Boolean and Comparison Instructions

Assembly Language for Intel-Based

Computers, 4th Edition • CPU Status Flags
Kip R. Irvine • AND Instruction
• OR Instruction
• XOR Instruction
Chapter 6: Conditional Processing
• NOT Instruction
• Applications
• TEST Instruction
• CMP Instruction

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers, 2003. 3

Chapter Overview Status Flags - Review

• The Zero flag is set when the result of an operation
equals zero.
• Boolean and Comparison Instructions • The Carry flag is set when an instruction generates a
• Conditional Jumps result that is too large (or too small) for the destination
operand.
• Conditional Loop Instructions
• The Sign flag is set if the destination operand is
• Conditional Structures negative, and it is clear if the destination operand is
• Application: Finite-State Machines positive.
• The Overflow flag is set when an instruction generates
• Using the .IF Directive an invalid signed result.
• Less important:
• The Parity flag is set when an instruction generates an
even number of 1 bits in the low byte of the destination
operand.
• The Auxiliary Carry flag is set when an operation
produces a carry out from bit 3 to bit 4
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 AND Instruction XOR Instruction
• Performs a Boolean AND operation between each • Performs a Boolean exclusive-OR operation between
pair of matching bits in two operands each pair of matching bits in two operands
• Syntax: • Syntax:
XOR destination, source XOR
AND destination, source
AND
(same operand types as MOV)
00111011
XOR 00001111
00111011
AND 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 unchanged 00110100 inverted

cleared 00001011 unchanged

XOR is a useful way to toggle (invert) the bits in an operand.

Bit extraction:
clear selected bit by AND 0 and preserve others by AND 1

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OR Instruction NOT Instruction

• Performs a Boolean OR operation between each pair • Performs a Boolean NOT operation on a single
of matching bits in two operands destination operand
• Syntax: • Syntax:
OR destination, source NOT destination NOT
OR
NOT 00111011
00111011
11000100 inverted
OR 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1

unchanged 00111111 set

OR is a useful way to set selected bits and preserve other bits

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 Applications (1 of 5) Applications (4 of 5)

• Task: Convert the character in AL to upper case. • Task: Jump to a label if an integer is even.
• Solution: Use the AND instruction to clear bit 5. • Solution: AND the lowest bit with a 1. If the result is Zero,
the number was even.
mov al,'a' ; AL = 01100001b
and al,11011111b ; AL = 01000001b mov ax,wordVal
and ax,1 ; low bit set?
jz EvenValue ; jump if Zero flag set

Compare ASCII codes of A and a, only bit 5 is different

0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 = 61h (‘a’) JZ (jump if Zero) is covered in Section 6.3.
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 = 41h (‘A’)

Your turn: Write code that jumps to a label if an integer is

negative.

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Applications (2 of 5) Applications (5 of 5)

• Task: Convert a binary decimal byte into its equivalent • Task: Jump to a label if the value in AL is not zero.
ASCII decimal digit.
• Solution: OR the byte with itself, then use the JNZ (jump
• Solution: Use the OR instruction to set bits 4 and 5. if not zero) instruction.

mov al,6 ; AL = 00000110b or al,al

or al,00110000b ; AL = 00110110b (=‘6’) jnz IsNotZero ; jump if not zero

The ASCII digit '6' = 00110110b

ORing any number with itself does not change its value.

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 TEST Instruction CMP Instruction (2 of 3)

• Performs a nondestructive AND operation between each pair of

matching bits in two operands • Example: destination > source
• The same as AND but not modify the destination operand mov al,6
• No operands are modified, but the Zero flag is affected. cmp al,5 ; ZF = 0, CF = 0
• Example: jump to a label if either bit 0 or bit 1 in AL is set.
(both the Zero and Carry flags are clear)
test al,00000011b
jnz ValueFound

The comparisons shown so far were unsigned.

