/MASM_OSX

Use Xcode to edit, compile, and debug MASM files

Primary LanguageAssembly

MASM on OS X

Use Xcode or Visual Studio Code to edit, compile, and debug MASM assembly files.

Tested and working in Xcode versions 5, 6, and 7. Version 9 works with a small fix for using breakpoints.

Made possible thanks to JWasm and objconv. This also includes support for the Irvine library as provide by Along32.

NOTE: This is not guaranteed to work 100% with MASM and/or the Irvine library. Just because your program works in Xcode does not guarantee it will work in Visual Studio, and vice versa. Always test in Visual Studio before submitting final work. Saying that, if you have any problems, please open an issue here on GitHub.

Instructions

Xcode

  1. Open MASM_OSX.xcodeproj in Xcode
  2. Create new file
    • File > New > File... ⌘N
    • OS X > Other > Empty
    • Name the file *.asm
  3. Write some MASM code
    • There is a provided template that has the Irvine library Included.
  4. Build it
    • Product > Build ⌘B
  5. Change which file to run/debug
    • Product > Scheme > Edit Scheme... ⌘<
    • Select "Run" on the left side
    • On the right, select the "Info" section
    • Click the "Executable" dropdown and select "Other..."
      • Navigate to the project folder
      • The executables are located under the "bin" folder
  6. Run/Debug it
    • Change to 32-bit mode
      • In the title bar, next to "MASM_OSX", click "My Mac (64-bit)"
      • Change it to "My Mac (32-bit)"
    • Product > Run ⌘R
    • There is a default breakpoint on the "main" procedure
      • The debugger will open automatically

Visual Studio Code

  1. Open this folder in VS Code
  2. Create new file
    • File > New File ⌘N
    • Save and name the file *.asm
  3. Write some MASM code
    • There is a provided template that has the Irvine library Included.
  4. Build current file (⇧⌘B)
    • Make sure the file is the active tab
    • View > Command Palette... ⇧⌘P
      • Search for "build"
      • Tasks: Run Build Task ⇧⌘B
  5. Run/Debug current file (F5)
    • View > Debug Console ⇧⌘Y
      • Type -exec help to learn more about how to use the console debugger
      • -exec di to see the current function's instructions
    • There is a default breakpoint on the "main" procedure

Known Issues

  • Can't have the first value in .data be uninitialized. Thank you @shankwiler for finding this.
    You will get an error like bin/template.asm : Error A2168: General Failure. This is an issue with JWasm and outputting to the ELF format. The easiest workaround would be to add other data before the first uninitialized value. If you don't have any other data to put before, you have to make up dummy data like _ byte 0. Here's a minimal example: 
    Include Irvine32.inc
.data
val byte ? ; Needs to be preceeded by some initialized value, ex. _ byte 0

.code
main proc
  exit
main endp
end main
  • In Xcode version 9 the default main breakpoint may not work. Check out issue #4 for a resolution.