# `vslw` — Vector Shift Left Integer Word
> **Category:** [VMX (Altivec)](../categories/vmx.md) · **Form:** [VX](../forms/VX.md) · **Opcode:** `0x10000184`
## Assembler Mnemonics
| Mnemonic | XML entry | Flags | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `vslw` | `vslw` | — | Vector Shift Left Integer Word |
| `vslw128` | `vslw128` | — | Vector128 Shift Left Integer Word |
## Syntax
```asm
vslw [VD], [VA], [VB]
vslw128 [VD], [VA], [VB]
```
## Encoding
### `vslw` — form `VX`
- **Opcode word:** `0x10000184`
- **Primary opcode (bits 0–5):** `4`
- **Extended opcode:** `388`
- **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) |
### `vslw128` — form `VX128`
- **Opcode word:** `0x180000d0`
- **Primary opcode (bits 0–5):** `6`
- **Extended opcode:** `208`
- **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` | vslw: read; vslw128: read | Source A vector register. |
| `VB` | vslw: read; vslw128: read | Source B vector register. |
| `VD` | vslw: write; vslw128: write | Destination vector register. |
## Register Effects
### `vslw`
- **Reads (always):** `VA`, `VB`
- **Reads (conditional):** _none_
- **Writes (always):** `VD`
- **Writes (conditional):** _none_
### `vslw128`
- **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
**`vslw`**
- xenia-canary XML: [`tools/ppc-instructions.xml` — search for `mnem="vslw"`](../../xenia-canary/tools/ppc-instructions.xml)
- xenia-canary emit: [`src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:1433`](../../xenia-canary/src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc#L1433)
- xenia-rs opcode: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs:122`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs#L122)
- xenia-rs decoder: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs:468`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs#L468)
- xenia-rs interpreter: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs:2414-2425`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs#L2414-L2425)
xenia-rs interpreter body (frozen snapshot)
```rust
PpcOpcode::vslw | PpcOpcode::vslw128 => {
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] << sh;
}
ctx.vr[vd] = xenia_types::Vec128::from_u32x4_array(r);
ctx.pc += 4;
}
```
**`vslw128`**
- xenia-canary XML: [`tools/ppc-instructions.xml` — search for `mnem="vslw128"`](../../xenia-canary/tools/ppc-instructions.xml)
- xenia-canary emit: [`src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:1436`](../../xenia-canary/src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc#L1436)
- xenia-rs opcode: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs:122`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs#L122)
- xenia-rs decoder: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs:693`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs#L693)
- xenia-rs interpreter: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs:2414-2425`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs#L2414-L2425)
xenia-rs interpreter body (frozen snapshot)
```rust
PpcOpcode::vslw | PpcOpcode::vslw128 => {
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] << sh;
}
ctx.vr[vd] = xenia_types::Vec128::from_u32x4_array(r);
ctx.pc += 4;
}
```
## Special Cases & Edge Conditions
- **Per-lane logical shift-left of words.** `VD.w[i] = VA.w[i] << (VB.w[i] & 0x1F)` for `i ∈ 0..3`. Low 5 bits of each shift-count word are honoured.
- **Per-lane shift counts.** Splat with [`vspltw`](vspltw.md) / [`vspltisw`](vspltisw.md) for uniform shifts.
- **Zero-fill right.** Arithmetic right shift is [`vsraw`](vsraw.md).
- **Big-endian word indexing.**
- **No flags, no VSCR.**
- **VMX128 sibling [`vslw128`](vslw128.md).**
## Related Instructions
- [`vsrw`](vsrw.md) — logical-right word.
- [`vsraw`](vsraw.md) — arithmetic-right word.
- [`vrlw`](vrlw.md) — word rotate.
- [`vslb`](vslb.md), [`vslh`](vslh.md) — byte / half-word logical-left.
- [`vspltw`](vspltw.md), [`vspltisw`](vspltisw.md) — splats for shift counts.
## IBM Reference
- [AIX 7.3 — `vslw` (Vector Shift Left Integer Word)](https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/aix/7.3.0?topic=set-vslw-vector-shift-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)