Appendix D: PIC Assembly Language Reference

Appendix D: PIC Assembly Language Reference
PIC Assembly is the lowest-level programming lanugage for Microchip PIC microcontrollers. These
processors are used on the LogoChip and LogoChip modules, the LogoBoard, the PIC Foundation,
and every layer in the Tower system.
When using PIC Assembly, user programs are entered on a desktop computer and assembled into byte
codes that are transferred to the PIC processor through the serial port of the host computer.
Our assembly language differs in some ways from the commercially-available one. It is designed to be
more human-readable than the standard instruction set, and can be easily modified to support other
processors while retaining its user-friendly naming scheme.
As in all assembly-level programming, computation is performed in an “accumulator” scratch register,

which is modified as needed by the different processor instructions.
The basic instruction format uses square brackets to frame each instruction:
[instruction argument]
Program location labels are defined by plain text, with no brackets:
program-label
Constants are used to define memory locations for both built-in registers and variable storage. A con-
stant is defined like this:
[const name address]
Memory addresses can be denoted either in decimal or hexidecimal format, as indicated by placing a
“$” character in front of the number.
The status register, at memory location “$03”, is a special one on the processor. It has user-readable
flags that represent different conditions, which can be triggered by the results of various instructions.
In most cases, the two status flags that one would be most concerned with are:
• C - The carry flag, which is set when an instruction overflows a register.

• Z - The zero flag, which is set when the result of an instruction is “0”.
PIC Assembly Language Reference - 243

What follows, is a list of all instructions currently supported in the PIC Assembler. The instructions
are organized by their functionality, for ease of reference when the exact name is not known. The list
below represents the order in which their detailed descriptions and examples of use can be found on
the subsequent pages:
Program Flow
bsr - branch subroutine 246
rts - return from subroutine 246
rtv - return from subroutine with value 247
bra - unconditional branch 247
rti - return from interrupt 248
Register Manipulation
lda - load accumulator 248
ldan - load accumulator with number 248
sta - store accumulator 249
tst - test 249
clr - clear 250
clr - clear accumulator 250
inc - increment 251
linc - load and increment 251
incsz - increment skip if zero 252
lincsz - load and increment skip if zero 252
dec - decrement 253
ldec - load and decrement 253
decsz - decrement skip if zero 254
ldecsz - load and decrement skip if zero 254
rol - rotate left 255
lrol - load and rotate left 255
ror - rotate right 256
lror - load and rotate right 256
com - complement 257
lcom - load and complement 257
swap - swap 258
lswap - load and swap 258
244 - PIC Assembly Language Reference

Bit Manipulation
bset - bit set 259
bclr - bit clear 259
btss - bit test skip if set 260
btsc - bit test skip if clear 260
Arithmetic
add - add 261
addm - add memory 261
addn - add number 262
sub - subtract 262
subm - subtract memory 263
subn - subtract number 263
Logic
and - and 264
andm - and memory 264
andn - and number 265
or - or 265
orm - or memory 266
orn - or number 266
xor - xor 267
xorm - xor memory 267
xorn - xor number 268
System Commands
nop - no operation 268
sleep - sleep 269
clrwdt - clear watchdog timer 269

bsr - branch to subroutine
Program Flow
Description
Branches to a subroutine located at a given memory location. The value of the program coun-
ter incremented by one is pushed onto the stack.
Usage Format
[bsr address]
The address argument is a number corresponding to a program memory location, usually

specified by the name of a location label.
Status Flags Affected

None
rts - return from subroutine

Program Flow
Description
Returns from a subroutine. The top value on the stack is popped and loaded into the program
counter, returning to the program location of the most recently called bsr instruction.
Usage Format
[rts]

None

rtv - return from subroutine with value
Program Flow
Description
Returns from a subroutine with a value stored in the accumulator. The top value on the stack
is popped and loaded into the program counter, returning to the program location of the most
recently called bsr instruction.
Usage Format
[rtv number]
The number argument is the value to return.

None
bra - unconditional branch

Program Flow
Description
Branches to a given memory location.
Usage Format
[bra address]
The address argument is a number corresponding to a program memory location, usually

specified by the name of a location label.

None

rti - return from interrupt
Program Flow
Description
Returns from an interrupt. The top value on the stack is popped and loaded into the program
counter, returning to the program location at the time of interrupt.
Usage Format
[rti]

None
lda - load accumulator

Description
Loads the accumulator with the contents of a register.
Usage Format
[lda register]
The register argument is the address of any register.

