01 1973AsmRef SysRef

The document is the "DECsystem-10 Assembly Language Handbook, Third Edition," published by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) with copyright dates ranging from 1967 to 1973.

It is specifically designed for experienced programmers engaged in writing and operating assembly-language programs on the DECsystem-10, focusing on user-mode programming. The handbook consolidates various documents from the DECsystem-10 SOFTWARE NOTEBOOKS, providing comprehensive reference material on the DECsystem-10 hardware (KA10 and KI10 central processors) and specific software versions (e.g., MACRO assembler, Monitor Calls, DDT debugger, LINK-10 linker, and various utilities).

Key topics detailed include:

• System Architecture: Number systems (fixed and floating-point arithmetic, data representation), instruction formats, and memory allocation (including fast memory, paging, and address spaces for different modes like user, supervisor, and kernel).
• Central Processor Operations: Detailed instruction sets for half-word and full-word data transmission, byte manipulation, logical operations (shift, rotate, Boolean functions), fixed-point and floating-point arithmetic, and arithmetic/logical testing.
• Program Control: Instructions for jumps, skips, subroutines (including pushdown lists), and handling unimplemented operations.
• Input/Output: Instructions for managing peripheral equipment, console-program communication, and the priority interrupt system, along with descriptions of the Real-Time Clock DK10 and KA10 operation controls.
• System Conditions and Trapping: Information on processor conditions, overflow trapping, and different operating modes for KA10 and KI10 processors.
• Appendices: Include instruction and device mnemonics, input-output codes, system timing characteristics, algorithms, and bit assignments.

The document also lists other related DECsystem-10 handbooks (COBOL, Mathematical Languages, Users Handbook) and reference cards for further documentation.