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SYSCALL functions available in MARS

Introduction
A number of system services, mainly for input and output, are available for use by your MIPS program. They are described in the table below.

MIPS register contents are not affected by a system call, except for result registers as specified in the table below.

How to use SYSCALL system services

Step 1. Load the service number in register $v0.

Step 2. Load argument values, if any, in $a0, $a1, $a2, or $f12 as specified.
Step 3. Issue the SYSCALL instruction.
Step 4. Retrieve return values, if any, from result registers as specified.

Example: display the value stored in $t0 on the console

li $v0, 1 # service 1 is print integer
add $a0, $t0, $zero # load desired value into argument register $a0, using pseudo-op
syscall

Table of Available Services

Code in
Service Arguments Result
$v0
print integer 1 $a0 = integer to print
print float 2 $f12 = float to print
print double 3 $f12 = double to print
print string 4 $a0 = address of null-terminated string to print
read integer 5 $v0 contains integer read
read float 6 $f0 contains float read
read double 7 $f0 contains double read
$a0 = address of input buffer
read string 8 See note below table
$a1 = maximum number of characters to read
sbrk (allocate heap
9 $a0 = number of bytes to allocate $v0 contains address of allocated memory
memory)
exit (terminate execution) 10
print character 11 $a0 = character to print See note below table
read character 12 $v0 contains character read
$a0 = address of null-terminated string containing filename
open file 13 $a1 = flags $v0 contains file descriptor (negative if error). See note below table
$a2 = mode
$a0 = file descriptor
read from file 14 $a1 = address of input buffer $v0 contains number of characters read (0 if end-of-file, negative if error). See note below table
$a2 = maximum number of characters to read
$a0 = file descriptor
write to file 15 $a1 = address of output buffer $v0 contains number of characters written (negative if error). See note below table
$a2 = number of characters to write
close file 16 $a0 = file descriptor
exit2 (terminate with
17 $a0 = termination result See note below table
value)
Services 1 through 17 are compatible with the SPIM simulator, other than Open File (13) as described in the Notes below the table. Services 30 and higher are exclusive to MARS.
$a0 = low order 32 bits of system time
time (system time) 30
$a1 = high order 32 bits of system time. See note below table
$a0 = pitch (0-127)
$a1 = duration in milliseconds
MIDI out 31 Generate tone and return immediately. See note below table
$a2 = instrument (0-127)
$a3 = volume (0-127)
Causes the MARS Java thread to sleep for (at least) the specified number of milliseconds. This timing will not be precise, as
sleep 32 $a0 = the length of time to sleep in milliseconds.
the Java implementation will add some overhead.
$a0 = pitch (0-127)
$a1 = duration in milliseconds
MIDI out synchronous 33 Generate tone and return upon tone completion. See note below table
$a2 = instrument (0-127)
$a3 = volume (0-127)
print integer in
34 $a0 = integer to print Displayed value is 8 hexadecimal digits, left-padding with zeroes if necessary.
hexadecimal
print integer in binary 35 $a0 = integer to print Displayed value is 32 bits, left-padding with zeroes if necessary.
print integer as unsigned 36 $a0 = integer to print Displayed as unsigned decimal value.
(not used) 37-39
$a0 = i.d. of pseudorandom number generator (any int).
No values are returned. Sets the seed of the corresponding underlying Java pseudorandom number generator
set seed 40 $a1 = seed for corresponding pseudorandom number
(java.util.Random). See note below table
generator.
$a0 contains the next pseudorandom, uniformly distributed int value from this random number generator's sequence. See
random int 41 $a0 = i.d. of pseudorandom number generator (any int).
note below table
$a0 = i.d. of pseudorandom number generator (any int). $a0 contains pseudorandom, uniformly distributed int value in the range 0 <= [int] < [upper bound], drawn from this random
random int range 42
$a1 = upper bound of range of returned values. number generator's sequence. See note below table
$f0 contains the next pseudorandom, uniformly distributed float value in the range 0.0 <= f < 1.0 from this random number
random float 43 $a0 = i.d. of pseudorandom number generator (any int).
generator's sequence. See note below table
$f0 contains the next pseudorandom, uniformly distributed double value in the range 0.0 <= f < 1.0 from this random
random double 44 $a0 = i.d. of pseudorandom number generator (any int).
number generator's sequence. See note below table
(not used) 45-49
$a0 contains value of user-chosen option
$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is the message 0: Yes
ConfirmDialog 50
to user 1: No
2: Cancel
$a0 contains int read
$a1 contains status value
$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is the message 0: OK status
InputDialogInt 51
to user -1: input data cannot be correctly parsed
-2: Cancel was chosen
-3: OK was chosen but no data had been input into field
$f0 contains float read
$a1 contains status value
$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is the message 0: OK status
InputDialogFloat 52
to user -1: input data cannot be correctly parsed
-2: Cancel was chosen
-3: OK was chosen but no data had been input into field
$f0 contains double read
$a1 contains status value
$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is the message 0: OK status
InputDialogDouble 53
to user -1: input data cannot be correctly parsed
-2: Cancel was chosen
-3: OK was chosen but no data had been input into field
See Service 8 note below table
$a1 contains status value
$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is the message
0: OK status. Buffer contains the input string.
to user
InputDialogString 54 -2: Cancel was chosen. No change to buffer.
$a1 = address of input buffer
-3: OK was chosen but no data had been input into field. No change to buffer.
$a2 = maximum number of characters to read
-4: length of the input string exceeded the specified maximum. Buffer contains the maximum allowable input string plus a
terminating null.
$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is the message
to user
$a1 = the type of message to be displayed:
0: error message, indicated by Error icon
MessageDialog 55 N/A
1: information message, indicated by Information icon
2: warning message, indicated by Warning icon
3: question message, indicated by Question icon
other: plain message (no icon displayed)
$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is an
MessageDialogInt 56 information-type message to user N/A
$a1 = int value to display in string form after the first string
$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is an
information-type message to user
MessageDialogFloat 57 N/A
$f12 = float value to display in string form after the first
string
$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is an
information-type message to user
MessageDialogDouble 58 N/A
$f12 = double value to display in string form after the first
string
$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is an
information-type message to user
MessageDialogString 59 N/A
$a1 = address of null-terminated string to display after the
first string

