Automatic Generation of an Instruction Set Simulator for Educational Use

To develop an embedded system, in which processors are used, a skilled assembler is necessary. An ISA (instruction set architecture) simulator is essential for training assembly programming, and the preparation of a SWDE (software development environment) such as simulator, assembler, disassembler, and compiler for a new processor can put a great strain on processor developers. We have been developing C-DASH (C-like design automation shell), a hardware/software codesign tool for processors that can generate an instruction set level simulator based on a character user interface. In this paper, we construct a graphical user interface for a simulator and describe the utilization of the simulator for education