Assembly Language for x86 Processors

6th Edition
Kip R. Irvine

Chapter 5: Procedures

Slides prepared by the author

Revision date: 2/15/2010

(c) Pearson Education, 2010. All rights reserved. You may modify and copy this slide show for your personal use, or
for use in the classroom, as long as this copyright statement, the author's name, and the title are not changed.
 Chapter Overview

• Linking to an External Library

• The Book's Link Library
• Stack Operations
• Defining and Using Procedures
• Program Design Using Procedures

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

2
 The Book's Link Library

• Link Library Overview

• Calling a Library Procedure
• Linking to a Library
• Library Procedures – Overview
• Six Examples

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

3
 Link Library Overview
• A file containing procedures that have been compiled
into machine code
• constructed from one or more OBJ files
• To build a library, . . .
• start with one or more ASM source files
• assemble each into an OBJ file
• create an empty library file (extension .LIB)
• add the OBJ file(s) to the library file, using the
Microsoft LIB utility

Take a quick look at Irvine32.asm in the \Irvine\Examples\Lib32 folder.

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

4
 Calling a Library Procedure
• Call a library procedure using the CALL instruction. Some
procedures require input arguments. The INCLUDE directive
copies in the procedure prototypes (declarations).
• The following example displays "1234" on the console:

INCLUDE Irvine32.inc
.code
mov eax,1234h ; input argument
call WriteHex ; show hex number
call Crlf ; end of line

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

5
 Linking to a Library
• Your programs link to Irvine32.lib using the linker command
inside a batch file named make32.bat.
• Notice the two LIB files: Irvine32.lib, and kernel32.lib
• the latter is part of the Microsoft Win32 Software
Development Kit (SDK)

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

6
 What's Next

• Linking to an External Library

• The Book's Link Library
• Stack Operations
• Defining and Using Procedures
• Program Design Using Procedures

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

7
 Library Procedures - Overview (1 of 4)

CloseFile – Closes an open disk file

Clrscr - Clears console, locates cursor at upper left corner
CreateOutputFile - Creates new disk file for writing in output mode
Crlf - Writes end of line sequence to standard output
Delay - Pauses program execution for n millisecond interval
DumpMem - Writes block of memory to standard output in hex
DumpRegs – Displays general-purpose registers and flags (hex)
GetCommandtail - Copies command-line args into array of bytes
GetDateTime – Gets the current date and time from the system
GetMaxXY - Gets number of cols, rows in console window buffer
GetMseconds - Returns milliseconds elapsed since midnight

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

8
 Library Procedures - Overview (2 of 4)
GetTextColor - Returns active foreground and background text colors in
the console window
Gotoxy - Locates cursor at row and column on the console
IsDigit - Sets Zero flag if AL contains ASCII code for decimal digit (0–9)
MsgBox, MsgBoxAsk – Display popup message boxes
OpenInputFile – Opens existing file for input
ParseDecimal32 – Converts unsigned integer string to binary
ParseInteger32 - Converts signed integer string to binary
Random32 - Generates 32-bit pseudorandom integer in the range 0 to
FFFFFFFFh
Randomize - Seeds the random number generator
RandomRange - Generates a pseudorandom integer within a specified
range
ReadChar - Reads a single character from standard input

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

9
 Library Procedures - Overview (3 of 4)
ReadDec - Reads 32-bit unsigned decimal integer from keyboard
ReadFromFile – Reads input disk file into buffer
ReadHex - Reads 32-bit hexadecimal integer from keyboard
ReadInt - Reads 32-bit signed decimal integer from keyboard
ReadKey – Reads character from keyboard input buffer
ReadString - Reads string from standard input, terminated by [Enter]
SetTextColor - Sets foreground and background colors of all subsequent
console text output
Str_compare – Compares two strings

Str_copy – Copies a source string to a destination string

StrLength – Returns length of a string
Str_trim - Removes unwanted characters from a string.

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

10
 Library Procedures - Overview (4 of 4)

Str_ucase - Converts a string to uppercase letters.

