Visual execution of assembly language programs

Students learning computer organization and assembly language programming often have difficulty understanding the relationship between hardware functions and software instructions. This paper describes how a software tool can help students understand the organization and use of the Motorola 68000 processor family. XSIM68K employs a graphical interface to enhance a traditional “black box” simulator so that students can observe first-hand the effect of a running program on registers, memory, and II0 devices. Multiple data representations allow the student to choose the most appropriate format for data entry and display, which reduces confusion and eliminates conversion mistakes.

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