Z
ldan - load accumulator with number

Description
Loads the accumulator with a number.

Usage Format
[ldan number]
The number argument is the value to be loaded into the accumulator.

None
sta - store accumulator

Description
Stores the contents of the accumulator in a register.
Usage Format
[lda register]

Z
tst - test
Description
Tests the value of a register and sets the zero flag if the contents of the register is equal to
“0”.
Usage Format
[tst register]


Z
clr - clear
Description
Sets the contents of a register to “0”.
Usage Format
[clr register]

Z
clra - clear accumulator

Description
Sets the contents of the accumulator to “0”.
Usage Format
[clra]

Z

inc - increment
Description
Increments the contents of a register and stores the result in the register.
Usage Format
[inc register]

Z
linc - load and increment

Description
Increments the contents of a register and stores the result in the accumulator.
Usage Format
[linc register]

Z

incsz - increment skip if zero
Description
Increments the contents of a register and stores the result in the register. If the result of the
operation is zero, the next program intsruction is skipped.
Usage Format
[incsz register]

None
lincsz - load and increment skip if zero

Description
Increments the contents of a register and stores the result in the accumulator. If the result of
the operation is zero, the next program intsruction is skipped.
Usage Format
[lincsz register]

None

dec - decrement
Description
Decrements the contents of a register and stores the result in the register.
Usage Format
[dec register]

Z
ldec - load and decrement

Description
Decrements the contents of a register and stores the result in the accumulator.
Usage Format
[ldec register]

Z

decsz - decrement skip if zero
Description
Decrements the contents of a register and stores the result in the register. If the result of the
operation is zero, the next program instruction is skipped.
Usage Format
[decsz register]

None
ldecsz - load and decrement skip if zero

Description
Decrements the contents of a register and stores the result in the accumulator. If the result
of the operation is zero, the next program intsruction is skipped.
Usage Format
[ldecsz register]

None

rol - rotate left
Description
The contents of a register are rotated to the left through the carry flag and the result is stored
in the register.
Usage Format
[rol register]

C
lrol - load and rotate left

Description
The contents of a register are rotated to the left through the carry flag and the result is stored
in the accumulator.
Usage Format
[lrol register]

C

ror - rotate right
Description
The contents of a register are rotated to the right through the carry flag and the result is stored
in the register.
Usage Format
[ror register]

C
lror - load and rotate right

Description
The contents of a register are rotated to the right through the carry flag and the result is stored
in the accumulator.
Usage Format
[lror register]

C

com - complement
Description
Complements the contents of a register and stores the result in the register.
Usage Format
[com register]

Z
lcom - load and complement

Description
Complements the contents of a register and stores the result in the accumulator.
Usage Format
[lcom register]

Z

swap - swap
Description
The upper and lower halves of a register are swapped and the result is stored in the register.
Usage Format
[swap register]

None
lswap - load and swap

Description
The upper and lower halves of a register are swapped and the result is stored in the accumula-
tor.
Usage Format
[lswap register]

None

bset - bit set
Bit Manipulation
Description
Makes the value of a given bit of a register equal to “1”.
Usage Format
[bset bit register]
The bit argument is any bit number (from 0 to 7) and the register argument is the address of
any register.

None
bclr - bit clear

Bit Manipulation
Description
Makes the value of a given bit of a register equal to “0”.
Usage Format
[bclr bit register]
any register.

None

btss - bit test skip if set
Bit Manipulation
Description
Tests the value of a given bit of a register. If it is equal to “1,” the next program instruction
is skipped.
Usage Format
[btss bit register]
any register.

None
btsc - bit test skip if clear

Bit Manipulation
Description
Tests the value of a given bit of a register. If it is equal to “0,” the next program instruction
is skipped.
Usage Format
[btsc bit register]
any register.

None

add - add
Arithmetic
Description
Adds the contents of the accumulator to a reguster and stores the result in the accumulator.
Usage Format
[add register]

Z, C
addm - add to memory

Arithmetic
Description
Adds the contents of the accumulator to a register and stores the result in the register.
Usage Format
[addm register]

Z, C

addn - add number
Arithmetic
Description
Adds the conents of the accumulator to a number and stores the result in the accumulator.
Usage Format
[addn number]
The number argument is the value to be added to.

