chapter 2c: branch and jump details, subroutines

Ch2c- 2EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

Branch limitations• A conditional branch (BEQ, BNE) uses an I-type

Instruction

• Allows a 16-bit immediate operand

• 216 = 64K Locations is too small• Notice that most branches don’t go very far away

(back to the beginning of a loop, etc.)

• Use PC-relative addresses for branches• Immediate operand is a displacement in 4-byte

words from the next instruction• May be positive (forward branches) or negative

(backwards branches)WARNING: BEQ,BNE example in text canbe misleading. Make a note in text to see slide Ch3c-3.

Ch2c- 3EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

Branch example

loop: bgt $t0, $t1, biggerlw $s0, 0($t0)addi $t0, $t0, 1beq $s0, $s1, loop

bigger: move $s2, $t0

8000 loop: slt $1, $8, $98004 bne $1, $0, bigger

5 1 0 +380040 8 9 1 0 428000

35 8 16 080088 8 8 180124 16 17 -580160 8 0 18 0 328020

bigger: + 3 instructions

8020 bigger: add $18, $8, $0

8008 lw $16, 0($8)8012 addi $8, $8, 18016 beq $16, $17, loop

loop: -5 instructions

+3

-5

Branches: offset is in instructions fromthe instruction following the branch

Note: Negative numbers require 2’s complementWARNING: BEQ,BNE example inside text can

be misleading. Make a note in text to see slide Ch3c-3.

Ch2c- 4EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

Jump Addressing• Jumps use a J-type instruction and have a 26-bit offset

• A lot more range than 16-bit branches

• Allows a range of 226=64M possibilites

2000: j target

0 2 4 1 0 3220042 5012000

2004: target: add $1, $2, $4501 = 2004/4Example:

• Because the range is so much larger, jumps use absolute addressing

• Absolute addressing just specifies the address of the jump target

• Since all instructions have addresses that are multiples of 4, we only need to put the address divided by 4 in the instruction field• Actual byte address is obtained by multiplying by 4• Allows a range of 64M instructions = 256M bytes

Ch2c- 5EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

Jumping based on Registers

• Jumps change the PC to a fixed location

• j OverThere

• Always goes to the same place

JR - Jump RegisterJR - Jump Register

• Is there a way to jump to a place to be determined by the program?

• Put the address to go to in a register• addi $14, $0, 10000

• Jump to the address contained in that register• jr $14

Ch2c- 6EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

Lui, Lui• Registers can hold 32 bits, but we can only load in 16-bit

immediate data

• LUI - Load Upper Immediate

• Loads constant into bits 31-16 of register

• Bits 15-0 become zero

lui $8, 0x1A2Bli $8, 0x3C4D

Warning: Don’t use addi for the second instruction – use LI or ORI (sign extension)Warning: Don’t use addi for the second instruction – use LI or ORI (sign extension)

$8: ----31 16 15 0

----1A2B 0000 3C4D

Put the constant with value 0x1A2B3C4D in register $8

We can let the assembler do the work:li $8, 0x1A2B3C4D will be converted to these two instructions

We can let the assembler do the work:li $8, 0x1A2B3C4D will be converted to these two instructions

Ch2c- 7EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

Getting around branch limitationsBranches have a limit of +/- 215 instructions - How can we branch further?

Use the larger range of the jump instruction:

1000: beq $s0,$t1,far1004: sub $s2, $v0, $a0…500000: far: add $t1, $t2, $t3

1000: bne $s0,$t1,stay1004: j far1008: stay: sub $s2, $v0, $a0…500000: far: add $t1, $t2, $t3

Can’t branch that far...

Ch2c- 8EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

Getting around jump limitations

1000: j reallyfar…834218224: reallyfar: move $t1,$s1

Can’t jump there...

Jumps can address anywhere in the range 0 - 226 words (0 - 228 bytes)

MIPS has an address space of 0 - 232 bytes...

How can we get to programs in the top 15/16 of memory?

1000: lui $t1, 0x31B91004: li $t1, 0x28F01008: jr $t1…834218224: reallyfar: move $t1,$s1

Use 32-bit range of jr

83421822410=31B928F016

Aside: Can we use regular jumps with addresses >= 256MB?

Yes: The high-order four bits are unchanged by the jump instruction

Ch2c- 9EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

Subroutines

• Subroutines allow common program portions to be reused

• int CalcInterest(int principle, int time) { ... }

• y = CalcInterest(1000, 10)

• z = CalcInterest(1000, 15)

• When calling a subroutine, you must:

• Set up any parameters

• Save the current position so the program will know where to return to

• Jump to the location of the subroutine

Ch2c- 10EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

Jumpin’ and Linkin’• JAL - Jump and Link

• Saves the return address• Write address of next instruction in $31 ($ra)

• Jumps to the address specified and keeps going

100: jal CALC104: sub $4, $4, $2

...342: CALC: add $14,$15,$2346: mult $14, $2

...368: jr $ra

Call the Calc subroutineSave addr. of next instr. in $ra ($31)

Call the Calc subroutineSave addr. of next instr. in $ra ($31)

End of Subroutine.Return to Return Address in $ra

End of Subroutine.Return to Return Address in $ra

$ra

Start of SubroutineStart of Subroutine

104

Ch2c- 11EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

Passing Parameters• Most subroutines have parameters to make them

more interesting...

• Z = Addemup(A,B,C)

• In order to pass parameters, we must place the parameters in registers before calling the subroutine

• $a0, $a1, $a2, $a3 used for these ($4 - $7)

• $a0 <-- A, $a1 <--B, $a2 <--C

• Before calling a routine, copy all parameters to the appropriate registers

• Return values are put in $v0, $v1 ($2, $3)

• $v0 <-- Z

• After subroutine finished, copy return values back

Example – Check the weight of various packages; Output message if >600 lbs.Example – Check the weight of various packages; Output message if >600 lbs.

