code segment, instructions are organized as
procedures. The simplest procedure definition is:

Name PROC ;body of the procedure

Name ENDP ;where name is the name of the procedure;

PROC and ENDP are pseudo-ops that delineate the procedure. Here is an example of a code
segment definition:

.CODE
MAIN PROC
; main procedure instructions
MAIN ENDP
; other procedures go here End
Main

.MODEL SMALL
.STACK 100H
.DATA
; data definitions go here
.CODE
MAIN PROC
; instructions go here
MAIN ENDP
;other procedures go here
END MAIN
;The last line in the program should be the END directive, followed by name of the
main procedure

ASCII Character Chart ASCII, American Standard Code for Information Interchange, is a
scheme used for assigning numeric values to punctuation marks, spaces, numbers and other
characters. ASCII uses 7 bits to represent characters. The values 000 0000 through 111 1111 or 00
through 7F are used giving ASCII the ability to represent 128 different characters. An extended
version of ASCII assigns characters from 80 through FF.
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Disk operating system (DOS) routines

INT 21H is used to invoke a large number of DOS function. The type of called
function is specified by pulling a number in AH register. For example
AH=1 input with echo
AH=2 single-character output

AH=9 character string output

AH=8 single-key input without echo

AH=0Ah character string input

Single-Key Input with Echo: Output: AL= ASCII code if character key is pressed, otherwise 0.
MOV AH,1
INT 21 ; read character will store in AL register Single –
Key Input without Echo:

MOV AH,8
INT 21 ; read character will store in AL register Single-Character Output:
DL= ASCII code of character to be displayed.

MOV AH,2
MOV DL,‟?‟
INT 21h ; displaying character ? Input a
String:
MOV AH, 0A
INT 21
Display a String: DX= offset address of a string. String must end with a „$‟ character.
LEA DX, n1
MOV AH,9
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INT 21

EXERCISE:
Q1 Write down the CODE of following scenario

• Input a one-digit number from keyboard

• Save that number to DL register
• Display the number you have entered in new line
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Q2 Write down the CODE to input First Letter of your name and NOT echo.

Q3 Write down the CODE to Display your name through ASCII Code (One character @ a
time) each new character should display in new line.
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Q4 Design first letter of your name through suitable ASCII codes.
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