• Example: jump to a label if neither bit 0 nor bit 1 in AL is set.

test al,00000011b
jz ValueNotFound

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CMP Instruction (1 of 3) CMP Instruction (3 of 3)

• Compares the destination operand to the source operand

The comparisons shown here are performed with signed
• Nondestructive subtraction of source from destination (destination
operand is not changed) integers.
• Syntax: CMP destination, source
• Example: destination == source • Example: destination > source

mov al,5 mov al,5

cmp al,5 ; Zero flag set cmp al,-2 ; Sign flag == Overflow flag

• Example: destination < source

• Example: destination < source
mov al,-1
mov al,4 cmp al,5 ; Sign flag != Overflow flag
cmp al,5 ; Carry flag set

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 Setting and Clearing Individual CPU Flags
Summary of FLAGs (cont.)
CMP Results ZF CF
• Carry flag
destination < source 0 1 • Set carry flag: use STC (set carry)
destination > source 0 0 • Clear carry flag: use CLC (clear carry)
• Overflow flag
destination=source 1 0
• Set overflow flag
If two operands are signed, then we have following table • Add two positive byte values that produce a negative
sum
CMP Results Flags • Clear overflow flag: OR with 0
• EX: OR eax, 0
Destination < source SF != OF

Destination > source SF = OF

Destination = source ZF = 1

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Setting and Clearing Individual CPU Flags 6.3 Conditional Jumps

• Zero flag • Jumps based on . . .
• Set the zero flag: AND with 0
• Specific flags
• Ex: AND al, 0 ; result = 0, ZF = 1
• Clear the zero flag: OR with 1 • Equality
• Ex: OR al, 1 ; result != 0, ZF = 0 • Unsigned comparisons
• Sign flag • Signed Comparisons
• Set the sign flag: OR with 10000000
• Applications
• Ex: OR al, 80h ; result = 1…, SF = 1
• Clear the sign flag: AND with 01111111 • Encrypting a String
• Ex: AND al, 7fh ;result = 0…, SF = 0 • Bit Test (BT) Instruction

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 Jcond Instruction Jumps Based on Equality
• A conditional jump instruction branches to a label
when specific register or flag conditions are met

• Examples:
• JB, JC jump to a label if the Carry flag is set
• JE, JZ jump to a label if the Zero flag is set
• JS jumps to a label if the Sign flag is set
• JNE, JNZ jump to a label if the Zero flag is clear
• JECXZ jumps to a label if ECX equals 0

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Jumps Based on Specific Flags Jumps Based on Unsigned Comparisons

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 Jumps Based on Signed Comparisons Applications (2 of 5)

• Jump to label L1 if unsigned EAX is less than or equal to Val1

cmp eax,Val1
jbe L1 ; below or equal

• Jump to label L1 if signed EAX is less than or equal to Val1

cmp eax,Val1
jle L1

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Applications (1 of 5) Applications (3 of 5)

• Task: Jump to a label if unsigned EAX is greater than EBX • Compare unsigned AX to BX, and copy the larger of the two
into a variable named Large
• Solution: Use CMP, followed by JA
mov Large,bx
cmp eax,ebx cmp ax,bx
ja Larger jna Next
mov Large,ax
Next:

• Task: Jump to a label if signed EAX is greater than EBX

• Compare signed AX to BX, and copy the smaller of the two
• Solution: Use CMP, followed by JG
into a variable named Small
cmp eax,ebx mov Small,ax
jg Greater cmp bx,ax
jnl Next
mov Small,bx
Next:

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 Applications (4 of 5) Your turn . . .
• Jump to label L1 if the memory word pointed to by ESI equals
Zero • Write code that jumps to label L1 if either bit 4, 5, or 6
cmp WORD PTR [esi],0
is set in the BL register.
je L1 • Write code that jumps to label L1 if bits 4, 5, and 6
are all set in the BL register.
• Write code that jumps to label L2 if AL has even
• Jump to label L2 if the doubleword in memory pointed to by
parity.
EDI is even
• Write code that jumps to label L3 if EAX is negative.
test DWORD PTR [edi],1
jz L2
• Write code that jumps to label L4 if the expression
(EBX – ECX) is greater than zero.