Data: List of 8words containingweights of boxes

Find number ofwords to check andconvert to bytes

Get current weightand put in param.$a0

Check it by callingvalidate procedure

Advance to nextweight and checkif at the end

End Program

Check if weight(in param. $a0)is less than 600

Overweight -Print error msgDone with

subroutine

.data numItems: .word 8 weight: .word 999, 688, 222, 1002, 333, 2, 888, 14000 over: .asciiz " is too heavy.\n"

.text # $t0 is loop counter, $t1 holds ending value main: li $t0,0 # initialize $t0 to 0

lw $t1,numItems($0) # load number of items into $t1 mul $t1,$t1,4 # convert to bytes

check: lw $a0, weight($t0) # load current weight jal validate # check for overweight addi $t0,$t0,4 # increment loop counter bltu $t0,$t1,check # loop back if not done

# exit program li $v0,10 # code for exit syscall # exit program

# validate checks for overweight loads. Weight to check is passed in $a0. validate: blt $a0, 600, OK # check if value is < 600

li $v0,1 # code for print_int syscall # print out result (in $a0) li $v0,4 # code for print_string la $a0,over # point $a0 to over string syscall

OK: jr $ra # return to caller

Ch2c- 13EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

A Stack

2008$sp

To push a new value on: Decrement $sp (by 4) and write to memory

To push a new value on: Decrement $sp (by 4) and write to memory

addi $sp, $sp, -4 # decrement stack for pushsw $t0, 0($sp) # push reg. $t0 onto stack

lw $t0, 0($sp) # pop stack into reg. $t0 addi $sp, $sp, 4 # increment stack for pop

Push $t0 (111)Push $t0 (111)

Pop into $t0Pop into $t0

$sp($29) points to the top of the stack

$sp($29) points to the top of the stack H

ighe

r M

emor

y A

ddre

sses

13432

9288322212

23232212

...

23876

2032202820242020201620122008

...

20042000

......Memory

Top of Stack

Free Memory

Values already onstack

lw $t0, 0($sp) # read the top of the stack Read TopRead Top

2004

1112008

$t0:111

Ch2c- 14EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

A bit of a problem

• Some wise guy (or gal) is going to decide to call a procedure from another procedure

procA: li $a1,1jal procBmove $t0,$v0jr $ra

...jal procAaddi $3,$4,5...

$ra:

Somehow, we’ve gotto save the old R.A.for future use.

Somehow, we’ve gotto save the old R.A.for future use.

• When we JAL the second time, we overwrite the value in $ra

• We’re lost now...

procB: move $t1,$a1jr $ra

Ch2c- 15EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

Stacking things up

• If we’re going to a new subroutine, save the old $ra value on the stack first

• This is the primary reason for the system stack

Adjust the SP first

Now, store old RA on stack

Restore the RA

Re-adjust the SP 20002004200820122016

25342221965

2$sp 2008

16308

2004 20042008

Call the subroutine

$ra 16308812416308

• Push the old RA on the stack...

8112 addi $sp, $sp, -4

8116 sw $ra, 0($sp)

8120 jal B

8124 lw $ra, 0($sp)

8128 addi $sp, $sp, 4

Modify validate subr. to also check if the weight is odd

Modify validate subr. to also check if the weight is odd

check if weight is > 600 - print error if it isget ready to call checkOdd by pushing old $ra on the stack

call checkOdd (parampassed in $a0)

checks if odd, returns value in $v0

restore old $racheck result, print error msg if not

end subr. by going to $ra

# validate checks for overweight loads. Weight to check is passed in $a0.validate: blt $a0, 600, WeightOK # if value < 600 then OK

# print out an error message<code deleted to save space on slide>

WeightOK: addi $sp,$sp,-4 # decrement stack pointer by 4sw $ra, 0($sp) # push RA on stack

jal checkOdd # now check if odd (return value in $v0)

lw $ra, 0($sp) # pop RA off stackaddi $sp, $sp, 4 # increment stack pointer by 4

beqz $v0, OK # if weight is even, OK# print out an error message <code deleted to save space on slide>

OK: jr $ra # return to caller

# checkOdd checks if weight is Odd. Weight passed in $a0. $v0 is 0 if even, 1 if odd

checkOdd: rem $v0, $a0, 2 # $v0 <-- 1 if weight is odd, 0 if even jr $ra # return to caller

Ch2c- 17EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

Extra parameters

• Your overachiever friend has a procedure with 8 parameters and 3 return values

• Won’t work: Only get 4 params, and 2 return values

• Pass the extra parameters by placing them on the stack before calling the subroutine

• Local variables

• Local variables for procedures need space allocated each time the procedure is called

• Use the stack for this:addi $sp, $sp, -8 #allocate space for 2 words• De-allocate memory before returning from subroutine

Ch2c- 18EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

Clobbering things• Let’s say that you’re using registers $t3 and $s2 in

your program

• You call a procedure

• What if the procedure overwrites $t3 or $s2• You’ve been clobbered!

• Somebody’s got to save the registers and restore them when beginning and ending the procedure call

• Caller saved: Calling program responsible for saving registers. Procedure may use any at will.

• $t0 - $t9• Callee saved: Called program must save and restore

any registers it uses.• $s0 - $s7

Ch2c- 19EE/CS/CPE 3760 - Computer OrganizationSeattle Pacific University

Thoughts about MIPS programming

• Write the program in C/C++ first

• Break it into procedures as appropriate

• Convert the program to assembly language

• Start out simple

• Get basic parts working before adding error checking, etc.

• Don’t forget: Words are 4 bytes

• Use pseudoinstructions when applicable