A Microprogrammed Computer Simulator

A software educational tool (ET) has been developed that enables students of computer architecture to simulate a wide variety of computers on a fixed microprogram-organized-hardware (MOH). The user defines a computer by using ET to enter the appropriate microprogram. Machine language programs (macroprograms) may then be entered and a simulation made of their execution on the computer defined by the microprogram. While the simulated run is occurring, the state of the underlying machine may be observed at any point of execution. A microstep/graphics run mode may also be used to present a color display of the data path section of the MOH after each microinstruction is executed. In this paper, the ET simulation program, the MOH machine, and a simple example of how ET is used are presented.