Addressing Modes
The methods used in machine instructions to identify the location of an
operand.
ITCS 3181 Logic and Computer Systems 2015 B. Wilkinson slides3.ppt
Modification date: March 16, 2015
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General details
Almost always, one operand is held in a register.
Addressing mode refers to the other operand.
Various addressing modes provided for different purposes.
Effective address – the actual address of the operand after all
address computations of the addressing mode have been
performed.
In assembly language, different notations are used to specify
addressing mode.
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Size of data transfer
Memory organized as set of bytes (8 bits).
A 32-bit processor would have 32-bit registers. May be
several sizes of transfer allowed:
For 8 bit transfers -- from memory to least significant 8 bits of
register or vice versa.
32 bits from four consecutive memory locations to full 32 bits
of register or vice versa.
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Size of data transfer
Size of transfer needs to be specified.
In assembly language, different operation mnemonics or
different notations used to specify size of transfer.
Example
ADD means add 32 bit numbers
ADDB means add 8 bit numbers
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Fundamental Addressing Modes
• Direct Addressing (also called Absolute Addressing)
• Immediate Addressing
• Register (Direct) Addressing
• Register Indirect Addressing
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Direct (or Absolute) Addressing
The operand is in memory and the memory address of the
operand is held in instruction:
Instruction
O peratio n
Memo ry add ress
Memo ry location
Op erand
This was the method used to describe instruction formats
previously.
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Direct (Absolute) Addressing
Example
LD R2,[100]
;R2=contents of memory with address 100
Means a comment
Processor
Instruction
LD
2
100
Registers
Memory
100
R2
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Another Direct (Absolute) Addressing
Example
ST [100],R2
;memory whose address is 100 = R2
Processor
Instruction
ST
2
100
Registers
Memory
100
R2
Mnemonic for LD and ST instruction
may be MOV (move) depending upon
manufacturer’s notation, see later
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Indicating size of data transfer
Using a mnemonic - example
LD means load 32 bit number to register
ST store 32 bit number to memory
LB means load 8 bit number to register
SB store 8 bit number to memory
Size may be indicated in other ways.
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Immediate Addressing
The operand is held in the instruction:
Instruction
Operation
Operand
i.e. immediately available at end of instruction
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Immediate Addressing Example
MOV R2,123
;R2 = 123
Processor
Instruction
MOV
2
123
Registers
R2
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Immediate addressing used in compiled code
Useful for constants.
For example:
High level code
Assembly language statements
int x = 123;
MOV R1,123
a = b + 34;
ADD R3, R4, 34
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Register Direct Addressing
The operand is held in a register which is specified in
instruction.
Instruction
O peratio n
Reg ister n o.
Register
Op erand
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Register (direct) Addressing Example
MOV R3, R2
;R3 = R2
Processor
Instruction
MOV
3
2
Registers
R3
R2
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Register direct addressing used in
compiled code
Useful for integer variables.
For example:
High level code
Assembly language statements
x = y;
MOV R1,R2
a = b + c;
ADD R3, R4, R5
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Register Indirect Addressing
Operand held in memory. Address of operand location held in
a register that is specified in instruction.
Instru ction
O peratio n
Reg ister n o.
Reg ister
Memo ry add ress
Memo ry location
Op erand
Useful for pointers and accessing different memory locations such as list
of consecutive locations. Contents of register can be incremented after
each access to point to the next location.
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Register Indirect Addressing Example
LD R3,[R2] ;R3=contents of memory, address in R2
[ ] read as contents of memory
Processor
Instruction
LD
3
Registers
Memory
120
Transfer
Points to
R3
R2
2
Points
to
Points to
120
In this example, R2 holds the
number 120
For clarity here and later, omitted that memory transfer has 32 bits (4
consecutive bytes) if 32 bit registers.
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Example of Register indirect addressing
used in compiled code
In C, for pointers.
High level code
Assembly language
statements
int *b;
int a;
// ptr, a pointer, say using register R1
// a, integer say in memory location 120
b = &a;
// b = address of a
b
MOV R1,120
120
a
120
*b = 123; // location pointed by b = 123
ST [R1],123
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Register Indirect Addressing plus Offset
Similar to register indirect addressing except an offset held in the instruction is
added to register contents to form the effective address:
Instruction
Operation
Register no.
Address
Register
Offset
+
Operand
Memory location
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Register Indirect Addressing Plus Offset
Example
LD R3,100[R2]
;R3=contents of memory, address
;in R2 + 100
Processor
Instruction
LD
3
Registers
Memory
220
2
100
Points
to
Transfer
Points to
In this example R2
holds the number 120
R3
R2
120
+
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Register Indirect Addressing Variation
Index Register Addressing
Register indirect addressing where register seen as an
“index” into a list (one dimensional array).
Register holds number of locations from starting point (first
item in list). Starting point given in instruction.
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Index Register Addressing Example
char a[N];
int x, i;
Memory
x = a[i];
C code
i
R2
100
Instruction
3
2
1
0
a[i]
Assembly language
LB R1,100[R2]
a[0]
Load byte
Here, compiler uses R1 for x, R2 for i and starting address for
array a is location 100.
a[] assumed character array. If a[] is an integer array, would
use LD and need to multiply index by 4.
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Implied Addressing
Some operations have an implicit location for the operand
and its address need not be specified.
We will come across such operations later.
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Specifying addressing mode in
machine instruction
Can be specified:
• Within operation field (or is implied in operation) or
• In a separate mode field
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Addressing Mode Specified in Separate
Field
Instruction
Operation
Addressing mode
Actual encoding can be more complex that this.
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Size of Transfer Specified in Separate
Field
Instruction
Operation
Size of transfer
Again, this detail is not shown in the following.
Actual encoding can be much more complex that this (e.g.
Intel processors highly complex).
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Questions
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