A structured macro assembler for the Event Handler

• Published in: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA) Vol. 36; no. 5; pp. 1685 - 1689
• Main Author: Haenni, D.R.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: United States IEEE 01-10-1989
• Subjects: Assembly systems; AUTOMATION; CAMAC; Computer architecture; COMPUTER CALCULATIONS 990200 > Mathematics & Computers; Cyclotrons; Data acquisition; DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS; GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE; Keyboards; Nuclear physics; Nuclear power generation; Program processors; Programming; PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
• ISSN: 0018-9499; 1558-1578
• DOI: 10.1109/23.41129

A description is given of a portable macro cross-assembler that has been developed for the Event Handler using UNIX compiler construction tools. The assembler is implemented as separate code generation and preprocessor programs. Besides the basic Event Handler instructions, the code generator supports structured conditionals, structured loops, and high-level-language-like constant calculations. The preprocessor allows for symbolic text constants, symbolic numeric constants with computed values, messages, include files, macros, and conditional assembly. These features can either enhance the direct programming of the Event Handler or define minilanguages that hide programming details from the user. The assembler is not dependent on a particular data acquisition system and thus may be of interest to other Event Handler users.< >