nasm/doc/syntax.src

\C{Syntax} Syntax Quirks and Summaries

\H{APX} \I{apx syntax}\i{APX} Instruction Syntax

Intel APX (\i{Advanced Performance Extensions}) introduces multiple
new features, mostly to existing instructions. APX is only available
in 64-bit mode.

\b There are 16 new general purpose registers, \c{R16} to \c{R31}.

\b Many instructions now support a non-destructive destination
operand.

\b The ability to suppress the setting of the arithmetic flags.

\b The ability to zero the upper parts of a full 64-bit register for
8- and 16-bit operation size instructions. (This zeroing is always
performed for 32-bit operations; this has been the case since 64-bit
mode was first introduced.)

\b New instructions to conditionally set the arithmetic flags to a
user-specified value.

\b Performance-enhanced versions of the \c{PUSH} and \c{POP}
instructions.

\b A 64-bit absolute jump instruction.

\b A new \i{REX2} prefix.

See \w{https://www.nasm.us/specs/apx} for a link to the APX technical
documentation. NASM generally follows the syntax specified in the
\e{Assembly Syntax Recommendations for Intel APX} document although
some syntax is relaxed, see below.

\S{egprs} \i{Extended General Purpose Registers} (\i{EGPRs})

When it comes to register size, the new registers (\c{R16}-\c{R31})
work the same way as registers \c{R8}-\c{R15} (see also \k{reg64}):

\b \c{R31} is the 64-bit form of register 31,

\b \c{R31D} is the 32-bit form,

\b \c{R31W} is the 16-bit form, and

\b \c{R31B} is the 8-bit form. The form \c{R31L} can also be used if
the \c{altreg} macro package is used (\c{%use altreg}), see
\k{pkg_altreg}.

Extended registers require that either a REX2 prefix (the default, if
possible) or an EVEX prefix is used.

There are some instructions that don't support EGPRs. In that case,
NASM will generate an error if they are used.


\S{apx_ndd} \i{New Data Destination} (\i{NDD})

Using the new data destination register (when supported) is specified
by adding an additional register in place of the first operand.
For example an \c{ADD} instruction:

\c      add rax, rbx, rcx

... which would add \c{RBX} and \c{RCX} and store the result in
\c{RAX}, without modifying neither \c{RBX} nor \c{RCX}.

\S{apx_nf} Suppress Modifying Flags (\i{NF})

The \c{\{nf\}} prefix on a supported instruction inhibits the update
of the flags, for example:

\c      {nf} add rax, rbx

... will add \c{RAX} and \c{RBX} together, storing the result in
\c{RAX}, while leaving the flags register unchanged.

NASM also allows the \c{\{nf\}} prefix (or any other curly-brace
prefix) to be specified \e{after} the instruction mnemonic. Spaces
around curly-brace prefixes are optional:

\c      {nf} add rax, rbx       ; Standard syntax
\c      {nf}add  rax, rbx       ; Prefix without space
\c      add {nf} rax, rbx       ; Suffix syntax
\c      add{nf}  rax, rbx       ; Suffix without space


\S{apx_zu} \i{Zero Upper} (\i{ZU})

The \c{\{zu\}} prefix can be used meaning -
"zero-upper", which disables retaining the upper parts of the
registers and instead zero-extends the value into the full 64-bit
register when the operand size is 8 or 16 bits (this is always done
when the operand size is 32 bits, even without APX). For example:

\c      {zu} setb al

... zeroes out bits [63:8] of the \c{RAX} register. For this specific
instruction, NASM also eccepts these alternate syntaxes:

\c      {zu} setb ax
\c      setb {zu} al
\c      setb {zu} ax
\c      setb {zu} eax
\c      setb {zu} rax
\c      setb eax
\c      setb rax

\S{apx_dfv} \i{Source Condition Code} (\I{scc}S\e{cc}) and \i{Default Flags
Value} (\i{DFV})

The source condition code (S\e{cc}) instructions, \c{CCMPS}\e{cc} and
\c{CTESTS}\c{cc}, perform a test which if successful set the
arithmetic flags to a user specfied value and otherwise leave them
unchanged.

NASM allows the resulting \e{default flags value} to be specified
either using the \I\c{\{dfv=\}}\c{\{dfv=\}}...\c{\}} syntax,
containing a comma-separated list of zero or more of the CPU flags
\c{OF}, \c{SF}, \c{ZF} or \c{CF} or simply as a numeric immediate
(with \c{OF}, \c{SF}, \c{ZF} and \c{CF} being represented by bits 3 to
0 in that order.)

