CPU Sim 3.1: A tool for simulating computer architectures for computer organization classes

  • Authors:
  • Dale Skrien

  • Affiliations:
  • Colby College, Waterville, ME

  • Venue:
  • Journal on Educational Resources in Computing (JERIC)
  • Year:
  • 2001

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

CPU Sim 3.1 is an educational software package written in Java foruse in CS3 courses. CPU Sim provides students an active learningenvironment in which they can design, modify, and compare variouscomputer architectures at the register-transfer level and higher.They can run assembly language or machine language programs forthose architectures through simulation. CPU Sim is a completedevelopment environment, including dialog boxes for designing theCPU architecture, a text editor for editing assembly languageprograms, an assembler, several display windows for viewing theregisters and RAMs during the execution of programs, and manydebugging features such as the ability to step forward or backwardduring execution, inspecting and optionally changing the values inthe registers and RAMs after each step. These features andsuggested uses of CPU Sim in CS3 classes are discussed.