Loading with LDR Rd, =const

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2.5.3. Loading with LDR Rd, =const

The LDR Rd,=const pseudo‑instruction can construct any 32‑bit numeric constant in a single instruction. You can use this pseudo‑instruction to generate constants that are out of range of the MOV and MVN instructions.

The LDR pseudo‑instruction generates the most efficient single instruction for a specific constant:

If the constant can be constructed with a MOV or MVN instruction, the assembler generates the appropriate instruction.
If the constant cannot be constructed with a MOV or MVN instruction, the assembler:
- places the value in a literal pool (a portion of memory embedded in the code to hold constant values)
- generates an LDR instruction with a program‑relative address that reads the constant from the literal pool.
For example:
```
    LDR      rn, [pc, #offset to literal pool]
                          ; load register n with one word
                          ; from the address [pc + offset]
```
You must ensure that there is a literal pool within range of the LDR instruction generated by the assembler. See Placing literal pools for more information.

See LDR pseudo‑instruction for a description of the syntax of the LDR pseudo‑instruction.

Placing literal pools

The assembler places a literal pool at the end of each section. These are defined by the AREA directive at the start of the following section, or by the END directive at the end of the assembly. The END directive at the end of an included file does not signal the end of a section.

In large sections the default literal pool can be out of range of one or more LDR instructions. The offset from the PC to the constant must be:

less than 4KB in ARM or Thumb‑2 code, but can be in either direction
forward and less than 1KB in Thumb code when using the 16‑bit instruction.

When an LDR Rd,=const pseudo‑instruction requires the constant to be placed in a literal pool, the assembler:

Checks if the constant is available and addressable in any previous literal pools. If so, it addresses the existing constant.
Attempts to place the constant in the next literal pool if it is not already available.

If the next literal pool is out of range, the assembler generates an error message. In this case you must use the LTORG directive to place an additional literal pool in the code. Place the LTORG directive after the failed LDR pseudo‑instruction, and within ±4KB (ARM, 32‑bit Thumb‑2) or in the range 0 to +1KB (Thumb, 16‑bit Thumb‑2). See LTORG for a detailed description.

You must place literal pools where the processor does not attempt to execute them as instructions. Place them after unconditional branch instructions, or after the return instruction at the end of a subroutine.

Example 2.4 shows how this works.

The instructions listed as comments are the ARM instructions generated by the assembler.

Example 2.4.

        AREA     Loadcon, CODE, READONLY
        ENTRY                              ; Mark first instruction to execute
start
        BL       func1                     ; Branch to first subroutine
        BL       func2                     ; Branch to second subroutine
stop
        MOV      r0, #0x18                 ; angel_SWIreason_ReportException
        LDR      r1, =0x20026              ; ADP_Stopped_ApplicationExit
        SVC      #0x123456                 ; ARM semihosting (formerly SWI)

func1
        LDR      r0, =42                   ; => MOV R0, #42
        LDR      r1, =0x55555555           ; => LDR R1, [PC, #offset to
                                           ; Literal Pool 1]
        LDR      r2, =0xFFFFFFFF           ; => MVN R2, #0
        BX       lr
        LTORG                              ; Literal Pool 1 contains
                                           ; literal Ox55555555
func2
        LDR      r3, =0x55555555           ; => LDR R3, [PC, #offset to
                                           ; Literal Pool 1]
        ; LDR r4, =0x66666666              ; If this is uncommented it
                                           ; fails, because Literal Pool 2
                                           ; is out of reach
        BX       lr
LargeTable
        SPACE    4200                      ; Starting at the current location,
                                           ; clears a 4200 byte area of memory
                                           ; to zero
        END                                ; Literal Pool 2 is empty

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