CHAPTER 5
Macros and subprograms
5.1 Macros
5.2 Subprograms
5.3 Macros used in the examples
Same or similar sequence of instructions is frequently used during programming. Assembly language is very demanding. Programmer is required to take care of every single detail when writing a program, because just one incorrect instruction or label can bring about wrong results or make the program doesn't work at all. Solution to this problem is to use already tested program parts repeatedly. For this kind of programming logic, macros and subprograms are used.
Macro is defined with directive macro containing the name of macro and parameters if needed. In program, definition of macro has to be placed before the instruction line where macro is called upon. When during program execution macro is encountered, it is replaced with an appropriate set of instructions stated in the macro's definition.
macro_name
macro par1, par2,..
set of instructions
set of instructions
endm
The simplest use of macro could be naming a set of repetitive instructions to avoid errors during retyping. As an example, we could use a macro for selecting a bank of SFR registers or for a global permission of interrupts. It is much easier to have a macro BANK1 in a program than having to memorize which status bit defines the mentioned bank. This is illustrated below: banks 0 and 1 are selected by setting or clearing bit 5 (RP0) of status register, while interrupts are enabled by bit 7 of INTCON register. First two macros are used for selecting a bank, while other two enable and disable interrupts.
bank0
macro
; Macro bank0
bcf STATUS, RP0
; Reset RP0 bit = Bank0
endm
; End of macro
bank1
macro
; Macro bank1
bsf STATUS, RP0
; Set RP0 bit = Bank1
endm
; End of macro
enableint
macro
; Interrupts are globally enabled
bsf INTCON, 7
; Set the bit
endm
; End of macro
disableint
macro
; Interrupts are globally disabled
bcf INTCON, 7
; Reset the bit
endm
; End of macro
These macros are to be saved in a special file with extension INC (abbrev. for INCLUDE file). The following image shows the file bank.inc which contains two macros, bank0 and bank1.
Macros Bank0 and Bank1 are given for illustrational purposes more than practical, since directive BANKSEL NameSFR does the same job. Just write BANKSEL TRISB and the bank containing the TRISB register will be selected.
As can be seen above, first four macros do not have parameters. However, parameters can be used if needed. This will be illustrated with the following macros, used for changing direction of pins on ports. Pin is designated as input if the appropriate bit is set (with the position matching the appropriate pin of TRISB register, bank1) , otherwise it's output.
input
macro par1, par2
; Macro input
bank1
; In order to access TRIS registers
bsf par1, par2
; Set the given bit - 1 = input
bank0
; Macro for selecting bank0
endm
; End of macro
output
macro par1, par2
; Macro output
bank1
; In order to access TRIS registers
bcf par1, par2
; Reset the given bit - 0 = output
bank0
; Macro for selecting bank0
endm
; End of macro
Macro with parameters can be called upon in following way:
output TRISB, 7 ; pin RB7 is output
When calling macro first parameter TRISB takes place of the first parameter, par1, in macro's definition. Parameter 7 takes place of parameter par2, thus generating the following code:
output
TRISB, 7
; Macro output
bsf STATUS, RP0
; Set RP0 bit = BANK1
bcf TRISB, 7
; Designate RB7 as output
bcf STATUS, RP0
; Reset RP0 bit = BANK0
endm
; End of macro
Apparently, programs that use macros are much more legible and flexible. Main drawback of macros is the amount of memory used - every time macro name is encountered in the program, the appropriate code from the definition is inserted. This doesn't necessarily have to be a problem, but be warned if you plan to use sizeable macros frequently in your program.
In case that macro uses labels, they have to be defined as local using the directive local. As an example, below is the macro for calling certain function if carry bit in STATUS register is set. If this is not the case, next instruction in order is executed.
callc
macro label
; Macro callc
local
Exit
; Defining local label within macro
bnc Exit
; If C=0 jump to Exit and exit macro
call label
; If C=1 call subprogram at the
; address label outside macro
Exit
; Local label within macro
endm
; End of macro
Subprogram represents a set of instructions beginning with a label and ending with the instruction return or retlw. Its main advantage over macro is that this set of instructions is placed in only one location of program memory. These will be executed every time instruction call subprogram_name is encountered in program. Upon reaching return instruction, program execution continues at the line succeeding the one subprogram was called from. Definition of subprogram can be located anywhere in the program, regardless of the lines in which it is called.
