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Processor Status, Flags

Flags in CO&AL

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35 views17 pages

Processor Status, Flags

Flags in CO&AL

Uploaded by

muzammilsohail76
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Computer Organization &

Assembly Language

6– Processor Status & Flags


The FLAG Register
 Nine individual bits called as flag are used to
 represent the 8086 processor state.
 Flags are placed in FLAG Register.
 Two types of flags:
 Status Flags: Reflects the result of a computation. Located in
bits: 0, 2, 4, 6, 7 and 11.
 Control Flags: Used to enable/disable certain operations of the
processor. Located in bits 8, 9 and 10.
The Status Flags
Carry Flag:
 Set (CY), Unset (NC)
 This flag is set to 1 when there is an unsigned overflow. For example when you add
bytes 255 + 1 (result is not in range 0...255). When there is no overflow this flag is
set to 0.
 The Carry Flag is set to 1 when there is a carry out from MSB on addition
or there is a borrow into the MSB on subtraction. Also affected by shift and
rotate instructions.
 Examples:
 0FFh + 11h = 110h
 1000 0001b – 1000 0010b = 11111111b
2. Parity Flag:
– Set (PE), Unset (PO)
– This flag is set to 1 when there is even number of one bits in result, and
to 0 when there is odd number of one bits. Even if result is a word only 8
low bits are analyzed!
– PE (Even Parity): If the low byte of a result has an even number of one
bits. For Even parity, PF =1
– PO (Odd Parity): If the low byte of a result has odd number of one bits.
For Even parity, PF = 0
– Examples:
– 1000 0001b – 1000 0010b = 11111111b (Number of one’s in result = 8,
so PF = 1)
3. Auxiliary Carry Flag:
– Set (AC), Unset (NA)
– set to 1 when there is an unsigned overflow for low nibble (4 bits).
– The Auxiliary Carry Flag is set to 1 if there is a carry out from bit 3
on addition, or a borrow into bit 3 on subtraction.
– Used in Binary Coded Decimal (BCD) Operations.
– Examples
– 1000 0001b – 0000 0010b = 01111111b (Borrow from bit 4 to bit 3)
4. Zero Flag:
– Set (ZR), Unset (NZ)
– set to 1 when result is zero. For none zero result this flag is set to 0.
– Zero Flag is set when the result is zero.
– Zero Flag is unset when result is non zero.
– Examples:
0FFh – 0FFh = 00h
5. Sign Flag:
Set to 1 when result is negative. When result is positive it is set
to 0. Actually this flag take the value of the most significant bit.
– Set when MSB of a result is 1; it means the result is negative
(signed interpretation)
– Unset when MSB is 0 i.e. result is positive.
– Examples:
0FFh – 0FFh = 00h (MSB = 0, PF = 0)
6. Overflow Flag:
– Set (OV), Unset (NV)
– set to 1 when there is a signed overflow. Set if signed overflow occurred,
otherwise it is 0.
Examples
If the sum of two numbers with the sign bits off yields a result number with the sign
bit on, the "overflow" flag is turned on. 0100 + 0100 = 1000 (overflow flag is
turned on)
If the sum of two numbers with the sign bits on yields a result number with the sign
bit off, the "overflow" flag is turned on. 1000 + 1000 = 0000 (overflow flag is
turned on)
• The Processor sets:
– Overflow Flag = 1 for Signed Overflow
– Carry Flag = 1 for Unsigned Overflow
• Unsigned Overflow:
– Addition: Carry out from MSB
– The correct Answer is largest than the biggest unsigned
number FFFFh for a word and FFh for a byte.
– Subtraction: Borrow into MSB
• Signed Overflow:
– Addition: Same sign but sum has a different sign (e.g.:
when you add two positive numbers and answer is
negative)
– Subtraction: If result has different sign than expected
Control Flags
1.Direction Flag: Controls the assumed direction used by string
processing instructions. 1=Up, 0=Down. This is directional flag.
This is used in string related operations. D = 1, then the string will be
accessed from higher memory address to lower memory address,
and if D = 0, it will do the reverse
2.Interrupt Flag: Enable/Disable external interrupt.
3.Trap Flag: Determines whether or not CPU will be halted after
each instruction

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