WaitMsg - Displays message, waits for Enter key to be pressed
WriteBin - Writes unsigned 32-bit integer in ASCII binary format.
WriteBinB – Writes binary integer in byte, word, or doubleword format
WriteChar - Writes a single character to standard output
WriteDec - Writes unsigned 32-bit integer in decimal format
WriteHex - Writes an unsigned 32-bit integer in hexadecimal format
WriteHexB – Writes byte, word, or doubleword in hexadecimal format
WriteInt - Writes signed 32-bit integer in decimal format

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

11
 Library Procedures - Overview (5 of 4)

WriteStackFrame - Writes the current procedure’s stack frame to the

console.
WriteStackFrameName - Writes the current procedure’s name and stack
frame to the console.
WriteString - Writes null-terminated string to console window
WriteToFile - Writes buffer to output file
WriteWindowsMsg - Displays most recent error message generated by
MS-Windows

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

12
 Irvine Library Help
• A Windows help file showing:

• Irvine Library Procedures

Procedure Purpose
Calling & Return Arguments
Example of usage

• Some other information (we will use later)

IrvineLibHelp.chm

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

13
 Example 1
Clear the screen, delay the program for 500 milliseconds, and
dump the registers and flags.

.code
call Clrscr
mov eax,500
call Delay
call DumpRegs

Sample output:
EAX=00000613 EBX=00000000 ECX=000000FF EDX=00000000
ESI=00000000 EDI=00000100 EBP=0000091E ESP=000000F6
EIP=00401026 EFL=00000286 CF=0 SF=1 ZF=0 OF=0

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

14
 Example 2
Display a null-terminated string and move the cursor to the
beginning of the next screen line.

.data
str1 BYTE "Assembly language is easy!",0

.code
mov edx,OFFSET str1
call WriteString
call Crlf

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

15
 Example 2a
Display a null-terminated string and move the cursor to the
beginning of the next screen line (use embedded CR/LF)

.data
str1 BYTE "Assembly language is easy!",0Dh,0Ah,0

.code
mov edx,OFFSET str1
call WriteString

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

16
 Example 3
Display an unsigned integer in binary, decimal, and hexadecimal,
each on a separate line.

IntVal = 35
.code
mov eax,IntVal
call WriteBin ; display binary
call Crlf
call WriteDec ; display decimal
call Crlf
call WriteHex ; display hexadecimal
call Crlf

Sample output:
0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0010 0011
35
23

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

17
 Example 4
Input a string from the user. EDX points to the string and ECX
specifies the maximum number of characters the user is
permitted to enter.

.data
fileName BYTE 80 DUP(0)

.code
mov edx,OFFSET fileName
mov ecx,SIZEOF fileName – 1
call ReadString

A null byte is automatically appended to the string.

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

18
 Example 5
Generate and display ten pseudorandom signed integers in the
range 0 – 99. Pass each integer to WriteInt in EAX and display
it on a separate line.

.code
mov ecx,10 ; loop counter

L1: mov eax,100 ; ceiling value

call RandomRange ; generate random int
call WriteInt ; display signed int
call Crlf ; goto next display line
loop L1 ; repeat loop

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

19
 Example 6
Display a null-terminated string with yellow characters on a blue
background.

.data
str1 BYTE "Color output is easy!",0

.code
mov eax,yellow + (blue * 16)
call SetTextColor
mov edx,OFFSET str1
call WriteString
call Crlf

The background color is multiplied by 16 before being added to the

foreground color.

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

20
 What's Next

• Linking to an External Library

• The Book's Link Library
• Stack Operations
• Defining and Using Procedures
• Program Design Using Procedures

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

21
 Stack Operations

• Runtime Stack
• PUSH Operation
• POP Operation
• PUSH and POP Instructions
• Using PUSH and POP
• Example: Reversing a String
• Related Instructions

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

22
 Runtime Stack
• Imagine a stack of plates . . .
• plates are only added to the top
• plates are only removed from the top
• LIFO structure

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

23
 Runtime Stack
• Managed by the CPU, using two registers
• SS (stack segment)
• ESP (stack pointer) *

* SP in Real-address mode
Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.
24
 PUSH Operation (1 of 2)
• A 32-bit push operation decrements the stack pointer
by 4 and copies a value into the location pointed to
by the stack pointer.

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

25
 PUSH Operation (2 of 2)
• Same stack after pushing two more integers:

The stack grows downward. The area below ESP is always

available (unless the stack has overflowed).

