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Push Instruction and Function Calls in Assembly

The document describes stack operations in assembly language including push, pop, call, and ret instructions. It provides templates for function calls with details on setting up the stack frame, accessing arguments and local variables, saving and restoring registers. An example is given of a function that finds the maximum of three numbers passed on the stack and returns the result.

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6 views4 pages

Push Instruction and Function Calls in Assembly

The document describes stack operations in assembly language including push, pop, call, and ret instructions. It provides templates for function calls with details on setting up the stack frame, accessing arguments and local variables, saving and restoring registers. An example is given of a function that finds the maximum of three numbers passed on the stack and returns the result.

Uploaded by

fahad8arshad-2
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Notes on Stack

Push Instruction:
Places the operand of TOS, and decrements SP by 2
Syntax:
Push imme
Push [mem]
Push reg

Pop Instruction:
Pops TOS element in destination operand
Systax:
Pop reg
Pop [mem]

CALL:
Place a call to function. Changes IP to address of first instruction of function and pushes the return address on TOS
Sytax:
Call functionName

RET:
Used to return from function to caller. Pops TOS to IP so make sure that the TOS is returning address.
Syntax:
Ret

RET N:
Used to return from function to caller and discard input args from stack. Pops TOS to IP so make sure that the TOS is
returning address. It also subtracts n from SP.
Syntax:
Ret n
Template of Caller:
;Make space of output arguments on stack using sub sp,m where m=2*number of
output args
; push input arguments to stack
;Call function
;pop output arguments from stack

Template of Function:
FunctionName:
Push bp
Mov bp,sp
; make space for local variables using sub sp, n
; save registers by pushing in stack
; Body of function
; restore registers using pop
; Release space of local variables by using add sp, n
; pop bp
;ret p where p is size of input arguments in bytes.

Stack Frame of function:

Registers value

Local variables

bp bp

Returning address

Input arguments

Ouput arguments

….
How to access input arguments output arguments and local variables in function
Input/output arguments are accessed using:
[bp-x] where x is offset it will depend on which argument you are accessing
Local variable are accessed using
[bp+x] where x is offset, it will depend on which local variable you are accessing.

Example:
Write a function that takes three numbers as input argument and return the highest number as output argument.
The arguments (input/output) are to be passes to function on stack.
Create a local variable in function to keep track of max number.
All the values of regusters should be saved and restored before and after call.
After return from function pop the output in ax.
Solution:
Jmp start
findMax:
push bp
mov bp,sp Local
variable
sub sp, 2; space for local variable
bp
push ax ; save registers
push bx Return add
push cx Arg 3
Arg 2
; body
Arg 1
Mov ax, [bp-4]
Mov bx, [bp-6] Output
Mov cx, [bp-8] (max)

Cmp ax, bx
Ja AGrB:
Cmp bx,cx
Ja BGrAndC
Jmp CGrAandB
AGrB:
Cmp ax, cx
Ja AGrBandC
CGrAandB
Mov [bp+2], cx
Jmp return
AGrBandC:
Mov [bp+2], ax
Jmp return
BGrAAndC:
Mov [bp+2], bx

Return:
Mov ax, [bp+2]
Mov [bp+10], ax ; copy local variable to output variable
; restore registers
Pop cx
Pop bx
Pop ax
; remove local variables
Add sp, 2
Pop bp
Ret 6
Start:
Sub sp, 2 ; make space for output
Push 5 ; place arg 1 on stack
Push 10; place arg 2 on stack
Push 17; place arg 3 on stack
Call findMax
Pop ax; pop the output in register.

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