Frances-A: A Tool For Architecture Level Software Visualization

By: Tyler Sondag, Kian L. Pokorny, and Hridesh Rajan

Abstract

Integral to computer science education are computer organization and architecture courses. We present Frances-A, an engaging investigative tool that provides an environment for studying real assembly languages and architectures. Frances-A includes several features that enhance its usefulness in the classroom such as graphical relationships between high-level code and machine code, illustrated step by step machine state transitions, color coding to make instruction behavior clear, and illustration of pointers. Frances-A uses a simple web interface requiring no setup and is easy to use, making it easy to adopt in a course.

ACM Reference

Sondag, T. et al. 2011. Frances-A: A Tool for Architecture Level Program Visualization. J. Comput. Small Coll. (2011).

BibTeX Reference

@article{sondag2011frances,
  author = {Sondag, Tyler and Pokorny, Kian L. and Rajan, Hridesh},
  title = {Frances-A: A Tool for Architecture Level Program Visualization},
  journal = {J. Comput. Small Coll.},
  year = {2011},
  publisher = {Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges},
  address = {, USA},
  abstract = {
    Integral to computer science education are computer organization and
    architecture courses. We present Frances-A, an engaging investigative tool
    that provides an environment for studying real assembly languages and
    architectures. Frances-A includes several features that enhance its usefulness
    in the classroom such as graphical relationships between high-level code and
    machine code, illustrated step by step machine state transitions, color coding
    to make instruction behavior clear, and illustration of pointers. Frances-A
    uses a simple web interface requiring no setup and is easy to use, making it
    easy to adopt in a course.
  }
}