Laboratories on the MIC-1 Simulator

The MIC-1 Simulator is designed to be used in conjunction with the textbook Computer Organization by A. Tanenbaum. Tanenbaum describes a simple, microprogrammable machine the called the MIC-1. The text also describes the conventional machine level for a simple 1 register machine called the MAC-1.

The MIC-1 simulator allows you to execute MAC-1 assembly language and observe its execution at three levels (assembly instruction, machine cycle and machine subcycle). You can also add microcode to the MIC-1 control store. This page describes two types of laboratories that can be done using the MIC-1 simulator. In the first type, students write MAC-1 machine code and hand assemble it. They then use the MIC-1 as a debugger to make sure that their program is executed correctly. In the second type of laboratory students write MIC-1 microcode to add instructions to the MAC-1 assembly language.

The descriptions below assume that you have successfully downloaded the sample MIC-1 simulator, have completed the installation procedures and have run the sample program that is included in the installation.

Laboratories:


Laboratories on Hand Assembly

This group of assignments uses the MIC-1 simulator as a debugger. The laboratories are designed to help students understand the conventional machine level in more detail. The following exercises are independent and are arranged in increasing level of difficulty.


Laboratories on Microcode Development