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Applications (5 of 5) Encrypting a String

• Task: Jump to label L1 if bits 0, 1, and 3 in AL are all set. The following loop uses the XOR instruction to transform every
character in a string into a new value.
• Solution: Clear all bits except bits 0, 1,and 3. Then
compare the result with 00001011 binary. KEY = 239
.data
and al,00001011b ; clear unwanted bits buffer BYTE BUFMAX DUP(0)
cmp al,00001011b ; check remaining bits bufSize DWORD ?
je L1 ; all set? jump to L1 .code
mov ecx,bufSize ; loop counter
mov esi,0 ; index 0 in buffer
L1:
xor buffer[esi],KEY ; translate a byte
inc esi ; point to next byte
loop L1

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 String Encryption Program 6.4 Conditional Loop Instructions
• Tasks:
• Input a message (string) from the user
• Encrypt the message • LOOPZ and LOOPE
• Display the encrypted message • LOOPNZ and LOOPNE
• Decrypt the message
• Display the decrypted message

View the Encrypt.asm program's source code. Sample output:

Enter the plain text: Attack at dawn.

Cipher text: «¢¢Äîä-Ä¢-ïÄÿü-Gs
Decrypted: Attack at dawn.

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BT (Bit Test) Instruction: SKIP!!! LOOPZ and LOOPE

• Copies bit n from an operand into the Carry flag • LOOPZ: loop if zero
• Syntax: BT bitBase, n • LOOPE: loop if equal
• bitBase may be r/m16 or r/m32 • Syntax:
• n may be r16, r32, or imm8 LOOPE destination
LOOPZ destination
• Example: jump to label L1 if bit 9 is set in the AX
register: • Logic:
• ECX ¬ ECX – 1
bt AX,9 ; CF = bit 9 • if ECX > 0 and ZF=1, jump to destination
jc L1 ; jump if Carry
• Useful when scanning an array for the first element
that does not match a given value.

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 LOOPNZ and LOOPNE Your turn . . .
Locate the first nonzero value in the array. If none is found, let
• LOOPNZ (LOOPNE) is a conditional loop instruction ESI point to the sentinel value:
• Syntax:
.data
LOOPNZ destination array SWORD 50 DUP(?)
LOOPNE destination sentinel SWORD 0FFFFh
.code
• Logic: mov esi,OFFSET array
• ECX ¬ ECX – 1; mov ecx,LENGTHOF array
• if ECX > 0 and ZF=0, jump to destination L1: cmp WORD PTR [esi],0 ; check for zero

• Useful when scanning an array for the first element

that matches a given value. (fill in your code here)

quit:

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LOOPNZ Example . . . (solution)

The following code finds the first positive value in an array:
.data
.data array SWORD 50 DUP(?)
array SWORD -3,-6,-1,-10,10,30,40,4 sentinel SWORD 0FFFFh
sentinel SWORD 0 .code
.code mov esi,OFFSET array
mov esi,OFFSET array
mov ecx,LENGTHOF array
mov ecx,LENGTHOF array
L1: cmp WORD PTR [esi],0 ; check for zero
next:
test WORD PTR [esi],8000h ; test sign bit pushfd ; push flags on stack
pushfd ; push flags on stack add esi,TYPE array
add esi,TYPE array popfd ; pop flags from stack
popfd ; pop flags from stack loope next ; continue loop
loopnz next ; continue loop jz quit ; none found
jnz quit ; none found sub esi,TYPE array ; ESI points to value
sub esi,TYPE array ; ESI points to value quit:
quit:

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 6.5 Conditional Structures Your turn . . .

Implement the following pseudocode in assembly

• Block-Structured IF Statements language. All values are unsigned:
• Compound Expressions with AND
cmp ebx,ecx
• Compound Expressions with OR if( ebx <= ecx )
ja next
{
mov eax,5
• WHILE Loops eax = 5;
mov edx,6
edx = 6; next:
• Table-Driven Selection }

(There are multiple correct solutions to this problem.)

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Block-Structured IF Statements Your turn . . .

