Prev: how to prevent ACCESS_VIOLATION (C0000005) without 'SetUnhandledExceptionFilter'
Next: Advanced Linux Programming
From: Brian on 16 Feb 2007 17:23
Thank you all for your considerable replies.

FWIW, I'm settling on Kip Irvine's "Assembly Language for Intel-Based
Computers" as my next tutorial. I've read good things about it,
especially as a next step after Jeff Duntemann's Step by Step for Dos
& Linux.

Kip's book uses concentrates on MASM, and since I'm on a Windows
Desktop more than Linux (currently), I figured MASM is the way to go
for the moment.

My personal goal is to explore Linux as a hobby because I'm fascinated
with the open source concept, and would like to "tinker around" under
the hood in Linux.

However, I figure (perhaps naively) that if I ever want to turn my
"learn ASM as a hobby" exercises into a professional choice to earn
some $Cash$, maybe a windows backdrop (MASM) will serve me better.

I failed to mention that I'm learning VC++ (Vis Studio 2005) at the
same time, and at the moment prefer to learn/code in Vis. Studio on
Windows, so that partially influences me as well. Perhaps that's a
chunk to learn at the same time, but I have several years previous
experience with VB, VBA, SQL, etc.

thanks again for the thoughtful responses.
Brian
Brian,
-remove CAPS from return email
From: Brian on 16 Feb 2007 17:31
On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 05:23:36 GMT, Frank Kotler <fbkotler(a)verizon.net>
wrote:

>Brian wrote:
>> I'm about half-way through Jeff Duntemann's, "Assembly Language Step
>> by Step". (excellent foundational book so far IMO, if a bit dated -
>> still works though!)
>
>Good old "balkward compatibility" :)
>
>I don't know if it applies to the code in the book/CD or not, but in the
>downloadable example code, there are a couple of errors. Incomplete
>translations from the First Edition's Masm code, I think - variables
>that need to be in "[]"s that aren't, for example. If you want to
>discuss those... I'll have to refresh my memory :)
>
>
Yes, I have discovered the variables missing [].. I figure every
technical book has perhaps at least 5 errors per chapter - makes for
good fun figuring things out. But for the most part his book seems to
be edited well.

Jeff Duntemann's book is IMO "the" way to go for a complete Newbie. He
has a certain way of explaining fundamental concepts, memory
addressing, etc. that just sticks with me. I'm only half way through,
so I can't speak for the rest of the book, but so far the content has
been mostly foundational stuff... not much coding. But that was his
purpose in writing the book, I believe. Though it won't be much of an
issue any longer, I found his explanations of the segmented model and
offsets easy to understand and grasp.

Just my two-cents on Duntemann.
Brian,
-remove CAPS from return email
From: santosh on 16 Feb 2007 17:57
Brian wrote:
> Thank you all for your considerable replies.

<snip>

> My personal goal is to explore Linux as a hobby because I'm fascinated
> with the open source concept, and would like to "tinker around" under
> the hood in Linux.
>
> However, I figure (perhaps naively) that if I ever want to turn my
> "learn ASM as a hobby" exercises into a professional choice to earn
> some $Cash$, maybe a windows backdrop (MASM) will serve me better.

I don't think so. Windows has very little to do with assembler these
days. Most professional assembly jobs would perhaps involve in-house
tools. Employers would tend to look at your grasp of the assembly
language programming paradigm, your experience and completed projects.
Knowledge of specific assembler syntaxes would probably be a less
important consideration.

> I failed to mention that I'm learning VC++ (Vis Studio 2005) at the
> same time, and at the moment prefer to learn/code in Vis. Studio on
> Windows, so that partially influences me as well.

IIRC, a copy of MASM should be included with VS. If not, you can
probably download a "processor pack" to grab it.

