Lab 1
Introduction to the LC-3 Simulator

Objectives

What you should do...

Download the LC-3 editor and simulator, following these steps:
  1. Create a new folder on your mapped drive. Name the folder LC-3.
  2. Go to the authors' website. Under "Student Resources" click on "LC-3 Simulator". Load the Windows version of the LC-3 Simulator.
  3. Save the file in the LC-3 folder on your mapped drive.
  4. Open LC3.exe. Make sure the folder listed is the LC-3 folder on your mapped drive. Choose "Unzip" to extract the LC-3 files. Your folder should now contain the files LC3Edit.exe and Simulate.exe (and some others).
  5. Ask the TA for help if you run into any problems.
You may already have printed a copy of the "Guide to Using the Windows version of the LC-3 Simulator and LC3Edit". If you don't have a copy with you, you can look at the online version: go to the authors' website, and under "Student Resources" click on "LC-3 Simulator Lab Manual". This week, you will be running through the example outlined in the manual in Chapters 1, 2, and 3, and through Example 1 of Chapter 4.
  1. Chapter 1 explains how to enter a machine language program using LC3Edit. Enter the program in binary (not hexadecimal; I want you to begin familiarizing yourself with the different fields in each machine code instruction, and this is best done if you represent the instruction in binary). Also, enter the instructions as shown on the top of page 4 in the manual, with spaces between the different fields in each instruction, and comments after each instruction. Save your program as instructed in the manual, and create an object file. When you get to the part that says "Entering your program in the LC-3 assembly language", skip ahead to Chapter 2 (page 8).

  2. Open the simulator (the file name is "Simulate.exe"). Read through the explanations about the simulator in Chapter 2.

  3. Load your program into the simulator, as explained in Chapter 3. This chapter explains two different ways to enter data into memory. Read through the explanation of the first way, but enter the data the second way (see the bottom of the page numbered 11). Continue following the instructions until you get to the end of Chapter 3.

  4. Turn in your lab1 files (addnums.bin and data.hex) using the turnin program.

  5. Go through Example 1 in Chapter 4 (this example is taken from pages 165 and 166 in the textbook, not pages 129 and 130 as stated in the lab manual). This chapter gives you hints on how to use the debugging features of the simulator - these will come in handy as you work on Homework 3. If you do not finish Example 1 during the lab period today, finish it later at home.
You will be using this editor and simulator for the remainder of the term, so be sure to ask the TA if you come across something you don't understand.

See you next week!