Simulated Graphics assembly (Sim Grass)

Date of Publication

1993

Document Type

Bachelor's Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Subject Categories

Computer Sciences

College

College of Computer Studies

Department/Unit

Computer Science

Abstract/Summary

SimGrass is a tool aimed at helping those interested in 8088 assembly language. SimGrass can aid in making the users of the systems comprehend better the concepts involved in assembly language. It graphically simulates or models how an instruction is executed inside the computer system. It shows how the components of the computer, like the CPU and memory, interact with each other when executing a particular instruction. This would allow the visualization of abstract concepts like the instruction fetch cycle, decoding or execution of instructions, and the various addressing modes. This is the very essence of SimGrass. It makes assembly language concepts more meaningful to the user by visualizing these through graphical simulation. SimGrass only simulates the execution of the instructions inside the computer. No actual execution is done inside the system. It does not produce executable code. SimGrass programs follow a format similar to the utility DEBUG.SimGrass also integrated some utilities and tools to assist the user in the development of his own assembly projects, namely, an external assembler and a text editor. To compliment these utilities, SimGrass included tools for file and directory manipulation. The text editor can be used to create assembly programs that can be simulated (following SimGrass's format) and assembly language programs that follows the TASM format. Although SimGrass's SimAssembler does not produce executable code, the user can call an external assembler in the system that he can use to produce executable programs.

SimGrass could be used by students trying to learn assembly language, teachers, and any person interested in the basic inner workings of a computer system and assembly language. The system could also be used as a limited debugger aside from a developmental tool for making assembly language programs.SimGrass is an adaptation of existing theses, namely, the 8088 Simulator, ALP 8088 Training Kit and the Development of a Computer Based Tutorial on Basic Computer Concepts. SimGrass can be a more effective simulation package because of its graphical interface, the use of dynamic simulation, varied instructions and the inclusion of accessory tools for developing assembly language projects. Although it can be a better package than the ones it was adapted from, SimGrass could still be improved to make it a better system. Improvements like the capability to generate executable code, the inclusion of more advanced commands for higher platforms (286, 386, 486), more modes of tracing, and that the system could accept a program other than the SimGrass format.

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Print

Accession Number

TU06262

Shelf Location

Archives, The Learning Commons, 12F, Henry Sy Sr. Hall

Physical Description

1 v. (various pagings); computer print-out

Keywords

Computer simulation; Assembling (Electronic computers); Computer graphics -- Computer programs; Programming languages (Electronics computers) -- Computer graphics; x1 Simulation, Computer; x1 Simulation, Computer

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