From: Bodhi on 16 Feb 2007 19:12
Brian wrote:
> Thank you all for your considerable replies.
>
> FWIW, I'm settling on Kip Irvine's "Assembly Language for Intel-Based
> Computers" as my next tutorial. I've read good things about it,
> especially as a next step after Jeff Duntemann's Step by Step for Dos
> & Linux.
>
> Kip's book uses concentrates on MASM, and since I'm on a Windows
> Desktop more than Linux (currently), I figured MASM is the way to go
> for the moment.
>
> My personal goal is to explore Linux as a hobby because I'm fascinated
> with the open source concept, and would like to "tinker around" under
> the hood in Linux.
>
> However, I figure (perhaps naively) that if I ever want to turn my
> "learn ASM as a hobby" exercises into a professional choice to earn
> some $Cash$, maybe a windows backdrop (MASM) will serve me better.
>
> I failed to mention that I'm learning VC++ (Vis Studio 2005) at the
> same time, and at the moment prefer to learn/code in Vis. Studio on
> Windows, so that partially influences me as well. Perhaps that's a
> chunk to learn at the same time, but I have several years previous
> experience with VB, VBA, SQL, etc.
>
> thanks again for the thoughtful responses.
> Brian
> Brian,
> -remove CAPS from return email

Brian,
If you haven't already downloaded a copy of MASM, and if you'd like to
get one, a complete version of MASM 6.11 can be downloaded from here:
http://www.phatcode.net/downloads.php?id=175

You can then get the upgrade patches from here:
http://users.easystreet.com/jkirwan/new/pctools.html

Best of luck,
Bodhi

~

From: Jim Carlock on 16 Feb 2007 22:56
Jim Carlock wrote:
> Microsoft seems to be offering the Kernel Mode Driver Framework
> once again. It's currently marked as Version 1.5 and ends up as a
> 2.4 GB iso image to download.
>
> They offer a smaller DDK package as well. Both provide versions
> of the MASM compilers, but you have to agree to Microsoft's terms
> of use. It's currently dated January 30, 2007.
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/DevTools/WDK/WDKpkg.mspx

"santosh" <santosh.k83(a)gmail.com> wrote...
: Do you consider the KMDF and/or DDK to be suitable
: recommendations for a newbie? What's wrong with the MASM
: version in masm32?

I really wouldn't recommend the one at the link above. I can't seem
to get it unzipped. Until that gets resolved, or someone else comments
on its contents, we won't know what's in it. It's a puzzle for me at the
moment.

I've sent a comment to the guys at PowerArchiver and am awaiting
a reply back from them (http://www.powerarchiver.com/). I'll post
back when they reply. It appears that there might be a new DVD
ISO image format (my guess).

<MicrosoftStates>
The Windows Driver Kit (WDK) is a fully integrated
driver development system for the Microsoft Windows
family of operating systems. It combines the Windows
DDK and Driver Test Manager (DTM), and also provides
tests that Microsoft uses to test the stability and
reliability of the Windows operating system. For more
information, see About the WDK.

Note: To download the WDK, you must burn an ISO file
to a DVD. Therefore, you must have a DVD burner with
appropriate supporting software. If you do not have a
DVD burner, you can get third-party software products
on the Internet that will allow you to create a
virtual DVD drive.
</MicrosoftStates>

Thanks for bringing that topic up Santosh. I commend
the DDK over the KMDF right at the moment, and then
commend NASM or MASM32 over that. Sometimes MS
provides helpful source code samples. The KMDF 1.0
provided the following sample folders:

<DIR> 1394
<DIR> AMCC5933
04/19/2006 11:34 PM 327 dirs
<DIR> echo
<DIR> fakemodem
<DIR> firefly
<DIR> kbfiltr
<DIR> ndisedge
<DIR> ndisprot
<DIR> nonpnp
<DIR> osrusbfx2
<DIR> pcidrv
<DIR> PLX9x5x
<DIR> ramdisk
04/19/2006 11:34 PM 19,713 readme.htm
<DIR> serial
<DIR> toaster
<DIR> wmisamp

--
Jim Carlock
Post replies to the group.


First  |  Prev  |  Next  |  Last
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5
Prev: how to prevent ACCESS_VIOLATION (C0000005) without 'SetUnhandledExceptionFilter'
Next: Advanced Linux Programming