# `vpkswus` — Vector Pack Signed Word Unsigned Saturate
> **Category:** [VMX (Altivec)](../categories/vmx.md) · **Form:** [VX](../forms/VX.md) · **Opcode:** `0x1000014e`
## Assembler Mnemonics
| Mnemonic | XML entry | Flags | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `vpkswus` | `vpkswus` | — | Vector Pack Signed Word Unsigned Saturate |
| `vpkswus128` | `vpkswus128` | — | Vector128 Pack Signed Word Unsigned Saturate |
## Syntax
```asm
vpkswus [VD], [VA], [VB]
vpkswus128 [VD], [VA], [VB]
```
## Encoding
### `vpkswus` — form `VX`
- **Opcode word:** `0x1000014e`
- **Primary opcode (bits 0–5):** `4`
- **Extended opcode:** `334`
- **Synchronising:** no
| Bits | Field | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 0–5 | `OPCD` | primary opcode (4) |
| 6–10 | `VRT/VD` | destination vector register |
| 11–15 | `VRA/VA` | source A vector register |
| 16–20 | `VRB/VB` | source B vector register |
| 21–31 | `XO` | extended opcode (11 bits) |
### `vpkswus128` — form `VX128`
- **Opcode word:** `0x140002c0`
- **Primary opcode (bits 0–5):** `5`
- **Extended opcode:** `704`
- **Synchronising:** no
| Bits | Field | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 0–5 | `OPCD` | primary opcode (4 or 5) |
| 6–10 | `VD128l` | destination low 5 bits |
| 11–15 | `VA128l` | source A low 5 bits |
| 16–20 | `VB128l` | source B low 5 bits |
| 21 | `VA128H` | source A high bit |
| 22 | `—` | reserved |
| 23–25 | `VC` | optional VC / XO sub-field |
| 26 | `VA128h` | source A middle bit |
| 27 | `—` | reserved |
| 28–29 | `VD128h` | destination high 2 bits |
| 30–31 | `VB128h` | source B high 2 bits |
## Operands
| Field | Role | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `VA` | vpkswus: read; vpkswus128: read | Source A vector register. |
| `VB` | vpkswus: read; vpkswus128: read | Source B vector register. |
| `VD` | vpkswus: write; vpkswus128: write | Destination vector register. |
| `VSCR` | vpkswus: write; vpkswus128: write | Vector Status and Control Register (NJ/SAT bits). |
## Register Effects
### `vpkswus`
- **Reads (always):** `VA`, `VB`
- **Reads (conditional):** _none_
- **Writes (always):** `VD`, `VSCR`
- **Writes (conditional):** _none_
### `vpkswus128`
- **Reads (always):** `VA`, `VB`
- **Reads (conditional):** _none_
- **Writes (always):** `VD`, `VSCR`
- **Writes (conditional):** _none_
## Status-Register Effects
- `vpkswus`: **VSCR[SAT]** may be stickied on saturating vector operations.
- `vpkswus128`: **VSCR[SAT]** may be stickied on saturating vector operations.
## Operation (pseudocode)
```
; No hand-written pseudocode for this instruction yet.
; The authoritative semantics are the Canary emitter snapshot under
; Implementation References; about half of Canary's emitters open
; with the PPC-style definition as a comment (`RD <- (RA) + (RB)`).
; Every side effect is also enumerated in the Register Effects and
; Status-Register Effects tables above.
```
## C Translation Example
```c
/* No hand-written C yet. Translate the Canary emitter snapshot */
/* under Implementation References; its HIR maps directly: */
/* f.LoadGPR(n) / f.StoreGPR(n, v) -> r[n] / r[n] = v */
/* f.LoadFPR / StoreFPR, f.LoadVR / StoreVR -> f[n], v[n] */
/* f.Load(ea, T), f.Store(ea, v) -> raw read / write; emitters */
/* wrap them in f.ByteSwap for the big-endian guest value */
/* f.UpdateCR(n, v) -> CR field n from v's LOW 32 BITS vs 0 */
/* f.LoadCA / f.StoreCA -> xer.CA; f.StoreSAT -> vscr.SAT */
/* i.XO.RA, i.D.DS, ... -> the bit-fields listed under Operands */
/* The Register Effects and Status-Register Effects tables above */
/* enumerate every side effect a faithful translation must emit. */
```
## Implementation References
**`vpkswus`**
- Canary XML: [`tools/ppc-instructions.xml` — search for `mnem="vpkswus"`](https://github.com/xenia-canary/xenia-canary/blob/f21ebd49e979e44f081f474df78c3fbfee9cb3f2/tools/ppc-instructions.xml)
- Canary emitter: [`src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:1875`](https://github.com/xenia-canary/xenia-canary/blob/f21ebd49e979e44f081f474df78c3fbfee9cb3f2/src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc#L1875)
