Software Development Systems and Assemblers
A software development system is a computer that enables the user to develop programs (software) with the assistance of other programs. The development process includes writing, modifying, testing, and debugging of the user programs. In the previous chapter, we discussed how to write a simple assembly language program and translate its mnemonics into Hex code manually. In this chapter, we will develop assembly language programs with the help of four other programs: Editor, Assembler, Linker, and. Debugger. These programs enable the user to write programs in mnemonics, translate mnemonics into Hex and binary code, and debug the code. All the activities of the computer-hardware and software-are directed by another program, called the operating system.
. This chapter describes an IBM PC (Personal Computer)-based software development system, its hardware, and related programs. It also describes its operating systems MS-DOS (Microsoft-Disk Operating System) and illustrates the use of the assembler to write assembly language programs.
OBJECTIVES
· Describe the components of a software development system.
· List various types of floppy disks, and explain how information is accessed from the disk.
· Define the operating system of a microcomputer, and explain its function.
· Explain the functions of these programs: Editor, Assembler, Cross-assembler Linker (Loader), and Debugger.
· List the advantages of the assembler over manual assembly.
· List the assembler directives, and explain their functions.
· Write assembly language programs with appropriate directives.