Z, C
sub - subtract
Arithmetic
Description
Subtracts the contents of the accumulator from a register and stores the result in the accu-
mulator.
Usage Format
[sub register]

Z, C (C=0 means result is negative)

subm - subtract from memory
Arithmetic
Description
Subtracts the contents of the accumulator from a register and stores the result in the register.
Usage Format
[subm register]

subn - subtract number

Arithmetic
Description
Subtracts the contents of the accumulator from a number and stores the result in the accu-
mulator.
Usage Format
[subn number]
The number argument is the value to be subtracted from.


and - and
Logic
Description
Performs a bit-wise “and” of the contents of the accumulator with a reguster and stores the
result in the accumulator.
Usage Format
[and register]

Z, C
andm - and memory

Logic
Description
Performs a bit-wise “and” of the contents of the accumulator with a reguster and stores the
result in the register.
Usage Format
[andm register]

Z

andn - and number
Logic
Description
Performs a bit-wise “and” of the contents of the accumulator with a number and stores the
Usage Format
[andn number]
The number argument is the value to “and” the accumulator with.

Z
or - or
Logic
Description
Performs a bit-wise “or” of the contents of the accumulator with a reguster and stores the
Usage Format
[or register]

Z, C

orm - or memory
Logic
Description
Performs a bit-wise “or” of the contents of the accumulator with a reguster and stores the
Usage Format
[orm register]

Z
orn - or number
Logic
Description
Performs a bit-wise “or” of the contents of the accumulator with a number and stores the
Usage Format
[orn number]
The number argument is the value to “or” the accumulator with.

Z

xor - exclusive or
Logic
Description
Performs a bit-wise “xor” of the contents of the accumulator with a reguster and stores the
Usage Format
[xor register]

Z, C
xorm - exclusive or memory

Logic
Description
Performs a bit-wise “xor” of the contents of the accumulator with a reguster and stores the
Usage Format
[xorm register]

Z

xorn - exclusive or number
Logic
Description
Performs a bit-wise “or” of the contents of the accumulator with a number and stores the
Usage Format
[xorn number]
The number argument is the value to “xor” the accumulator with.

Z
nop - no operation
System Commands
Description
Does nothing. Usually used to perform precise timing operations.
Usage Format
[nop]

None

sleep - sleep
System Commands
Description
Puts the processor to sleep, a mode where its power consumption is significantly reduced. It
cannot perform any computation while in this state, but can be awakened by interrupts.
Usage Format
[sleep]

None
clrwdt - clear watchdog timer

System Commands
Description
Resets the value of the internal watchdog timer.
Usage Format
[clrwdt]

None

Appendix D: PIC Assembly Language Reference

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Appendix D: PIC Assembly Language Reference

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Appendix D: PIC Assembly Language Reference

As in all assembly-level programming, computation is performed in an “accumulator” scratch register,

Program location labels are defined by plain text, with no brackets:

[const name address]

• C - The carry flag, which is set when an instruction overflows a register.

PIC Assembly Language Reference - 243

244 - PIC Assembly Language Reference

PIC Assembly Language Reference - 245

The address argument is a number corresponding to a program memory location, usually

Status Flags Affected

rts - return from subroutine

Status Flags Affected

246 - PIC Assembly Language Reference

The number argument is the value to return.

Status Flags Affected

bra - unconditional branch

The address argument is a number corresponding to a program memory location, usually

Status Flags Affected

PIC Assembly Language Reference - 247

Status Flags Affected

lda - load accumulator

The register argument is the address of any register.

Status Flags Affected

ldan - load accumulator with number

248 - PIC Assembly Language Reference

The number argument is the value to be loaded into the accumulator.

Status Flags Affected

sta - store accumulator

The register argument is the address of any register.

Status Flags Affected

PIC Assembly Language Reference - 249

Status Flags Affected

The register argument is the address of any register.

Status Flags Affected

clra - clear accumulator

Status Flags Affected

250 - PIC Assembly Language Reference

The register argument is the address of any register.

Status Flags Affected

linc - load and increment

The register argument is the address of any register.

Status Flags Affected

PIC Assembly Language Reference - 251

The register argument is the address of any register.

Status Flags Affected

lincsz - load and increment skip if zero

The register argument is the address of any register.

Status Flags Affected

252 - PIC Assembly Language Reference

The register argument is the address of any register.

Status Flags Affected

ldec - load and decrement

The register argument is the address of any register.

Status Flags Affected

PIC Assembly Language Reference - 253

The register argument is the address of any register.

Status Flags Affected

ldecsz - load and decrement skip if zero

The register argument is the address of any register.

Status Flags Affected

254 - PIC Assembly Language Reference

The register argument is the address of any register.

Status Flags Affected