# `vspltw` — Vector Splat Word
> **Category:** [VMX (Altivec)](../categories/vmx.md) · **Form:** [VX](../forms/VX.md) · **Opcode:** `0x1000028c`
## Assembler Mnemonics
| Mnemonic | XML entry | Flags | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `vspltw` | `vspltw` | — | Vector Splat Word |
| `vspltw128` | `vspltw128` | — | Vector128 Splat Word |
## Syntax
```asm
vspltw [VD], [VB], [UIMM]
vspltw128 [VD], [VB], [UIMM]
```
## Encoding
### `vspltw` — form `VX`
- **Opcode word:** `0x1000028c`
- **Primary opcode (bits 0–5):** `4`
- **Extended opcode:** `652`
- **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) |
### `vspltw128` — form `VX128_3`
- **Opcode word:** `0x18000730`
- **Primary opcode (bits 0–5):** `6`
- **Extended opcode:** `1840`
- **Synchronising:** no
| Bits | Field | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 0–5 | `OPCD` | primary opcode (6) |
| 6–10 | `VD128l` | destination low 5 bits |
| 11–15 | `IMM` | 5-bit immediate |
| 16–20 | `VB128l` | source B low 5 bits |
| 21–27 | `XO` | extended opcode |
| 28–29 | `VD128h` | destination high 2 bits |
| 30–31 | `VB128h` | source B high 2 bits |
## Operands
| Field | Role | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `VB` | vspltw: read; vspltw128: read | Source B vector register. |
| `UIMM` | vspltw: read; vspltw128: read | 16-bit unsigned immediate. Zero-extended. |
| `VD` | vspltw: write; vspltw128: write | Destination vector register. |
## Register Effects
### `vspltw`
- **Reads (always):** `VB`, `UIMM`
- **Reads (conditional):** _none_
- **Writes (always):** `VD`
- **Writes (conditional):** _none_
### `vspltw128`
- **Reads (always):** `VB`, `UIMM`
- **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
**`vspltw`**
- xenia-canary XML: [`tools/ppc-instructions.xml` — search for `mnem="vspltw"`](../../xenia-canary/tools/ppc-instructions.xml)
- xenia-canary emit: [`src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:1529`](../../xenia-canary/src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc#L1529)
- xenia-rs opcode: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs:123`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs#L123)
- xenia-rs decoder: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs:493`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs#L493)
- xenia-rs interpreter: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs:2328-2334`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs#L2328-L2334)
xenia-rs interpreter body (frozen snapshot)
```rust
PpcOpcode::vspltw => {
let uimm = ((instr.raw >> 16) & 0x3) as usize; // UIMM (2 bits for word index)
let b = ctx.vr[instr.rb()].as_u32x4();
let val = b[uimm];
ctx.vr[instr.rd()] = xenia_types::Vec128::from_u32x4(val, val, val, val);
ctx.pc += 4;
}
```
**`vspltw128`**
- xenia-canary XML: [`tools/ppc-instructions.xml` — search for `mnem="vspltw128"`](../../xenia-canary/tools/ppc-instructions.xml)
- xenia-canary emit: [`src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc:1532`](../../xenia-canary/src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_altivec.cc#L1532)
- xenia-rs opcode: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs:123`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs#L123)
- xenia-rs decoder: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs:668`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs#L668)
- xenia-rs interpreter: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs:2335-2341`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs#L2335-L2341)
xenia-rs interpreter body (frozen snapshot)
```rust
PpcOpcode::vspltw128 => {
let uimm = ((instr.raw >> 16) & 0x3) as usize;
let b = ctx.vr[instr.vb128()].as_u32x4();
let val = b[uimm];
ctx.vr[instr.vd128()] = xenia_types::Vec128::from_u32x4(val, val, val, val);
ctx.pc += 4;
}
```
## Special Cases & Edge Conditions
- **Splat one word across all 4 lanes.** `UIMM` (bits 11–15, low 2 bits honoured) picks which of `VB`'s 4 word lanes is replicated.
- **Big-endian index.** `UIMM = 0` → `VB.w[0]` (most significant word).
- **Typical use: broadcast a float or a 32-bit constant** (e.g. splatting a scalar result before feeding it to a per-lane multiply).
- **No flags, no VSCR.**
- **VMX128 sibling [`vspltw128`](vspltw128.md).**
- **Compares with [`vpermwi128`](../vmx128/vpermwi128.md):** `vpermwi128` generalises word splat to any 4-of-4 permutation using an 8-bit immediate (2 bits per output word).
## Related Instructions
- [`vspltb`](vspltb.md), [`vsplth`](vsplth.md) — byte / half-word splat siblings.
- [`vspltisw`](vspltisw.md) — immediate splat counterpart.
- [`vpermwi128`](../vmx128/vpermwi128.md) — VMX128 full word permute.
- [`vperm`](vperm.md) — byte-granular programmable permute.
## IBM Reference
- [AIX 7.3 — `vspltw` (Vector Splat Word)](https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/aix/7.3.0?topic=set-vspltw-vector-splat-word-instruction)
- [IBM AltiVec Technology Programmer's Interface Manual, Chapter 6 — Permute and Formatting](https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/reference-manual/ALTIVECPIM.pdf)