Assembly language programmers can easily translate logical Implement the following pseudocode in assembly
statements written in C++/Java into assembly language. For
language. All values are 32-bit signed integers:
example:

if( var1 <= var2 ) mov eax,var1

if( op1 == op2 ) mov eax,op1 var3 = 10; cmp eax,var2
cmp eax,op2 jle L1
X = 1; else
jne L1 mov var3,6
else {
mov X,1 mov var4,7
X = 2; var3 = 6; jmp L2
jmp L2
L1: mov X,2 var4 = 7; L1: mov var3,10
L2: } L2:

(There are multiple correct solutions to this problem.)

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 Compound Expression with AND (1 of 3) Compound Expression with AND (3 of 3)

• When implementing the logical AND operator, consider that HLLs

if (al > bl) AND (bl > cl)
use short-circuit evaluation X = 1;
• In the following example, if the first expression is false, the second
expression is skipped:
But the following implementation uses 29% less code by
reversing the first relational operator.
if (al > bl) AND (bl > cl)
X = 1;
cmp al,bl ; first expression...
jbe next ; quit if false
cmp bl,cl ; second expression...
jbe next ; quit if false
mov X,1 ; both are true
next:

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Compound Expression with AND (2 of 3) Your turn . . .

if (al > bl) AND (bl > cl) Implement the following pseudocode in assembly
X = 1; language. All values are unsigned:

This is one possible implementation . . .

if( ebx <= ecx cmp ebx,ecx
cmp al,bl ; first expression... && ecx > edx ) ja next
ja L1 cmp ecx,edx
{
jmp next jbe next
eax = 5;
L1: mov eax,5
cmp bl,cl ; second expression... edx = 6; mov edx,6
ja L2 } next:
jmp next
L2: ; both are true
mov X,1 ; set X to 1
next:
(There are multiple correct solutions to this problem.)
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 Compound Expression with OR (1 of 2) WHILE Loops
• When implementing the logical OR operator, consider that HLLs use A WHILE tests a condition first before performing a block of
short-circuit evaluation statements. Consider the following example:
• In the following example, if the first expression is true, the second
expression is skipped:
while( eax < ebx)
eax = eax + 1;
if (al > bl) OR (bl > cl)
X = 1; This is a possible implementation:
top: cmp eax,ebx ; check loop condition
jae next ; false? exit loop
inc eax ; body of loop
jmp top ; repeat the loop
next:

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Compound Expression with OR (1 of 2) Your turn . . .

Implement the following loop, using unsigned 32-bit integers:
if (al > bl) OR (bl > cl)
X = 1; while( ebx <= val1)
{
ebx = ebx + 5;
We can use "fall-through" logic to keep the code as short as val1 = val1 - 1
possible: }

cmp al,bl ; is AL > BL?

ja L1 ; yes top: cmp ebx,val1 ; check loop condition
cmp bl,cl ; no: is BL > CL? ja next ; false? exit loop
jbe next ; no: skip next statement add ebx,5 ; body of loop
L1: mov X,1 ; set X to 1 dec val1
next: jmp top ; repeat the loop
next:

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 Table-Driven Selection (1 of 3) Table-Driven Selection (3 of 3)

Step 2: Use a loop to search the table. When a match is found,

we call the procedure offset stored in the current table entry:
• Table-driven selection uses a table lookup to
replace a multiway selection structure
mov ebx,OFFSET CaseTable ; point EBX to the table
• Create a table containing lookup values and mov ecx,NumberOfEntries ; loop counter
the offsets of labels or procedures L1: cmp al,[ebx] ; match found?
• Use a loop to search the table jne L2 ; no: continue
call NEAR PTR [ebx + 1] ; yes: call the procedure
• Suited to a large number of comparisons jmp L3 ; and exit the loop
L2: add ebx,EntrySize ; point to next entry
loop L1 ; repeat until ECX = 0

L3:

required for
procedure pointers

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Table-Driven Selection (2 of 3)

Step 1: create a table containing lookup values and

procedure offsets:

.data
CaseTable BYTE 'A' ; lookup value
DWORD Process_A ; address of procedure
EntrySize = ($ - CaseTable)
BYTE 'B'
DWORD Process_B
BYTE 'C'
DWORD Process_C
BYTE 'D'
DWORD Process_D

NumberOfEntries = ($ - CaseTable) / EntrySize

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