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Getting Started->Running a Simulation

If the program file contains information on the line numbers of your source code, the Virtual Workshop will automatically configure itself in source mode.  If you started simulation with the Step into command, simulation will continue and will not stop until it reaches the first 8051 instruction for which there is an associated source file line number.

If the program file does not contain any line numbers, the Virtual Workshop will configure itself in disassembly mode.  If you started the simulator with the Step into command, the disassembly window will open and simulation will be ready to start from program address zero.

Once a program has been loaded into the Virtual Workshop and started in the above manner, it can be run using the go, step into, step over, step out and trace commands.  All of these can be selected from the  Simulate menu, by clicking on the relevant toolbar button or by pressing the relevant accelerator keys.

It you use the go command, then you will not see anything happen except that the highlights on the toolbar will change.  Only when you halt the program or if it automatically stops at a breakpoint will the status bar and any open windows be updated.  Activity Views are however always updated after the execution of each instruction.  You will therefore always see these changing as the program runs.  (However, disabled breakpoints can be used to cause an update of the display when running in response to the go command.)

If you use the trace command, then all windows and the status bar will be updated continuously as execution proceeds.

If you use the step into, step over or step out commands, then the windows and status bar will be updated after these commands have been carried out.