assmeblers and disassemblers

[Steve Ravet]

BossOz at aol.com wrote:
> 
> Are we talking about software here? And what might be good source for them?
>  Thanks programming is greek to me. But so was trouble shooting these system a
> few years ago.

Boss, assemblers and disassemblers are software.  As Fred pointed out,
they translate semi-readable assembly instructions (in text) into a
sequence of bytes that tell the microprocessor what to do.  After you
write your program, you assemble it into a file, then use an EPROM
programmer to put it into a chip, then off you go.  Or, if you're an EFI
hacker, you read a GM EPROM with a programmer, generate a binary file,
and run a disassembler to find out what the original program was.  The
manufacturer of a particular microcontroller usually supplies a
development kit also, which is the assembler, disassembler, debugger,
evaluation board, etc.  Sometimes the software is free, sometimes it's
not.  For the microcontrollers you find in automotive systems, you can
usually find free tools for them.  Someone else will have more specific
details.

-- 
Steve Ravet
steve.ravet at arm.com
Advanced Risc Machines, Inc.
www.arm.com