Programming Project

One of the very practical uses of assembly language programming is its ability to optimize the speed and size of computer programs. While programmers do not typically write large-scale applications in assembly language, it is not uncommon to solve a performance bottle neck by replacing code written in a high level language with an assembly language procedure.

In this programming project you will be given a C++ program that generates an array of pseudorandom integers, sorts the array, and then searches the array for a particular value. The C++ program uses the binary search algorithm to determine if the search value is one of the elements in the array. A binary search procedure is considered efficient.

Your job is to write an assembly language procedure that also performs the binary search. The C++ program will time multiple searches performed by both the C++ code and your assembly language procedure and compare the result. If all goes as expected, your assembly language procedure should be faster than the C++ code.

Chapter 13 of your text book contains a discussion of how to interface an assembly language procedure with a high-level programming language like C++. The author also provides an example of a C++ program linkedwith an assembly language procedure in the C:\Irvine\other examplesfolder. In addition, the author has provided batch files that will conveniently allow you to assemble the object code version of your assembly language procedure.You will need to link the object file to the existing C++ program files. Depending upon the version of Microsoft's Visual Studio IDE, you will find these batch files and instructions for their use in either:

Getting Started with MASM and Visual Studio 2012 OR
Getting Started with MASM and Visual Studio 2013.
Both can be found at the author's web site:
http://www.kipirvine.com/asm/

Search for "Assembling without Linking" to get to this material quickly.

The Visual Studio solution for the C++ program that you are to be given has been packaged and compressed into a file called "ProjectFour.zip".
Download the compressed file, ProjectFour.zip, and unpack it into
C:\Users\\Documents\Visual Studio 2012\Projects

Look in the \...\Projects\ProjectFour folder for a file named "ProjectFour.sln". The ".sln" file extension stands for solution. Double clicking on this file will start up the Visual Studio solution for ProjectFour and allow you to execute the C++ program.

A "stub" assembly language procedure has been provided so that you can execute the C++ program to get a feel for how it works. Your job is to improve on the efficiency of the C++ compiled code. Look in the \...\Projects\ProjectFour\ProjectFour folder for the assembly language stub file named "AsmBinarySearch.asm". This file is your starting point for creating an assembly language version of the binary search routine.

As always, start small. DO NOT be the Cookie Monster and gobble up the whole project at once. Steps you might consider, but are not limited to are:
- Have your assembly language procedure return the number of elements in the array. This will tell you if what is being passed as an argument is the value you expected.
- Have your assembly language procedure return the value of the first element in the array. This will tell you if you understand how to address and retrieve the value of an element in the array.
- Have your procedure return the second (or fifth) element in the array.
- Calculate the subscript of the "middle" element in the array and return the value of that subscript. This will confirm that you can make one of the calculations needed to implement the binary search and retrieve a particular element in the array.
- Calculate the subscript of the "middle" element in the array and return the value of that element in the array. This will confirm that you can retrieve any element in the array.

This project will provide you with the opportunity to:
- Link an assembly language procedure to an existing C++ program.
- Demonstrate your ability to work with a one-dimensional array.
- Show that you can implement a while loop in assembly language.
- Display your understanding of what an assembly language procedure is and how they can be used.
- Provides a chance for you to show that you understand how to compare values and take conditional action based on the results.
- Observe how assembly language procedures can be used to optimize.

Attachment:- ProjectFour.rar