Assembler IDE/Simulator for beginner [closed]

Answer 1

SimpSim is definitely worth a look. It's Windows only, but the feature set is pretty decent:

• Main memory and register display
• Built-in editor with syntax highlighting
• Run, step, and break functions

Answer 2

If you happen to already know .NET, then this may be of use:

http://www.viksoe.dk/code/asmil.htm

It's a little bit limited, and may only work with .NET 1.1, but you could atleast use a "modern" IDE for it, and there are plenty of docs around for it.

<%@ page language="Asm80386" %>
<%
Str:  DB "Testing...", 0

  mov eax, -2
  cmp eax, 2
  jle Label1
  xor eax, eax
Label1:
  lea esi, Str
  push esi
  call "Response.Write(string)"
  pop esi
%>
<br>EAX: <%= eax %>

Another option, if you want to go "hard core" is get something like FreeDOS and VMWare, and use that. I'm sure a garage sale (car boot sale? yard sale?) or second hand book shop would have a copy of Peter Norton's old DOS interrupts bible. :)

Personally, I learned x86 asm by using Turbo Pascal (which I think is now free from Borland?), which had the ability to embed assembly instructions inside a function. Made it easier to setup the app, and I could focus on the stuff I wanted to do. I later used MacVAX at Auckland Uni, which was ok, but the VAX is very much dead - you may as well learn x86 :)

Answer 3

Aim higher! Try and get a simulator for a more powerful assembly language. Remember, Z80 and 808x were low-end processors with low-end and awkward instruction sets.

Something like VAX from DEC was regarded as the Rolls-Royce of instruction sets. And then there are crazy Risc instruction sets that do some really strange things. Maybe you can find definitions of those so that you can have a crack at implementing them.

Answer 4

You might also consider learning x86 assembly language, which you could do using in-line assembler in Visual Studio - although it's a larger instruction set than Z80, you would have the advantage of being able to use much better tools than would be available for the Z80.

I've also just remembered that the Keil 8051 and Arm tools have a simulator in the IDE - there are size-restricted versions of these available for free download from www.keil.com