Q120070: Using Immediate and Memory Operands

Article: Q120070
Product(s): Microsoft Macro Assembler
Version(s): 6.0,6.1,6.11
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 04-MAY-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM), versions 6.0, 6.1, 6.11 
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SUMMARY
=======

An immediate operand is a constant value or expression. A direct memory operand
refers to data at a given address. An indirect memory operand also refers to the
contents of a given address, rather than the address itself, but the address is
calculated at run time by referring to the contents of the specified register.

Initially, it would appear that putting brackets ([]) around the operand makes it
a memory operand. This article demonstrates how the assembler determines the
addressing mode to use based on the operand type and the brackets, not just on
the presence or absence of brackets.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Case 1
------

In the following code fragment, both mov instructions move dataitem into the ax
register.

     .DATA
     dataitem DW 0

     .CODE
     mov ax, dataitem
     mov ax, [dataitem]

The results are the same because the assembler determines the addressing mode
based on the way that dataitem is declared. In both cases, dataitem is a label,
so the assembler will access the data located at the label.

If you really want to access dataitem as a constant value, use the following
syntax:

     .CODE
     mov ax, OFFSET dataitem

In this case, OFFSET tells the assembler to treat dataitem as a constant value
rather than as a data item that is located at a memory location.

Case 2
------

In the following code fragment, both mov instructions move 0 into the ax
register.

     datavalue EQU 0

     .CODE
     mov ax, datavalue
     mov ax, [datavalue]

Again, the result is the same, because the assembler determines the addressing
mode based on the way datavalue is declared. In both cases, datavalue is an
equate, so the assembler will treat datavalue as a constant value.

If you want to access datavalue as a data item located at a memory location, use
the following syntax:

     .CODE
     mov ax, ds:datavalue

In this case, the segment override tells the assembler to treat datavalue as a
data item that is located at ds:datavalue, rather than treating datavalue as a
constant value.

Case 3
------

On the other hand, with the following code fragment, the mov instructions have
different results.

     .CODE
     mov ax, bx
     mov ax, [bx]

In the first case, we are moving what is in bx into ax. In the second case, we
are using bx as an offset and moving what is at that offset into ax. The
assembler determines what to do based on the brackets or lack of brackets around
the register. This is the only case where the brackets have this effect.

Additional query words: 6.00 6.10 6.11

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMASMsearch kbAudDeveloper kbMASM600 kbMASM610 kbMASM611
Version           : :6.0,6.1,6.11

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