NOTES: Services numbered 30 and higher are not provided by SPIM

Service 8 - Follows semantics of UNIX 'fgets'. For specified length n, string can be no longer than n-1. If less than that, adds newline to end. In either case, then pads with null byte If n = 1, input is ignored and null byte
placed at buffer address. If n < 1, input is ignored and nothing is written to the buffer.
Service 11 - Prints ASCII character corresponding to contents of low-order byte.
Service 13 - MARS implements three flag values: 0 for read-only, 1 for write-only with create, and 9 for write-only with create and append. It ignores mode. The returned file descriptor will be negative if the operation failed.
The underlying file I/O implementation uses java.io.FileInputStream.read() to read and java.io.FileOutputStream.write() to write. MARS maintains file descriptors internally and allocates them starting with 3. File
descriptors 0, 1 and 2 are always open for: reading from standard input, writing to standard output, and writing to standard error, respectively (new in release 4.3).
Services 13,14,15 - In MARS 3.7, the result register was changed to $v0 for SPIM compatability. It was previously $a0 as erroneously printed in Appendix B of Computer Organization and Design,.
Service 17 - If the MIPS program is run under control of the MARS graphical interface (GUI), the exit code in $a0 is ignored.
Service 30 - System time comes from java.util.Date.getTime() as milliseconds since 1 January 1970.
Services 31,33 - Simulate MIDI output through sound card. Details below.
Services 40-44 use underlying Java pseudorandom number generators provided by the java.util.Random class. Each stream (identified by $a0 contents) is modeled by a different Random object. There are no default seed
values, so use the Set Seed service (40) if replicated random sequences are desired.

Example of File I/O

The sample MIPS program below will open a new file for writing, write text to it from a memory buffer, then close it. The file will be created in the directory in which MARS was run.

