This document discusses variables, arrays, constants, and getting the address of variables in 8086 assembly language. It defines variables as memory locations that can be named and initialized with values using directives like DB and DW. Arrays are described as chains of variables that can be indexed. Constants are like variables but their values cannot change after definition using EQU. The LEA and OFFSET instructions are presented as ways to get the address of a variable in a register for later use.
This document discusses variables, arrays, constants, and getting the address of variables in 8086 assembly language. It defines variables as memory locations that can be named and initialized with values using directives like DB and DW. Arrays are described as chains of variables that can be indexed. Constants are like variables but their values cannot change after definition using EQU. The LEA and OFFSET instructions are presented as ways to get the address of a variable in a register for later use.
This document discusses variables, arrays, constants, and getting the address of variables in 8086 assembly language. It defines variables as memory locations that can be named and initialized with values using directives like DB and DW. Arrays are described as chains of variables that can be indexed. Constants are like variables but their values cannot change after definition using EQU. The LEA and OFFSET instructions are presented as ways to get the address of a variable in a register for later use.
This document discusses variables, arrays, constants, and getting the address of variables in 8086 assembly language. It defines variables as memory locations that can be named and initialized with values using directives like DB and DW. Arrays are described as chains of variables that can be indexed. Constants are like variables but their values cannot change after definition using EQU. The LEA and OFFSET instructions are presented as ways to get the address of a variable in a register for later use.
Variables Variable is a memory location. For a programmer it is much easier to have some value be kept in a variable named "var1" then at the address 5A73:235B, especially when you have 10 or more variables. Label supports two types of variables: BYTE and WORD. Syntax for a variable declaration: name DB value name DW value DB - stays for Dene Byte. DW - stays for Dene Word. name - can be any letter or digit combination, though it should start with a letter. It's possible to declare unnamed variables by not specifying the name (this variable will have an address but no name). value - can be any numeric value in any supported numbering system (hexadecimal, binary, or decimal), or "?" symbol for variables that are not initialized.
As you probably know from part 2 of this tutorial, MOV
instruction is used to copy values from source to destination. Let's see another example with MOV instruction:
As you see this looks a lot like our example, except that variables are replaced with actual memory locations. When compiler makes machine code, it automatically replaces all variable names with their osets. By default segment is loaded in DS register (when COM les is loaded the value of DS register is set to the same value as CS register - code segment). In memory list rst row is an oset, second row is a hexadecimal value, third row is decimal value, and last row is an ASCII character value. Compiler is not case sensitive, so "VAR1" and "var1" refer to the same variable. The oset of VAR1 is 0108h, and full address is 0B56:0108. The oset of var2 is 0109h, and full address is 0B56:0109, this variable is a WORD so it occupies 2 BYTES. It is assumed that low byte is stored at lower address, so 34h is located before 12h. You can see that there are some other instructions after the RET instruction, this happens because the debugger has no idea about where the data starts, it just processes the values in memory and it understands them as valid 8086 instructions (we will learn them later). You can even write the same program using DB directive only:
Arrays Arrays can be seen as chains of variables. A text string is an example of a byte array, each character is presented as an ASCII code value (0..255). Here are some array denition examples: a DB 48h, 65h, 6Ch, 6Ch, 6Fh, 00h b DB 'Hello', 0 b is an exact copy of the a array, when assembler sees a string inside quotes it automatically converts it to set of bytes. This chart shows a part of the memory where these arrays are declared:
You can access the value of any element in array using square brackets, for example: MOV AL, a[3] You can also use any of the memory index registers BX, SI, DI, BP, for example: MOV SI, 3 MOV AL, a[SI] If you need to declare a large array you can use DUP operator. The syntax for DUP: number DUP ( value(s) ) 3 of 7
number - number of duplicate to make (any constant value).
value - expression that DUP will duplicate. for example: c DB 5 DUP(9) is an alternative way of declaring: c DB 9, 9, 9, 9, 9 one more example: d DB 5 DUP(1, 2) is an alternative way of declaring: d DB 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2 Of course, you can use DW instead of DB if it's required to keep values larger then 255, or smaller then -128. DW cannot be used to declare strings! The expansion of DUP operand should not be over 1020 characters! (the expansion of last example is 13 chars), if you need to declare huge array divide declaration it in two lines (you will get a single huge array in the memory).
Getting the Address of a Variable
There is LEA (Load Eective Address) instruction and alternative OFFSET operator. Both OFFSET and LEA can be used to get the oset address of the variable. LEA is more powerful because it also allows you to get the address of an indexed variables. Getting the address of the variable can be very useful in some situations, for example when you need to pass parameters to a procedure.
Reminder: In order to tell the compiler about data type, these prexes should be used: BYTE PTR - for byte. WORD PTR - for word (two bytes). For example: BYTE PTR [BX] ; byte access. or WORD PTR [BX] ; word access.
Please note that only these registers can be used inside square brackets (as memory pointers): BX, SI, DI, BP!
Constants Constants are just like variables, but they exist only until your program is compiled (assembled). After denition of a constant its value cannot be changed. To dene constants EQU directive is used: name EQU < any expression > For example: k EQU 5 MOV AX, k
The above example is functionally identical to code:
MOV AX, 5
To view arrays you should click on a variable and set Elements
property to array size. In assembly language there are not strict data types, so any variable can be presented as an array. Variable can be viewed in any numbering system: HEX - hexadecimal (base 16). BIN - binary (base 2). OCT - octal (base 8). 6 of 7
UNSIGNED - unsigned decimal (base 10). CHAR - ASCII char code (there are 256 symbols, some symbols are invisible). You can edit a variable's value when your program is running, simply double click it, or select it and click Edit button. It is possible to enter numbers in any system, hexadecimal numbers should have "h" sux, binary "b" sux, octal "o" sux, decimal numbers require no sux. String can be entered this way: 'hello world', 0 (this string is zero terminated). Arrays may be entered this way: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (the array can be array of bytes or words, it depends whether BYTE or WORD is selected for edited variable). Expressions are automatically converted, for example: when this expression is entered: 5+2 it will be converted to 7 etc...
