CSCI 2021 Lab07: Assembly Coding
- Due: 11:59pm Tue 14-Mar-2023 on Gradescope
- Approximately 1.00% of total grade
CODE DISTRIBUTION: lab07-code.zip
DEMO VIDEO: Not Yet Available
CHANGELOG: Empty
1 Rationale
Assembly coding requires careful attention to detail and can feel quite overwhelming initially. This Lab is designed to introduce some aspects of assembly coding required to complete upcoming projects. It focuses on completing two functions from a previous HW and passing automated tests. The lab allows practice on basic assembly instructions, location of argument registers, extracting function arguments, and debugging assembly.
Associated Reading / Preparation
- Bryant and O'Hallaron: Ch 3.1-3.7 on assembly code instructions in x86-64.
- Any overview guide to x86-64 assembly instructions such as Brown University's x64 Cheat Sheet
- To more easily debug assembly, it is useful to be able to run a
debugger like
gdb
on the assembly code. Examine the CSCI 2021 Quick Guide to gdb: The GNU Debugger which contains information specific to assembly as such as how to display the register contents.
It is also advisable to configure your editing environment for assembly code. For those using VS Code, the following short video shows how to install an assembly editing mode that supports the GNU Assembler dialect and shows how to block comment/uncomment code.
Configuring VS Code for x86-64 Assembly: https://youtu.be/AgmXUFOEgIw
Grading Policy
Credit for this Lab is earned by completing the exercises here and
submitting a Zip of the work to Gradescope. Students are responsible
to check that the results produced locally via make test
are
reflected on Gradescope after submitting their completed
Zip. Successful completion earns 1 Engagement Point.
Lab Exercises are open resource/open collaboration and students are encouraged to cooperate on labs. Students may submit work as groups of up to 5 to Gradescope: one person submits then adds the names of their group members to the submission.
See the full policies in the course syllabus.
2 Codepack
The codepack for the HW contains the following files:
File | Description | |
---|---|---|
QUESTIONS.txt |
EDIT | Questions to answer: fill in the multiple choice selections in this file. |
coins_funcs_asm.s |
EDIT | Incomplete Assembly functions, fill in remaining code |
coins_main.c |
Provided | main() function |
coins.h |
Provided | C header |
coins_funcs.c |
Provided | C functions to be implemented in assembly, code here can be used to test incrementally |
Makefile |
Build | Enables make test and make zip |
QUESTIONS.txt.bk |
Backup | Backup copy of the original file to help revert if needed |
QUESTIONS.md5 |
Testing | Checksum for answers in questions file |
test_quiz_filter |
Testing | Filter to extract answers from Questions file, used in testing |
test_lab07.org |
Testing | Tests for this lab |
testy |
Testing | Test running scripts |
3 Two Assembly Functions
The goal of the lab is to complete working assembly code for two functions that feature in a previous HW. These are as follows:
int set_coins(int cents, coins_t *coins); // Calculate number of quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies of // change. Param cents is the number of cents, 0-99. Param coins is a // pointer to a structure which will have its fields set to the number // of coins of each type. Returns 0 on success. If cents is out of // range, no values are changed and 1 is returned. int total_coins(coins_t coins); // Returns the total number of cents in the given coins struct.
Implement these functions in the file coins_funcs_asm.s
. This file
contains documentation and partial implementations of the functions:
complete the code in this file.
To complete the assembly code, you will need to know about layout of
the coin_t
data type used in the functions. This information is in
the coins.h
header file and is repeated below:
typedef struct { // Type for collections of coins char quarters; char dimes; char nickels; char pennies; } coins_t; // coint_t has the following memory layout and argument passing // properties: // // | | Pointer | Packed | Packed | // | | Memory | Struct | Struct | // | Field | Offset | Arg# | Bits | // |----------+---------+--------+--------| // | quarters | +0 | #1 | 0-7 | // | dimes | +1 | #1 | 8-15 | // | nickels | +2 | #1 | 16-23 | // | pennies | +3 | #1 | 24-31 | // // Since the entire struct is less that 64-bits, it is passed in a // single argument register on 64-bit systems when passed as a value // such as in the below total_coins() function.
