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An assembler program functions by converting low-level assembly code into a conventional machine code that is readable by the CPU. The purpose of assembly language, like other coding languages, is to make the programming process more user-friendly than programming in machine language.
The conversion process is referred to as assembly, as in assembling the source code. The computational step when an assembler is processing a program is called assembly time. Because assembly depends on the machine code instructions, each assembly language [nb 1] is specific to a particular computer architecture. [11] [12] [13]
Machine code is the form in which code that can be directly executed is stored on a computer. It consists of machine language instructions, stored in memory, that perform operations such as moving values in and out of memory locations, arithmetic and Boolean logic, and testing values and, based on the test, either executing the next instruction in memory or executing an instruction at another ...
The DOS executable XLT86.COM [12 KB] translates Intel 8080 assembly language source code to Intel 8086 assembly language source code. Despite its name this implementation in 8086 assembly is not related to Digital Research's earlier and much more sophisticated XLT86.) Albo, Julián (2009-04-24).
The code can be read and written by a programmer. To run on a computer it must be converted into a machine readable form, a process called assembly. [4] The language is specific to a particular processor family and environment. [2]
The name "compiler" is primarily used for programs that translate source code from a high-level programming language to a low-level programming language (e.g. assembly language, object code, or machine code) to create an executable program. [1] [2]: p1 [3] There are many different types of compilers which produce output in different useful forms.
The default OperandSize and AddressSize to use for each instruction is given by the D bit of the segment descriptor of the current code segment - D=0 makes both 16-bit, D=1 makes both 32-bit. Additionally, they can be overridden on a per-instruction basis with two new instruction prefixes that were introduced in the 80386:
An exception is when a processor is designed to use a particular bytecode directly as its machine code, such as is the case with Java processors. Machine code and assembly code are sometimes called native code when referring to platform-dependent parts of language features or libraries. [16]