# `vrlw` — Vector Rotate Left Integer Word > **Category:** [VMX (Altivec)](../categories/vmx.md) · **Form:** [VX](../forms/VX.md) · **Opcode:** `0x10000084` ## Assembler Mnemonics | Mnemonic | XML entry | Flags | Description | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `vrlw` | `vrlw` | — | Vector Rotate Left Integer Word | | `vrlw128` | `vrlw128` | — | Vector128 Rotate Left Word | ## Syntax ```asm vrlw [VD], [VA], [VB] vrlw128 [VD], [VA], [VB] ``` ## Encoding ### `vrlw` — form `VX` - **Opcode word:** `0x10000084` - **Primary opcode (bits 0–5):** `4` - **Extended opcode:** `132` - **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) | ### `vrlw128` — form `VX128` - **Opcode word:** `0x18000050` - **Primary opcode (bits 0–5):** `6` - **Extended opcode:** `80` - **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` | vrlw: read; vrlw128: read | Source A vector register. | | `VB` | vrlw: read; vrlw128: read | Source B vector register. | | `VD` | vrlw: write; vrlw128: write | Destination vector register. | ## Register Effects ### `vrlw` - **Reads (always):** `VA`, `VB` - **Reads (conditional):** _none_ - **Writes (always):** `VD` - **Writes (conditional):** _none_ ### `vrlw128` - **Reads (always):** `VA`, `VB` - **Reads (conditional):** _none_ - **Writes (always):** `VD` - **Writes (conditional):** _none_ ## Status-Register Effects _No condition-register or status-register effects._ ## Operation (pseudocode) ``` ; Pseudocode derives directly from the xenia-rs interpreter ; arm (see Implementation References). Operation semantics: ; - Read source operands from the fields listed under Operands. ; - Apply the arithmetic / logical / memory action described ; in the Description field above. ; - Write results to the destination register(s); update any ; status bits enumerated under Status-Register Effects. ; Consult the IBM AIX reference link under IBM Reference for ; canonical PPC-style pseudocode where xenia's expression is ; terse. ``` ## C Translation Example ```c /* C translation: the xenia-rs interpreter arm below in */ /* Implementation References is the authoritative semantic */ /* snapshot. Translate it line-by-line: */ /* - ctx.gpr[N] -> r[N] (or f[]/v[] for FPRs/VRs) */ /* - mem.read_u*/write_u* -> mem_read_u*_be / mem_write_u*_be */ /* - ctx.update_cr_signed(fld, v) -> update_cr_signed(fld, v) */ /* - ctx.xer_ca / xer_ov / xer_so -> xer.CA / xer.OV / xer.SO */ /* The Register Effects and Status-Register Effects tables above */ /* enumerate every side effect a faithful translation must emit. */ ``` ## Implementation References **`vrlw`** - xenia-canary XML: [`tools/ppc-instructions.xml` — search for `mnem="vrlw"`](../../xenia-canary/tools/ppc-instructions.xml) - xenia-canary emit: [`src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:1308`](../../xenia-canary/src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc#L1308) - xenia-rs opcode: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs:119`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs#L119) - xenia-rs decoder: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs:450`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs#L450) - xenia-rs interpreter: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs:2450-2461`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs#L2450-L2461)
xenia-rs interpreter body (frozen snapshot) ```rust PpcOpcode::vrlw | PpcOpcode::vrlw128 => { let (va, vb, vd) = vmx_reg_triple(instr); let a = ctx.vr[va].as_u32x4(); let b = ctx.vr[vb].as_u32x4(); let mut r = [0u32; 4]; for i in 0..4 { let sh = b[i] & 0x1F; r[i] = a[i].rotate_left(sh); } ctx.vr[vd] = xenia_types::Vec128::from_u32x4_array(r); ctx.pc += 4; } ```
**`vrlw128`** - xenia-canary XML: [`tools/ppc-instructions.xml` — search for `mnem="vrlw128"`](../../xenia-canary/tools/ppc-instructions.xml) - xenia-canary emit: [`src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:1311`](../../xenia-canary/src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc#L1311) - xenia-rs opcode: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs:119`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs#L119) - xenia-rs decoder: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs:692`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs#L692) - xenia-rs interpreter: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs:2450-2461`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs#L2450-L2461)
xenia-rs interpreter body (frozen snapshot) ```rust PpcOpcode::vrlw | PpcOpcode::vrlw128 => { let (va, vb, vd) = vmx_reg_triple(instr); let a = ctx.vr[va].as_u32x4(); let b = ctx.vr[vb].as_u32x4(); let mut r = [0u32; 4]; for i in 0..4 { let sh = b[i] & 0x1F; r[i] = a[i].rotate_left(sh); } ctx.vr[vd] = xenia_types::Vec128::from_u32x4_array(r); ctx.pc += 4; } ```
## Special Cases & Edge Conditions - **Per-lane left-rotate of words.** For each of the 4 word lanes, `VD.w[i] = rotate_left(VA.w[i], VB.w[i] & 0x1F)`. Low 5 bits of each shift-count word are used. - **Per-lane shift counts.** Splat with [`vspltw`](vspltw.md) or [`vspltisw`](vspltisw.md) for uniform rotation. - **Big-endian word lanes.** Lane 0 is the most significant 4 bytes. - **No overflow, no saturation.** - **No `Rc`, no XER, no VSCR effect.** - **VMX128 sibling [`vrlw128`](vrlw128.md)** — same op with the wider register file. - **Building block for [`vrlimi128`](../vmx128/vrlimi128.md).** VMX128 fuses a rotate with an immediate-masked insert for cheaper bitfield shuffles; `vrlw` is the plain variant that the XDK uses for scalar-style 32-bit rotates. ## Related Instructions - [`vrlb`](vrlb.md), [`vrlh`](vrlh.md) — byte / half-word rotate siblings. - [`vslw`](vslw.md), [`vsrw`](vsrw.md), [`vsraw`](vsraw.md) — word shift-left / logical-right / arithmetic-right. - [`vsl`](vsl.md), [`vsr`](vsr.md) — bit-level whole-register shifts. - [`vspltw`](vspltw.md), [`vspltisw`](vspltisw.md) — splat sources for uniform shift counts. - [`vrlimi128`](../vmx128/vrlimi128.md) — rotate + mask-insert (VMX128-exclusive). ## IBM Reference - [AIX 7.3 — `vrlw` (Vector Rotate Left Integer Word)](https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/aix/7.3.0?topic=set-vrlw-vector-rotate-left-integer-word-instruction) - [IBM AltiVec Technology Programmer's Interface Manual, Chapter 4 — Integer Shift / Rotate](https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/reference-manual/ALTIVECPIM.pdf)