CODEWITHSUNDEEP
assemblynasm
ako25
ako25

Reputation: 949

How to break down a NASM application into modules/packages and include them?

I'm starting to learn the Assembly language. I'm familiar with it in the basic level. I wonder, how big application in the Assembly are organized, that is, how can I split them into modules/packages and include them into other modules? I'm talking about NASM in particular.

Upvotes: 4

Views: 644

Answers (1)

Margaret Bloom
Margaret Bloom

Reputation: 44116

You can either:

  • Use %include
    To include an external file into the current one.
    This can be further controlled with the -i command line switch.

    You can also force NASM to pre-include a file using the -p switch.

  • Assemble multiple files
    Since NASM is not a linker, you can take advantage of the linkers' ability to... well, link files together.

    Use the GLOBAL directive to make a set of symbols visible to other modules.
    Use the EXTERN directive to import a set of symbols from other modules.

    You can pass all the object files to the linker.
    NASM (as today) can only assemble one file at a time, so a build script is needed.

The two above are not mutually exclusive but you have to basically understand the NASM output file formats to see when the latter is applicable.

Upvotes: 5

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