Label
; subprogram is called with "call Label"
set of instructions
set of instructions
set of instructions
return or retlw
With macros, use of input and output parameters is very significant. With subprograms, it is not possible to define parameters within the subprogram as can be done with macros. Still, subprogram can use predefined variables from the main program as its parameters.
Common course of events would be: defining variables, calling the subprogram that uses them, and then reading the variables which may have been changed by the subprogram.
The following example, addition.asm adds two variables, PAR1 and PAR2, and stores the result to variable RES. As 2-byte variables are in question, lower and higher byte has to be defined for each of these. The program itself is quite simple; it first adds lower bytes of variables PAR1 and PAR2, then it adds higher bytes. If two lower bytes total exceeds 255 (maximum for a byte) carry is added to variable RESH.
Basic difference between macro and subprogram is that the macro stands for its definition code (sparing the programmer from additional typing) and can have its own parameters while subprogram saves memory, but cannot have its own parameters.
5.3 Macros used in the examples
Examples given in chapter 6 frequently use macros ifbit, ifnotbit, digbyte, and pausems, so these will be explained in detail. The most important thing is to comprehend the function of the following macros and the way to use them, without unnecessary bothering with the algorithms itself. All macros are included in the file mikroel84.inc for easier reference.
5.3.1 Jump to label if bit is set
ifbit
macro par1, par2, par3
btfsc par1, par2
goto par3
endm
Macro is called with : ifbit Register, bit, label
5.3.2 Jump to label if bit is cleared
ifnotbit
macro par1, par2, par3
btfss par1, par2
goto par3
endm
Macro is called with : ifnotbit Register, bit, label
Next example shows how to use a macro. Pin 0 on port A is checked and if set, program jumps to label ledoff, otherwise macro ifnotbit executes, directing the program to label ledon.
5.3.3 Extracting ones, tens and hundreds from variable
Typical use for this macro is displaying variables on LCD or 7seg display.
digbyte
macro par0
local Pon0
local Exit1
local Exit2
local Positive
local Negative
clrf Dig1
clrf Dig2
clrf Dig3
Positive
movf par0, w
movwf Digtemp
movlw .100
Pon0
incf Dig1
;computing hundreds digit
subwf Digtemp
btfsc STATUS, C
goto Pon0
decf Dig1, w
addwf Digtemp, f
Exit1
movlw .10
;computing tens digit
incf Dig2, f
subwf Digtemp, f
btfsc STATUS, C
goto Exit1
decf Dig2, f
addwf Digtemp, f
Exit2
movf Digtemp, w
;computing ones digit
movwf Dig3
endm
Macro is called with :
movlw .156
; w = 156
movwf RES
; RES = w
digbyte RES
; now Dec1<-1, Dec2<-5, Dec3<-6
The following example shows how to use macro digbyte in program. At the beginning, we have to define variables for storing the result, Dig1, Dig2, Dig3, as well as auxiliary variable Digtemp.
5.3.4 Generating pause in miliseconds (1~65535ms)
Purpose of this macro is to provide exact time delays in program.
pausems
macro par1
local
Loop1
local
dechi
local
Delay1ms
local
Loop2
local
End
movlw high par1
; Higher byte of parameter 1 goes to HIcnt
movwf HIcnt
movlw low par1
; Lower byte of parameter 1 goes to LOcnt
movwf LOcnt
Loop1
movf LOcnt, f
; Decrease HIcnt and LOcnt necessary
btfsc STATUS, Z
; number of times and call subprogram Delay1ms
goto dechi
call Delay1ms
decf LOcnt, f
goto Loop1
dechi
movf HIcnt, f
btfsc STATUS, Z
goto End
call Delay1ms
decf HIcnt, f
decf LOcnt, f
goto Loop1
Delay1ms:
; Delay1ms produces a one milisecond delay
movlw .100
; 100*10us=1ms
movwf LOOPcnt
; LOOPcnt<-100
Loop2:
nop
nop
nop
nop
nop
nop
nop
decfsz LOOPcnt, f
goto Loop2
; Time period necessary to execute loop Loop2
return
; equals 10us
End
endm
This macro is written for an 4MHz oscillator. For instance, with 8MHz oscillator, pause will be halved. It has very wide range of applications, from simple code such as blinking diodes to highly complicated programs that demand accurate timing. Following example demonstrates use of macro pausems in a program. At the beginning of the program we have to define auxiliary variables HIcnt, LOcnt, and LOPcnt.