The \c{PF} flag is always set to the same value as the \c{CF} flag,
and the \c{AF} flag is always cleared. NASM allows \c{\{dfv=pf\}} as
an alias for \c{\{dfv=cf\}}, but do note that it still affects both
flags.

NASM allows, but does not require, a comma after the \c{\{dfv=\}}
value; when using the immediate syntax a comma is required; these
examples all produce the same instruction:

\c      ccmpl {dfv=of,cf} rdx, r30
\c      ccmpl {dfv=of,cf}, rdx, r30
\c      ccmpl 0x9, rdx, r30                     ; Comma required

The immediate syntax also allows for the \c{\{dfv=\}} values to be
stored in a symbol, or having arithmetic done on them. Note that when
used in an expression, or in contexts other than \c{EQU} or one of the
\c{S}\e{cc} instructions, parenteses are required; this is a safety
measure (programmer needs to explicitly indicate that use as an
expression is what is intended):

\c      ccmpl ({dfv=of}|{dfv=cf}), rdx, r30     ; Parens, comma required
\c ocf1 equ {dfv=of,cf}                         ; Parens not required
\c      ccmpl ocf1, rdx, r30                    ; Comma required
\c ofcf equ ({dfv=of,sf,cf} & ~{dfv=sf})        ; Parens required
\c      ccmpl ofcf2, rdx, r30                   ; Comma required


\S{apx_pushpop} \c{PUSH} and \c{POP} Extensions

APX adds variations of the \c{PUSH} and \c{POP} instructions that:

\b informs the CPU that a specific \c{PUSH} and \c{POP} constitute a
   matched pair, allowing the hardware to optimize for this common use
   case: \i\c{PUSHP} and \i\c{POPP};

\b operates on two registers at the same time: \i\c{PUSH2} and
  \i\c{POP2}, with paired variants \i\c{PUSH2P} and \i\c{POP2P}.

These extensions only apply to register forms; they are not supported
for memory or immediate operands.

The standard syntax for (\c{P})\c{PUSH2} and (\c{P})\c{POP2} specify
the registers in the order they are to be pushed and popped on the
stack:

\c      push2p rax, rbx
\c      ; rax in [rsp+8]
\c      ; rbx is [rsp+0]
\c      pop2p rbx, rax

... would be the equivalent of:

\c      push rax
\c      push rbx
\c      ; rax in [rsp+8]
\c      ; rbx is [rsp+0]
\c      pop rbx
\c      pop rax

NASM also allows the registers to be specified as a \e{register pair}
separated by a colon, in which case the order is always specified in
the order \e{high}\c{:}\e{low} and thus is the same for \c{PUSH2} and
\c{POP2}. This means the order of the operands in the \c{POP2}
instruction is different:

\c      push2p rax:rbx
\c      ; rax in [rsp+8]
\c      ; rbx is [rsp+0]
\c      pop2p rax:rbx

\S{apx_jmpabs} 64-bit absolute jump (\i\c{JMPABS})

A new near jump instruction takes a 64-bit \e{absolute} address
immediate.

NASM allows this instruction to be specified either as:

\c      jmpabs target

... or:

\c      jmp abs target

The generated code is identical. The \c{ABS} is required regardless of
the \c{DEFAULT} setting.

\S{apx_opt} \I{apx optimizer}APX and the NASM optimizer

When the optimizer is enabled (see \k{opt-O}), NASM may apply a number
of optimizations, some of which may apply non-APX instructions to what
otherwise would be APX forms. Some examples are:

\b The \c{\{nf\}} prefix may be ignored on instructions that already
   don't modify the arithmetic flags.

\b When the \c{\{nf\}} prefix is specified, NASM may generate another
   instruction which would not modify the flags register. For example,
   \c{\{nf\} ror rax, rcx, 3} can be translated into
   \c{rorx rax, rcx, 3}.

\b The \c{\{zu\}} prefix may be ignored on instruction that already
   zero the upper parts of the destination register.

\b When the \c{\{zu\}} prefix is specified, NASM may generate another
   instruction which would zero the upper part of the register. For
   example, \c{\{zu\} mov ax, cs} can be translated into \c{mov eax, cs}.

\b New data destination or nondestructive source operands may be
   contracted if they are the same (and the semantics are otherwise
   identical). For example, \c{add eax, eax, edx} could be encoded as
   \c{add eax, edx} using legacy encoding. \e{NASM does not perform
   this optimization as of version 3.00, but it probably will in the
   future.}


\S{apx_force} Force APX Encoding

APX encoding, using REX2 and EVEX, respectively, can be forced by
using the \i\c{\{rex2\}} or \i\c{\{evex\}} instruction prefixes.