Translators and Ides: Key Revision Points

GCSE 9-1: OCR Computer Science
TRANSLATORS AND IDEs

Key Revision Points
Programming Languages
Learning Objectives:
- characteristics and purpose of
different levels of programming
language, including low-level
languages
- the purpose of translators
- the characteristics of an assembler, a
compiler and an interpreter Introduction
- common tools and facilities available
in an integrated development
environment (IDE): CPUs are very impressive but they are actually quite simple when it
o editors
comes to processing.
o error diagnostics
o run-time environment
o translators.
They can only process 1’s and 0’s.
They therefore do not understand how to process programming code

in the form in which we write it (e.g. Python).
So what has to happen to get our code into a form that the CPU can
work with…?
language, including low-level Difference between high level and low level code…
languages
- the characteristics of an assembler, a Machine Code (Very Low Level Language)
compiler and an interpreter
in an integrated development The CPU can only understand one type of
environment (IDE):
o editors code: Machine Code
o error diagnostics
o translators. Made up of Coded Instructions and Data
e.g. 01001100 (binary)

Or
B8200 (hexadecimal)
High Level Language
Assembly Language
Writing programs in ‘Machine Code’ is difficult for a human to do.

Machine Language (Code)
Hardware (CPU)
language, including low-level Difference between high level and low level code…
languages
- the purpose of translators Assembly Language (Low Level Language)
in an integrated development This language has a small set of commands which represent certain pieces of machine
environment (IDE): code
o editors
o error diagnostics
This helped programmers as they didn’t have to remember sets of binary code,
o translators. instead they learnt commands.
EG: Instead of memorising what 1011 or 1001 meant, they just had to remember
commands like ADD and SUB
Assembly language is still quite difficult to learn and use and this is why High Level
Languages were produced.
High Level Language
Machine Code Mnemonic Code

Assembly Language
B80200 MOV AX, 0002
BB0400 MOV BX, 0004

01DB ADD AX, BX
Hardware (CPU) CD20 INT 20
languages
- common tools and facilities available High Level Languages (Python, Java, C++ etc)
environment (IDE):
o editors High level code (aka ‘source code’) is far more easy to write
o error diagnostics
o run-time environment and therefore for humans to understand.
o translators.
Its purpose is to be easier to write AND STILL be easily

translated into machine code so that it can be processed by the
CPU.
High Level Language
To help it be translated, it makes use of:
Assembly Language KEY WORDS
and
SYNTAX
Hardware (CPU) (rules for the keywords and arguments that go with them)
.
Translators of Languages
So how does our ‘HUMAN WRITTEN
CODE’ get turned into Machine Code?
2 - Learning Objectives
 To be able to describe how an Assembler works

 To be able to describe the differences in operation between a Compiler and Interpreter
 To be able to describe the common tools and facilities in an Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
- characteristics and purpose of Introducing Translators
languages So how does our ‘HUMAN WRITTEN CODE’ get
turned into Machine Code?
Translators!
environment (IDE):
o editors
o error diagnostics
High Level Language
?
o translators.
Assembly Language
Hardware (CPU)
Translators
languages
Translators are programs that convert high level language
- the purpose of translators commands:
compiler and an interpreter print, IF, For etc.
…into a set of machine code commands:
environment (IDE): 1011, 11001, 11000011110 etc
o editors
o error diagnostics …so that the CPU can process the data!
o translators.
There are 2 ways in which translators work:
1. Take the whole code and convert it into machine code

before running it (known as compiling).
2. Take the code one instruction at a time, translate and run

the instruction, before translating the next instruction
(known as interpreting).
Types of Translator
language, including low-level There are 3 types of translator:
languages
- the characteristics of an assembler, a Compiler Interpreter Assembler
- common tools and facilities available Converts the whole code Converts the source code This type of translator is
in an integrated development into one file (often a .exe into machine code 1 line at a used for Assembly
environment (IDE): file). time. Language (not High Level
o editors Languages).
o error diagnostics The file can then be run on Program therefore runs very
o run-time environment any computer without the slowly. It converts mnemonic
o translators. translator needing to be assembly language
present. Main reason why an instructions into machine
interpreter is used is at the code.
Can take a long time to testing / development stage.
compile source code as the
translator will often have to Programmers can quickly
convert the instructions into identify errors and fix them.
various sets of machine
code as different CPUs will The translator must be
understand instructions with present on the computer for
different machine code from the program is to be run
one another.
Facilities of Languages
What do the programming languages have
to help us code?
3 - Learning Objectives
 To be able to describe the common tools and facilities in an Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
Learning Objectives: Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
languages • An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is a
- the characteristics of an assembler, a software package.
compiler and an interpreter • It provides the tools for a computer programmer to
in an integrated development develop a software.
environment (IDE):
o editors
• It allows programmers to write their high level code, test
o error diagnostics it and translate it.
o translators.
Learning Objectives: Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
language, including low-level • IDEs will be specific to a certain high level language (eg:
languages
- the purpose of translators PyScripter is built for Python).
• They will normally consist of:
- common tools and facilities available • Source Code Editor – allowing the writing and editing of
environment (IDE): code
o editors • Automation Tools – automate tasks such as finishing off key
o error diagnostics
o run-time environment words and indenting on your behalf
o translators. • Error Diagnostics - Debugger – identifies logic and syntax
errors and shows where they are.
• Translators - Interpreter – allows source code to be
translated into machine code one line at a time for
testing
• Translators - Compiler – converts entire source code into
machine code so it can be run as its own individual program
file.
• Auto-Documentation – stores lists of variables, modules,
functions calls etc which are documented for other
programmers.
Key Words
• Debug
 Low Level Language • Translator
 High Level Language
 Machine Code
• IDE
 Compiler • Language Translator
 Interpreter
 Assembler
• Device Driver
 Source Code
 Object Code
 Executable Code

Translators and Ides: Key Revision Points

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Translators and Ides: Key Revision Points

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

GCSE 9-1: OCR Computer Science

TRANSLATORS AND IDEs

They therefore do not understand how to process programming code

e.g. 01001100 (binary)

Writing programs in ‘Machine Code’ is difficult for a human to do.

High Level Language

Machine Code Mnemonic Code

BB0400 MOV BX, 0004

Its purpose is to be easier to write AND STILL be easily

 To be able to describe how an Assembler works

Machine Language (Code)

1. Take the whole code and convert it into machine code

2. Take the code one instruction at a time, translate and run

You might also like