# Sample MIPS program that writes to a new file.

# by Kenneth Vollmar and Pete Sanderson

.data
fout: .asciiz "testout.txt" # filename for output
buffer: .asciiz "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."
.text
###############################################################
# Open (for writing) a file that does not exist
li $v0, 13 # system call for open file
la $a0, fout # output file name
li $a1, 1 # Open for writing (flags are 0: read, 1: write)
li $a2, 0 # mode is ignored
syscall # open a file (file descriptor returned in $v0)
move $s6, $v0 # save the file descriptor
###############################################################
# Write to file just opened
li $v0, 15 # system call for write to file
move $a0, $s6 # file descriptor
la $a1, buffer # address of buffer from which to write
li $a2, 44 # hardcoded buffer length
syscall # write to file
###############################################################
# Close the file
li $v0, 16 # system call for close file
move $a0, $s6 # file descriptor to close
syscall # close file
###############################################################

Using SYSCALL system services 31 and 33: MIDI output

These system services are unique to MARS, and provide a means of producing sound. MIDI output is simulated by your system sound card, and the simulation is provided by the javax.sound.midi package.

Service 31 will generate the tone then immediately return. Service 33 will generate the tone then sleep for the tone's duration before returning. Thus it essentially combines services 31 and 32.

This service requires four parameters as follows:

pitch ($a0)

Accepts a positive byte value (0-127) that denotes a pitch as it would be represented in
MIDI
Each number is one semitone / half-step in the chromatic scale.
0 represents a very low C and 127 represents a very high G (a standard 88 key piano
begins at 9-A and ends at 108-C).
If the parameter value is outside this range, it applies a default value 60 which is the
same as middle C on a piano.
From middle C, all other pitches in the octave are as follows:
61 = C# or Db 65 = E# or F 69 = A
62 = D 66 = F# or Gb 70 = A# or Bb
63 = D# or Eb 67 = G 71 = B or Cb
64 = E or Fb 68 = G# or Ab 72 = B# or C
To produce these pitches in other octaves, add or subtract multiples of 12.

duration in milliseconds ($a1)

Accepts a positive integer value that is the length of the tone in milliseconds.
If the parameter value is negative, it applies a default value of one second (1000
milliseconds).

instrument ($a2)
Accepts a positive byte value (0-127) that denotes the General MIDI "patch" used to
play the tone.
If the parameter is outside this range, it applies a default value 0 which is an Acoustic
Grand Piano.
General MIDI standardizes the number associated with each possible instrument (often
referred to as program change numbers), however it does not determine how the tone will
sound. This is determined by the synthesizer that is producing the sound. Thus a Tuba
(patch 58) on one computer may sound different than that same patch on another computer.
The 128 available patches are divided into instrument families of 8:
0-7 Piano 64-71 Reed
8-15 Chromatic Percussion 72-79 Pipe
16-23 Organ 80-87 Synth Lead
24-31 Guitar 88-95 Synth Pad
32-39 Bass 96-103 Synth Effects
40-47 Strings 104-111 Ethnic
48-55 Ensemble 112-119 Percussion
56-63 Brass 120-127 Sound Effects
Note that outside of Java, General MIDI usually refers to patches 1-128. When referring
to a list of General MIDI patches, 1 must be subtracted to play the correct patch. For a full
list of General MIDI instruments, see www.midi.org/about-midi/gm/gm1sound.shtml. The
General MIDI channel 10 percussion key map is not relevant to the toneGenerator method
because it always defaults to MIDI channel 1.

volume ($a3)

Accepts a positive byte value (0-127) where 127 is the loudest and 0 is silent. This value
denotes MIDI velocity which refers to the initial attack of the tone.
If the parameter value is outside this range, it applies a default value 100.
MIDI velocity measures how hard a note on (or note off) message is played, perhaps on a
MIDI controller like a keyboard. Most MIDI synthesizers will translate this into volume on
a logarithmic scale in which the difference in amplitude decreases as the velocity value
increases.
Note that velocity value on more sophisticated synthesizers can also affect the timbre of
the tone (as most instruments sound different when they are played louder or softer).
System service 31 was developed and documented by Otterbein student Tony Brock in July 2007.