PROJECT: Debug And Polish (DAP1)

Extend our debugging infrastructure with the creation of a _debugmemory subroutine.

Implement a Vircon32 assembly subroutine that uses your dap0 _debug subroutine. Your task is to display a range of memory addresses, along with their hexadecimal contents.

The starting and ending memory addresses are given as parameters via the stack.

Specifically:

• call the subroutine _debugmemory, and place it in your existing debug.s file so that both can be %include'ed as needed in debugging efforts.
  • it will call _debug in the process of operation (let _debug handle the display of information)
• written entirely in Vircon32 assembly language, using no compiler-generated routines from the Vircon32 API (no print, no itoa)
• 2 parameters via the stack:
  • starting address (first pushed)
• ending address (second pushed)
• all register states preserved (ie whatever was going on before the call to debug must be preserved: save and restore)
• make use of the stack instructions PUSH and POP, although all stack access does not have to exclusively be via PUSH and POP.
• try it out on some existing code, posting a screenshot (with context) to the class discord
• provide usage instructions (what needs to be added to existing code to use your debug subroutine)
• modify _debug to “return” an updated X and Y coordinate (by updating the value stored in the stack), so that _debugmemory can POP and use it in its own processes.

You will want to go here to edit and fill in the various sections of the document:

• https://lab46.g7n.org/notes/comporg/spring2024/projects/dapX

To be successful in this project, the following criteria (or their equivalent) must be met:

• Project must be submit on time, by the deadline.
  • Late submissions will lose 33% credit per day, with the submission window closing on the 3rd day following the deadline.
• Executed programs must display in a manner similar to provided output
  • output formatted, where applicable, must match that of project requirements
• Processing must be correct based on input given and output requested
• Output, if applicable, must be correct based on values input
• Code must be nicely and consistently indented
• Code must be consistently written, to strive for readability from having a consistent style throughout
• Code must be commented
  • Any “to be implemented” comments MUST be removed
    • these “to be implemented” comments, if still present at evaluation time, will result in points being deducted.
    • Sufficient comments explaining the point of provided logic MUST be present
• No global variables (without instructor approval), no goto statements, no calling of main()!
• Track/version the source code in your lab46 semester repository
• Submit a copy of your source code to me using the submit tool by the deadline.

Let's say you have completed work on the project, and are ready to submit, you would do the following:

lab46:~/src/SEMESTER/DESIG/PROJECT$ submit DESIG PROJECT file1 file2 file3 ... fileN

You should get some sort of confirmation indicating successful submission if all went according to plan. If not, check for typos and or locational mismatches.

I'll be evaluating the project based on the following criteria:

208:dap1:final tally of results (208/208)
*:dap1:submitted file called debug.s or debug.asm [13/13]
*:dap1:subroutine is called _debugmemory or __debugmemory [13/13]
*:dap1:code assembles with no warnings or errors [13/13]
*:dap1:parameters obtained, modified in the stack [13/13]
*:dap1:register states preserved across call [13/13]
*:dap1:debug subroutine uses stack instructions [13/13]
*:dap1:screenshot of subroutine in action to discord [26/26]
*:dap1:code contains usage instructions in comments [26/26]
*:dap1:output contains display of addresses, contents [39/39]
*:dap1:functionality is correct and to specifications [39/39]

• each class member is to participate in the contribution of relevant information and formatting of the documentation
  • minimal member contributions consist of:
    • near the class average edits (a value of at least four productive edits)
    • near the average class content change average (a value of at least 1024 bytes (absolute value of data content change))
    • no zero-sum commits (adding in one commit then later removing in its entirety for the sake of satisfying edit requirements)
  • adding and formatting data in an organized fashion, aiming to create an informative and readable document that anyone in the class can reference
  • content contributions will be factored into a documentation coefficient, a value multiplied against your actual project submission to influence the end result:
    • no contributions, co-efficient is 0.50
    • less than minimum contributions is 0.75
    • met minimum contribution threshold is 1.00

• Solutions not abiding by spirit of project will be subject to a 50% overall deduction
• Solutions not utilizing descriptive why and how comments will be subject to a 25% overall deduction
• Solutions not utilizing indentation to promote scope and clarity or otherwise maintaining consistency in code style and presentation will be subject to a 25% overall deduction
• Solutions not organized and easy to read (assume a terminal at least 90 characters wide, 40 characters tall) are subject to a 25% overall deduction