01 April 2007

Learning Machine Code with 8-bit Microcontrollers

To understand deeply in processor architecture, we have to learn the Machine Code. I decide to select the 8051 microcontroller as a microprocessor model. A microcontroller (or MCU) is a computer-on-a-chip. They integrate many modules on one chip such as RAM, Flash memory, EEPROM, serial ports (UARTs), I²C, Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), analog-to-digital converters (ADC), clock generator (XTAL) and more.

Humans almost never write programs directly in machine code. Instead, they use a programming language which is translated by the computer into machine code. The simplest kind of programming language is assembly language which usually has a one-to-one correspondence with the resulting machine code instructions but allows the use of mnemonics (ASCII strings) for the "op codes" (the part of the instruction which encodes the basic type of operation to perform) and names for locations in the program (branch labels) and for variables and constants.

Installing ASEM-51

ASEM-51 is a two-pass macro assembler for the Intel MCS-51 family of microcontrollers. It is running on the PC under MS-DOS, Windows and Linux. The ASEM-51 assembly language is based on the standard Intel syntax, and implements conditional assembly, macros, and include file processing. The assembler can output object code in Intel-HEX or Intel OMF-51 format as well as a detailed list file. The ASEM-51 package includes support for more than 180 8051 derivatives, a bootstrap program for MCS-51 target boards, and documentation in ASCII and HTML format. And it is free ...

The simplest way of installing ASEM-51 is copying all files of the package to your working directory, and enjoy the benefits of true plug-and-play compatibility!. Alternatively, I have set it up on Windows XP manually:

  • Downloads the lastest ASEM-51 for DOS/Windows (currently v1.3)

  • Create a new, empty directory on your harddisk (C:\ASEM51).

  • Unpack your ASEM-51 distribution archive into this directory, or copy all files of the ASEM-51 package into it.

  • Make the scratch directory default, run the batch file INSTALL.BAT provided, and follow the instructions.

  • Reboot your PC.


You can update MPU file by downloading http://plit.de/asem-51/mcufiles.zip.

References

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