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

26
 POP Operation
• Copies value at stack[ESP] into a register or variable.
• Adds n to ESP, where n is either 2 or 4.
• value of n depends on the attribute of the operand receiving the
data

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

27
 PUSH and POP Instructions

• PUSH syntax:
• PUSH r/m16
• PUSH r/m32
• PUSH imm32
• POP syntax:
• POP r/m16
• POP r/m32

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

28
 Using PUSH and POP
Save and restore registers when they contain important values.
PUSH and POP instructions occur in the opposite order.

push esi ; push registers

push ecx
push ebx

mov esi,OFFSET dwordVal ; display some memory

mov ecx,LENGTHOF dwordVal
mov ebx,TYPE dwordVal
call DumpMem

pop ebx ; restore registers

pop ecx
pop esi

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

29
 Example: Nested Loop
When creating a nested loop, push the outer loop counter
before entering the inner loop:

mov ecx,100 ; set outer loop count

L1: ; begin the outer loop
push ecx ; save outer loop count

mov ecx,20 ; set inner loop count

L2: ; begin the inner loop
;
;
loop L2 ; repeat the inner loop

pop ecx ; restore outer loop count

loop L1 ; repeat the outer loop

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

30
 Example: Reversing a String

• Use a loop with indexed addressing

• Push each character on the stack
• Start at the beginning of the string, pop the stack in reverse order,
insert each character back into the string
• Source code

• Q: Why must each character be put in EAX before it is pushed?

Because only word (16-bit) or doubleword (32-bit) values

can be pushed on the stack.

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

31
 Your turn . . .

• Using the String Reverse program as a starting

point,
• #1: Modify the program so the user can input a string
containing between 1 and 50 characters.
• #2: Modify the program so it inputs a list of 32-bit integers
from the user, and then displays the integers in reverse
order.

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

32
 Related Instructions

• PUSHFD and POPFD

• push and pop the EFLAGS register
• PUSHAD pushes the 32-bit general-purpose
registers on the stack
• order: EAX, ECX, EDX, EBX, ESP, EBP, ESI, EDI
• POPAD pops the same registers off the stack in
reverse order
• PUSHA and POPA do the same for 16-bit registers

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

33
 Your Turn . . .

• Write a program that does the following:

• Assigns integer values to EAX, EBX, ECX, EDX, ESI,
and EDI
• Uses PUSHAD to push the general-purpose registers
on the stack
• Using a loop, your program should pop each integer
from the stack and display it on the screen

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

34
 What's Next

• Linking to an External Library

• The Book's Link Library
• Stack Operations
• Defining and Using Procedures
• Program Design Using Procedures

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

35
 Defining and Using Procedures

• Creating Procedures
• Documenting Procedures
• Example: SumOf Procedure
• CALL and RET Instructions
• Nested Procedure Calls
• Local and Global Labels
• Procedure Parameters
• Flowchart Symbols
• USES Operator

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

36
 Creating Procedures
• Large problems can be divided into smaller tasks to
make them more manageable
• A procedure is the ASM equivalent of a Java or C++
function
• Following is an assembly language procedure named
sample:

sample PROC
.
.
ret
sample ENDP

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

37
 Documenting Procedures
Suggested documentation for each procedure:

• A description of all tasks accomplished by the procedure.

• Receives: A list of input parameters; state their usage and
requirements.
• Returns: A description of values returned by the procedure.
• Requires: Optional list of requirements called preconditions that
must be satisfied before the procedure is called.

If a procedure is called without its preconditions satisfied, it will

probably not produce the expected output.

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

38
 Example: SumOf Procedure

;---------------------------------------------------------
SumOf PROC
;
; Calculates and returns the sum of three 32-bit integers.
; Receives: EAX, EBX, ECX, the three integers. May be
; signed or unsigned.
; Returns: EAX = sum, and the status flags (Carry,
; Overflow, etc.) are changed.
; Requires: nothing
;---------------------------------------------------------
add eax,ebx
add eax,ecx
ret
SumOf ENDP

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

39
 CALL and RET Instructions

• The CALL instruction calls a procedure

• pushes offset of next instruction on the stack
• copies the address of the called procedure into EIP
• The RET instruction returns from a procedure
• pops top of stack into EIP

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

40
 CALL-RET Example (1 of 2)

main PROC
00000020 call MySub
0000025 is the offset of the
00000025 mov eax,ebx
instruction immediately
.
following the CALL
instruction .
main ENDP

MySub PROC
00000040 is the offset of 00000040 mov eax,edx
the first instruction inside .
MySub .
ret
MySub ENDP

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

41
 CALL-RET Example (2 of 2)

The CALL instruction

pushes 00000025 onto
the stack, and loads
00000040 into EIP

The RET instruction

pops 00000025 from the
stack into EIP

(stack shown before RET executes)

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

42
 Nested Procedure Calls

By the time Sub3 is called, the

stack contains all three return
addresses:

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

43
 Local and Global Labels
A local label is visible only to statements inside the same
procedure. A global label is visible everywhere.

main PROC
jmp L2 ; error
L1:: ; global label
exit
main ENDP

sub2 PROC
L2: ; local label
jmp L1 ; ok
ret
sub2 ENDP

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

44
 Procedure Parameters (1 of 3)

• A good procedure might be usable in many

different programs
• but not if it refers to specific variable names
• Parameters help to make procedures flexible
because parameter values can change at runtime

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

45
 Procedure Parameters (2 of 3)
The ArraySum procedure calculates the sum of an array. It
makes two references to specific variable names:

ArraySum PROC
mov esi,0 ; array index
mov eax,0 ; set the sum to zero
mov ecx,LENGTHOF myarray ; set number of elements

L1: add eax,myArray[esi] ; add each integer to sum

add esi,4 ; point to next integer
loop L1 ; repeat for array size

mov theSum,eax ; store the sum

ret
ArraySum ENDP

What if you wanted to calculate the sum of two or three arrays

within the same program?

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

46
 Procedure Parameters (3 of 3)
This version of ArraySum returns the sum of any doubleword
array whose address is in ESI. The sum is returned in EAX:

ArraySum PROC
; Receives: ESI points to an array of doublewords,
; ECX = number of array elements.
; Returns: EAX = sum
;-----------------------------------------------------
mov eax,0 ; set the sum to zero

L1: add eax,[esi] ; add each integer to sum

add esi,4 ; point to next integer
loop L1 ; repeat for array size

ret
ArraySum ENDP

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

47
 Flowchart Symbols
• The following symbols are the basic building blocks of
flowcharts:

(Includes two symbols not listed on page 166 of the book.)

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.
48
 Flowchart for
the ArraySum
Procedure AS1:

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

49
 Your turn . . .

Draw a flowchart that expresses the following

pseudocode:

input exam grade from the user

if( grade > 70 )
display "Pass"
else
display "Fail"
endif

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

50
 . . . (Solution)

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

51
 Your turn . . .

• Modify the flowchart in the previous slide to allow the

user to continue to input exam scores until a value of
–1 is entered

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

52
 USES Operator
• Lists the registers that will be preserved
ArraySum PROC USES esi ecx
mov eax,0 ; set the sum to zero
etc.

MASM generates the code shown in gold:

ArraySum PROC
push esi
push ecx
.
.
pop ecx
pop esi
ret
ArraySum ENDP

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

53
 When not to push a register
The sum of the three registers is stored in EAX on line (3), but
the POP instruction replaces it with the starting value of EAX
on line (4):

SumOf PROC ; sum of three integers

push eax ; 1
add eax,ebx ; 2
add eax,ecx ; 3
pop eax ; 4
ret
SumOf ENDP

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

54
 What's Next

• Linking to an External Library

• The Book's Link Library
• Stack Operations
• Defining and Using Procedures
• Program Design Using Procedures

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

55
 Program Design Using Procedures

• Top-Down Design (functional decomposition)

involves the following:
• design your program before starting to code
• break large tasks into smaller ones
• use a hierarchical structure based on procedure calls
• test individual procedures separately

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

56
 Integer Summation Program (1 of 4)

Description: Write a program that prompts the user for

multiple 32-bit integers, stores them in an array,
calculates the sum of the array, and displays the sum on
the screen.

Main steps:
• Prompt user for multiple integers
• Calculate the sum of the array
• Display the sum

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

57
 Procedure Design (2 of 4)
Main
Clrscr ; clear screen
PromptForIntegers
WriteString ; display string
ReadInt ; input integer
ArraySum ; sum the integers
DisplaySum
WriteString ; display string
WriteInt ; display integer

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

58
 Structure Chart (3 of 4)

gray indicates • View the stub program

library
procedure • View the final program

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

59
 Sample Output (4 of 4)

Enter a signed integer: 550

Enter a signed integer: -23
Enter a signed integer: -96
The sum of the integers is: +431

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

60
 Summary
• Procedure – named block of executable code
• Runtime stack – LIFO structure
• holds return addresses, parameters, local variables
• PUSH – add value to stack
• POP – remove value from stack
• Use the Irvine32 library for all standard I/O and data
conversion
• Want to learn more? Study the library source code in
the c:\Irvine\Examples\Lib32 folder

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

61
 55 64 67 61 6E 67 65 6E

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for x86 Processors 6/e, 2010.

62