Importantly, there is information on
- Byte-level layout of a
coin_t
when it is stored in main memory, pertinent toset_coins()
- Bit-level layout of
coin_t
when the struct is packed into an argument register, pertinent tototal_coins
Study this information and examine the existing code to get a sense for how to complete the rest. Ask questions of lab staff if you do understand some things that you see.
When the function are completed, the coins_main
program can be used
to experiment with them such as in the following examples.
> make gcc -Wall -Werror -g -o coins_main coins_main.c coins_funcs_asm.s > ./coins_main 37 37 cents is... 1 quarters 1 dimes 0 nickels 2 pennies which is 37 cents > ./coins_main 91 91 cents is... 3 quarters 1 dimes 1 nickels 1 pennies which is 91 cents > ./coins_main 9 9 cents is... 0 quarters 0 dimes 1 nickels 4 pennies which is 9 cents # Run the tests > make test gcc -Wall -Werror -g -o coins_main coins_main.c coins_funcs_asm.s ./testy test_coins_main.org ============================================================ == test_coins_main.org : coins_main Tests == Running 1 / 1 tests 1) All Tests : ok ============================================================ RESULTS: 1 / 1 tests passed
4 set_coins
Assembly Function
Use of the Division Instruction
The main purpose of set_coins
is to repeatedly divide the "cents" by
different coin values to determine how many quarters, dimes, nickels,
and pennies are required. Note the use of division instructions to
accomplish this in the provided code:
## BLOCK B movl %edi,%eax # eax now has cents cqto # prep for division movl $25,%r8d idivl %r8d movb %al,0(%rsi) # coins->quarters = cents / 25 movl %edx,%eax # cents = cents % 25 ...
Take care to understand some unique quirks of the idivl
instruction:
it MUST have the number to be divided in the A-family register, %eax
in this case and after completing, the %eax / %edx
contain the
quotient and remainder of the division respectively. The last movl
instruction sets up the next division to compute the number of dimes
by moving the remaining cents into %eax
again for another division.
Setting Struct Fields in Memory
Note the use of movb
to move a single byte from the A-family
register into main memory.
%al
is the lowest order byte in the%rax / %eax
register. The division by25
is expected to produce a small number which can be represented in a single byte.movb
is chosen to move a single byte from the register into main memory. This also matches the size of thequarters
field ofcoins_t
: it is achar
which is only 1 byte big.- The location
0(%rsi)
is used as%rsi
contains a pointer to acoins_t
and thequarters
field is 0 bytes offset from this pointer. This is the type of assembly instruction that would be generated for C code likecoins->quarters = cents / 25;
Copy this pattern to other locations noting that the fields for
dimes / nickels / pennies
are at different locations from the
beginning of the coins_t
struct so will require different move
offsets such as 2(%rsi)
.
5 total_coins
Assembly Function
Packed Struct Arguments
Consider the C prototype and assembly documentation given for the function:
int total_coins(coins_t coins);
.globl total_coins total_coins: ### args are ### %rdi packed coin_t struct with struct fields in the following bit rangs ### {0-7: quarters, 8-15: dimes, 16-23-: nickels, 24-31: pennies}
At the assembly level, an entire coins_t
struct is passed into
total_coins()
as a single argument: each field of quarters / dimes
/ nickels / pennies
comes in via the %rdi
register.
To extract each field separately, a series of shift/mask operations
are performed in assembly via the sarq
(shift right) and andq
(bitwise-and) instructions. Each field is a single byte big so after
a right shift, andq
-ing onto a mask like 0xFF
will leave only a
single field present such as in the provided code to extract the dimes
field which is in bits 8-15 of the %rdi
register:
movq %rdi,%rdx # extract dimes: copy arg to work register sarq $8,%rdx # move dimes to low order bits andq $0xFF,%rdx # rdx = dimes
Employ this pattern in the indicated location to complete the remainder of the function.
6 Debug Assembly Functions via gdb
Debugging assembly code is difficult as there are so many details to
track. In addition, standard tactics such as use of printf()
to show
information are extremely difficult to employ: setting up function
calls in assembly is more difficult and changes the state of the
program quite a bit.
Rather, debuggers such as gdb
are a more expedient option. Review
information from the CSCI 2021 Quick Guide to gdb: The GNU Debugger
how to set up GDB to work on your assembly code. This includes tactics
such as stepping, breaking, and importantly, showing the values in
registers.
