Low Level Machine Code: Translation Programs

Definition: Translation

Translators change a program from one computer language into another, usually from a high level language into machine code - machine code is binary code consisting of binary numbers (0's and 1's)

 

 

Movie: Importance of Proper Translation.

 

 

Translators in Action?

 

Translators

Translators turn programs written in a High Level Language, the source code, into machine code or object code that can be understood by computers. There are two types of translator.

 

	Compiler	Interpreter
Works by:	Translates the source code or program into machince code in one go, before running the program.	Translates the souce code into object code, one line at a time.
Advantage	Very quick: No waiting for the next instruction to be translated as the program is compiled in one go.	Easy to identify mistakes as translation stops at the programming instruction where there is a mistake.
Disadvantage	Hard to find errors because the whole program is translated before running.	Slow to run as each instruction has to be translated in turn and completed before the next.

 

Common features of high level languages

1. High level languages are easier to read and to write programs compared to machine code, because they use instructions written in everyday language.
2. Programs written in High Level Languages must be translated into machine code before thery can be run
3. High Level Languages help programmers solve problems.

 

Portability of Software

Programs that can run on more than one type of computer system without major changes are described as portable.

Programs written in BASIC or VISUALBASIC will probably work on any computer. And programs that are portable are important to people and business who use different computer systems.

Important

Programs written in machine code are related directly to the processor which carries out the program instructions. These programs are not portable.

 

 

 

What you should be able to do!

1. Explain the role Machine Code.

2. Describe why Translator programs are needed..

3. Explain the differences between Compilers and Interpretors.

4. Desribe why programs are written in High Level Languages.

5. Explain the terms Portability of Software .