- Sylpheed opcode: [`crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/opcode.rs:411`](../../../crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/opcode.rs#L411)
- Sylpheed decoder: [`crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/decoder.rs:580`](../../../crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/decoder.rs#L580)
Canary emitter (frozen snapshot @ f21ebd49e9)
```cpp
int InstrEmit_vpkswus(PPCHIRBuilder& f, const InstrData& i) {
return InstrEmit_vpkswus_(f, i.VX.VD, i.VX.VA, i.VX.VB);
}
// ── delegates to (src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:1860) ──
int InstrEmit_vpkswus_(PPCHIRBuilder& f, uint32_t vd, uint32_t va,
uint32_t vb) {
// Vector Pack Signed Word Unsigned Saturate
// Convert VA and VB from signed int words to unsigned saturated shorts then
// concat:
// for each i in VA + VB:
// i = uint16_t(Clamp(EXTS(int32_t(t)), 0, 2^16-1))
// dest = VA | VB (lower 16bit values)
Value* v = f.Pack(f.LoadVR(va), f.LoadVR(vb),
PACK_TYPE_16_IN_32 | PACK_TYPE_IN_SIGNED |
PACK_TYPE_OUT_UNSIGNED | PACK_TYPE_OUT_SATURATE);
f.StoreSAT(f.DidSaturate(v));
f.StoreVR(vd, v);
return 0;
}
```
**`vpkswus128`**
- Canary XML: [`tools/ppc-instructions.xml` — search for `mnem="vpkswus128"`](https://github.com/xenia-canary/xenia-canary/blob/f21ebd49e979e44f081f474df78c3fbfee9cb3f2/tools/ppc-instructions.xml)
- Canary emitter: [`src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:1878`](https://github.com/xenia-canary/xenia-canary/blob/f21ebd49e979e44f081f474df78c3fbfee9cb3f2/src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc#L1878)
- Sylpheed opcode: [`crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/opcode.rs:412`](../../../crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/opcode.rs#L412)
- Sylpheed decoder: [`crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/decoder.rs:739`](../../../crates/sylpheed-ppc/src/decoder.rs#L739)
Canary emitter (frozen snapshot @ f21ebd49e9)
```cpp
int InstrEmit_vpkswus128(PPCHIRBuilder& f, const InstrData& i) {
return InstrEmit_vpkswus_(f, VX128_VD128, VX128_VA128, VX128_VB128);
}
// ── delegates to (src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:1860) ──
int InstrEmit_vpkswus_(PPCHIRBuilder& f, uint32_t vd, uint32_t va,
uint32_t vb) {
// Vector Pack Signed Word Unsigned Saturate
// Convert VA and VB from signed int words to unsigned saturated shorts then
// concat:
// for each i in VA + VB:
// i = uint16_t(Clamp(EXTS(int32_t(t)), 0, 2^16-1))
// dest = VA | VB (lower 16bit values)
Value* v = f.Pack(f.LoadVR(va), f.LoadVR(vb),
PACK_TYPE_16_IN_32 | PACK_TYPE_IN_SIGNED |
PACK_TYPE_OUT_UNSIGNED | PACK_TYPE_OUT_SATURATE);
f.StoreSAT(f.DidSaturate(v));
f.StoreVR(vd, v);
return 0;
}
```
## Special Cases & Edge Conditions
- **Signed word → unsigned half-word saturating pack.** Each of the 8 input word lanes is interpreted as `int32` and clamped to `[0, 65535]`. Negatives → 0, values above 65535 → 65535, sticky-setting `VSCR[SAT]`.
- **Lane-count doubling.** 8 word lanes → 8 half-word lanes, ordered as `VA` then `VB`.
- **Choose over [`vpkswss`](vpkswss.md)** when negative results shouldn't survive — e.g. clamped colour or intensity values that happen to have arrived in `int32` form.
- **`VSCR[SAT]` is sticky.**
- **No `Rc`, no XER / FPSCR.**
- **VMX128 sibling `vpkswus128`.**
## Related Instructions
- [`vpkswss`](vpkswss.md) — signed → signed clamp.
- [`vpkuwus`](vpkuwus.md) — unsigned word input → unsigned half-word.
- [`vpkuwum`](vpkuwum.md) — modulo (truncate) pack.
- [`vpkshus`](vpkshus.md) — the half-word → byte analogue.
- [`vupkhsh`](vupkhsh.md), [`vupklsh`](vupklsh.md) — signed-half-word unpacks.
## IBM Reference
- [AIX 7.3 — `vpkswus` (Vector Pack Signed Word Unsigned Saturate)](https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/aix/7.3.0?topic=set-vpkswus-vector-pack-signed-word-unsigned-saturate-instruction)
- [IBM AltiVec Technology Programmer's Interface Manual, Chapter 6 — Permute and Formatting](https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/reference-manual/ALTIVECPIM.pdf)