The coins_main
program can be used to easily test code in this way
as in the following.
> make coins_main gcc -Wall -Werror -g -o coins_main coins_main.c coins_funcs_asm.s coins_funcs.c > ./coins_main 27 27 cents is... 1 quarters 0 dimes 0 nickels 0 pennies which is 25 cents # looks wrong, fire up gdb to see what's happening in the set_coins() # assembly code > gdb -tui coins_main gdb> layout regs # turn on registers gdb> break set_coins # set breakpoint at misbehaving assembly function gdb> set args 27 # set commandline arg to 27 cents gdb> run # run to breakpoint ...
7 QUESTIONS.txt File Contents
Below are the contents of the QUESTIONS.txt
file for the lab.
Follow the instructions in it to complete the QUIZ and CODE questions
for the lab.
__________________ LAB 07 QUESTIONS __________________ Lab Instructions ================ Follow the instructions below to experiment with topics related to this lab. - For sections marked QUIZ, fill in an (X) for the appropriate response in this file. Use the command `make test-quiz' to see if all of your answers are correct. - For sections marked CODE, complete the code indicated. Use the command `make test-code' to check if your code is complete. - DO NOT CHANGE any parts of this file except the QUIZ sections as it may interfere with the tests otherwise. - If your `QUESTIONS.txt' file seems corrupted, restore it by copying over the `QUESTIONS.txt.bk' backup file. - When you complete the exercises, check your answers with `make test' and if all is well, create a zip file with `make zip' and upload it to Gradescope. Ensure that the Autograder there reflects your local results. - IF YOU WORK IN A GROUP only one member needs to submit and then add the names of their group. QUIZ Coding Assembly Functions ============================== Answer the following questions on basic techniques for assembly function coding. How are the first 6 arguments to an assembly functions mad available within the function? - ( ) Arguments are passed in registers; the first two are in the `%rax' and `%rbx' registers - ( ) Arguments are passed in registers; the first two are in the `$rdi' and `%rsi' registers - ( ) Arguments are in the stack; the first two are available using the stack pointer as `0(%rsp)' and `8(%rsp)' - ( ) Arguments are in the stack; the first two are available using the stack pointer as `8(%rsp)' and `12(%rsp)' Which of the following best describes how the kind of arguments passed to the FIRST function `set_coins()' function in assembly? - ( ) An integer in `%edi' and a pointer to a struct in `%rsi'; to get/set fields of the struct syntax like `2(%rsi)' is used - ( ) An integer in `%edi' and a packed struct in `%rsi'; to get/set fields of the struct bitwise shifts and AND operations are used - ( ) An integer in `%esi' and a pointer to a struct in `%rdi'; to get/set fields of the struct syntax like `2(%rsi)' is used - ( ) An integer in `%esi' and a packed struct in `%rdi'; to get/set fields of the struct bitwise shifts and AND operations are used Which of the following best describes how the kind of arguments passed to the SECOND function `total_coins()' function in assembly? - ( ) A pointer to a struct in `%rsi'; to get/set fields of the struct syntax like `2(%rsi)' is used - ( ) A packed struct in `%rsi'; to get/set fields of the struct bitwise shifts and AND operations are used - ( ) A pointer to a struct in `%rdi'; to get/set fields of the struct syntax like `2(%rsi)' is used - ( ) A packed struct in `%rdi'; to get/set fields of the struct bitwise shifts and AND operations are used CODE coins_funcs_asm.s ====================== Complete the two assembly functions in `coins_funcs_asm.s'. Note that until both functions are complete, the tests will likely fail. Correct output will appear something like the following: ,---- | >> make | gcc -Wall -Werror -g -o coins_main coins_main.c coins_funcs_asm.s | | >> ./coins_main 88 | set_coins(): | 88 cents is... | 3 quarters | 1 dimes | 0 nickels | 3 pennies | total_coins(): | which is 88 cents | `---- Make sure to complete both assembly functions and test them via ,---- | make test `---- before using ,---- | make zip `---- to create a zip to submit.
8 Submission
Follow the instructions at the end of Lab01 if you need a refresher on how to upload your completed lab zip to Gradescope.