Project 8: Full-Scale VM Translator

We built a full-scale VM translator capable of handling branching and function commands, as well as translating multi-file VM programs. This project completes the development of the VM translator, which serves as the backend for the Hack compiler.

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Objective

Our goal was to develop a full-scale VM-to-Hack translator that:

• Handles branching commands (label, goto, if-goto).
• Translates function commands (function, call, return).
• Supports multi-file VM programs with proper bootstrap code.

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How to Use

1. Clone the Repository
   Clone the repository from the provided URL.

2. Run the VM Translator
   Translate one or multiple .vm files into a single .asm file using our translator.

3. Test the Output
   Use the CPU Emulator to load and execute the generated .asm files, verifying their correctness using the provided test scripts.

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Key Features

• Branching Commands: Supports commands like label, goto, and if-goto.
• Function Handling: Implements commands such as function, call, and return.
• Multi-File Translation: Combines multiple .vm files into a single .asm file with bootstrap code.
• Bootstrap Code: Initializes the stack pointer and invokes Sys.init to start the program.

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Testing

We validated the translator's functionality using the following test programs:

• Branching Commands:
  • BasicLoop.vm: Tests label and if-goto.
  • FibonacciSeries.vm: Tests label, goto, and if-goto.
• Function Commands:
  • SimpleFunction.vm: Tests function and return.
  • NestedCall.vm: Tests nested function calls.
  • FibonacciElement.vm: Tests recursive calls with multiple files and bootstrap code.
  • StaticsTest.vm: Verifies static variable handling across multiple files.

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References

• CPU Emulator
• VM Emulator
• Nand2Tetris Course