Development and Implementation of an Educational Simulator Software Package for a Specific Microprogramming Architecture

Microprogramming is one technique for designing the control unit of a digital computer or computer-based instrument. It has become more widely used than a conventional hardwired logic design technique due to its flexibility and simplicity. We have developed an educational software package for the microprogramming simulation based on a computer architecture defined in a popular undergraduate computer engineering textbook [1]. This software package consists of an assembler, a compiler, and a simulator. The assembler translates a conventional assembly-language program into a macro object file, while the compiler compiles a microprogram into a micro object file. The simulator shows how a macroinstruction is interpreted by executing a series of microinstructions. The simulator is interactive, flexible, and easy to use. This software package, written in standard Pascal, is available for distribution to interested institutions.