10/23/2006

A student writes:

        Dear Dr Patt
        I have 3 questions on programming assigment 2:

        + I want to use .STRINGZ to assign the string at 
        memory location x30F0. Am I supposed to write:
              .ORIG x30F0
              .STRINGZ "ibslpacebv...."
              .END

So, the short answer is: Please see my earlier email.  I would rather
you didn't.

        So does it mean that I have create a new object module? Do I have to do
        anything else to link it to my main object module? 
        (How will the compiler
                      ~~~~~~~~
We don't have a compiler in this course.  We are programming in Assembly
Language, which gets translated to an object module by an ASSEMBLER.

        understand that there still another block after the ".END" of the first
        object module?)

The assembler will not know.  You will need to do two separate assembles.
Two programs: one code, starting at .orig x3000, and ending in .end.
Separately, starting at .orig x30F0 and ending with .end.

        + In the book, you mention about the object file. What is the difference
        between object file and the object module I have mentioned 
        above?(I guess
        that the object file can contain many object modules, is it correct? )

Actually, we use the term object file and object module interchangeably.

The Simulator lets you load both into memory before you start executing.
See your TA if you are not sure how to do that.

Yale Patt

        Thank you very much for answering my question
        Sincerely
        <<name withheld to protect the student with three questions>>