Machine Level Programming

• 39 hrs lectures
• 26 hrs pc labs

• 60 pts final exam (written part)
• 16 pts mid-term test (written part)
• 24 pts seminars in computer labs

Students acquaint with one specific processor architecture. They learn how to use the most important instructions of the processor and its coprocessor, programming of the control structures and they develop learn to develop simple applications (compilation and linking). They learn about calling conventions, some basic operating system services and how to call them. They learn how to practically use this knowledge.
Students learn about processor architecture form the low-level programming point of view, which is one of the very basic skills of an IT professional. They learn how to develop simple applications or libraries in assembler and how to connect them to high-level programming language applications.

To acquaint students with computer programming at the lowest level with focus at chosen processor architecture. To introduce and teach how to actively work with numeral systems, representation of the signed and unsigned numbers, arithmetic in the binary numeral system and representation of the real numbers. To familiarise with a specific processor architecture, its instruction format and addressing modes. To teach to actively work with the common control structures in assembler using given instruction set. To show the connection of programming at a low level and high-level programming via libraries and operating system services. To teach how to use floating point unit to calculate with real numbers.

Elementary knowledge about low-level processor functionality from a programmer's point of view is indispensable for a future IT expert. All programmers should know how does a processor work and how to program it at its instruction level.

Basic knowledge of the C language programming.

• Marek, R.: Assembler pro PC - učíme se programovat v jazyce, Computer Press, 2003, ISBN 80-7226-843-0
• Duntemann, Jeff. Assembly language step-by-step: programming with linux. 3rd ed. Indianapolis: Wiley, 2009. ISBN 978-0470497029.
• Irvine, Kip R. Assembly language for x86 processors. Seventh edition. Boston: Pearson, 2015. ISBN 978-0133769401.
• Intel® 64 and IA-32 architectures software developer’s manual combined volumes: 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, and 4. Webové stránky společnosti Intel [online]. [cit. 2022-01-06]. Dostupné z: https://www.intel.com/content/dam/develop/public/us/en/documents/325462-sdm-vol-1-2abcd-3abcd.pdf
• The Netwide Assembler: NASM, Quick reference Guide [online]. [cit. 2022-01-06]. Dostupné z: https://www.nasm.us/xdoc/2.15.05/nasmdoc.pdf

• Intel® 64 and IA-32 architectures software developer’s manual combined volumes: 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, and 4. Webové stránky společnosti Intel [online]. [cit. 2022-01-06]. Dostupné z: https://www.intel.com/content/dam/develop/public/us/en/documents/325462-sdm-vol-1-2abcd-3abcd.pdf
• The Netwide Assembler: NASM, Quick reference Guide [online]. [cit. 2022-01-06]. Dostupné z: https://www.nasm.us/xdoc/2.15.05/nasmdoc.pdf

1. Introduction, numeral systems, number specification, binary arithmetic.
2. Basic functions of a processor, machine language, symbolic language, assembler.
3. Processor architecture - registers, operand, instruction format, memory addressing, interrupts.
4. Processor architecture - transfers, arithmetical and logical instructions.
5. Processor architecture - shifts and rotations, control transfer.
6. Processor architecture - other instructions.
7. Mid-term written test.
8. Basics of low-level programming, elementary control structures.
9. Functions and calling conventions.
10. Modular programming, libraries, operating system services.
11. Coprocessor FPU - architecture, real number format, instruction set.
12. Coprocessor FPU - instruction set, programming, examples.
13. Compiler for assembler - pseudoinstructions, directives, expressions, operators, operands and macros.

1. Numeral systems (numeral system conversions), number representation (signed integers).
2. Compilation, linking and execution of an application in a command line environment. Debugging in an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and in a standalone debugger.
3. Working with registers and memory (variables, arrays).
4. Arithmetical instruction.
5. Logical instructions, shifts and rotations.
6. Test.
7. Jump instructions, function calling and parameter passing via registers. Library for basic input/output operations.
8. Basic control structures (if-then-else, while, do-while, for, switch-case).
9. String instructions for array manipulation.
10. Test.
11. Function calling and calling conventions. Calling of services and functions of the operating system, calling of functions from the high-level language libraries.
12. Programming of the FPU coprocessor.
13. Test.

• mid-term written test
• tests in computer exercises
• at least 20 points earned during the semester
• at least 25 points from the final examination

• evaluated tests in the computer exercises
• tests in the computer exercises missed by a valid proved reason (health issues or other valid reasons) will be compensated within the next computer exercise or another date set by the guarantor of the course

At least 20 points earned during the semester.