complx

Extensible LC-3 Simulator (GUI and CLI), Assembler, and Autograder/Test Framework written in C++. Mainly used in CS2110 at Georgia Tech. Maintained by Brandon (bwhitehead0308 [AT] gmail [DOT] com)

Overview

complx is a suite of educational tools for learning lc3 assembly. It includes both a gui and cli based simulator (named complx and comp respectively), an assembler (as2obj), a very simple program that runs lc3 assembly files and spits out whats printed to the console (lc3runner), and a framework for testing and grading lc3 assembly code (lc3test). Complx also be extended with plugins that add additional functionality to the LC3. The tools also come with a C++ interface to the LC3 (liblc3). Complx was written using the wxWidgets library.

Installation

Installing Prebuilt Binaries

Build Instructions for Linux

Features

• Both a textual and graphical user interface available
• Support for all instructions including LC3 interrupts.
• Support for the LC-3 calling convention
• Comes with its own assembler
• Many options for running assembly code
  • Such as:
    • Backstepping/Undoing instructions
    • Stepping into/out/over a subroutine
    • Running X number of instructions
• Powerful Debugger
  • Ability to set breakpoints at specific locations
  • Ability to create watchpoints which trigger when a write to a register/memory location happens
  • Ability to set a temporary breakpoint/watchpoint that only triggers X times
  • Ability to mark a subroutine/trap as a blackbox and have the simulator automatically step over it
  • For the above ability to add a condition for the breakpoint/watchpoint to trigger
  • Ability to define all of the above in the assembly source file for easier debugging (and won't affect the grader)
  • Ability to view the activation stack and view subroutine parameters and rewind to a subroutine call
• Interface
  • Full view of LC-3 Memory with the ability to edit values in hexadecimal, decimal, binary, instruction, or add/edit/remove a label
  • Registers values can be edited and be displayed in different bases
  • Can also have multiple views of the lc-3 memory (useful for viewing the stack and the program at the same time)
  • Can rearrange memory view, and filter out memory addresses you don't care about
  • Console which accepts input and displays output (and various warnings)
  • Can view comments from code from within simulator
• Autograder framework lc3test which allows instructors/users to define tests in xml format and assign points (and partial credit) for each test.
• Ability to extend complx via plugins
  • Currently complx ships with 5 plugins
    1. Black and white Display device
    2. Colored Display device
    3. Random number generator that can be seeded via a write
    4. Plugin that changes opcode 0xD with a multiplication instruction
    5. Plugin that adds a new trap that performs division and modulus
  • Plugins can add new device registers, traps, send interrupts, and add a new instruction

Screenshot