# `lwbrx` — Load Word Byte-Reverse Indexed

> **Category:** [Memory](../categories/memory.md) · **Form:** [X](../forms/X.md) · **Opcode:** `0x7c00042c`

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## Assembler Mnemonics

| Mnemonic | XML entry | Flags | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `lwbrx` | `lwbrx` | — | Load Word Byte-Reverse Indexed |

## Syntax

```asm
lwbrx [RD], [RA0], [RB]
```

## Encoding

### `lwbrx` — form `X`

- **Opcode word:** `0x7c00042c`
- **Primary opcode (bits 0–5):** `31`
- **Extended opcode:** `534`
- **Synchronising:** no

| Bits | Field | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 0–5 | `OPCD` | primary opcode |
| 6–10 | `RT/FRT/VRT` | destination |
| 11–15 | `RA/FRA/VRA` | source A |
| 16–20 | `RB/FRB/VRB` | source B |
| 21–30 | `XO` | extended opcode (10 bits) |
| 31 | `Rc` | record-form flag |

## Operands

| Field | Role | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `RA0` | lwbrx: read | Source GPR; when the encoded register number is 0 the operand is the literal 64-bit zero, **not** `r0`. |
| `RB` | lwbrx: read | Source GPR. |
| `RD` | lwbrx: write | Destination GPR. |

## Register Effects

### `lwbrx`

- **Reads (always):** `RA0`, `RB`
- **Reads (conditional):** _none_
- **Writes (always):** `RD`
- **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

**`lwbrx`**
- xenia-canary XML: [`tools/ppc-instructions.xml` — search for `mnem="lwbrx"`](../../xenia-canary/tools/ppc-instructions.xml)
- xenia-canary emit: [`src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_memory.cc:641`](../../xenia-canary/src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_memory.cc#L641)
- xenia-rs opcode: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs:49`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs#L49)
- xenia-rs decoder: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs:818`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs#L818)
- xenia-rs interpreter: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs:1799-1805`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs#L1799-L1805)
<details><summary>xenia-rs interpreter body (frozen snapshot)</summary>

```rust
        PpcOpcode::lwbrx => {
            let ea = if instr.ra() == 0 { 0u64 } else { ctx.gpr[instr.ra()] };
            let ea = ea.wrapping_add(ctx.gpr[instr.rb()]) as u32;
            let val = mem.read_u32(ea);
            ctx.gpr[instr.rd()] = val.swap_bytes() as u64;
            ctx.pc += 4;
        }
```
</details>

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## Special Cases & Edge Conditions

- **Reads little-endian word.** Loads 4 bytes and reverses byte order. With Xenon's big-endian world view, the architectural effect is "load a little-endian word as if it were big-endian" — the standard parser instruction for PNG/ZIP/RIFF/TGA chunk fields, network protocol fields, and PC-side-formatted data.
- **Implementation detail.** The xenia snapshot calls `mem.read_u32(ea).swap_bytes()`. `read_u32` already returns the host-native value of the big-endian word at `EA`; `swap_bytes` then flips it.
- **X-form only — no update form.** Only the indexed form exists. `EA = (RA|0) + RB`. Pointer-bumping requires a separate `addi`.
- **`RA0` semantics.** When `RA = 0`, base is literal zero; `lwbrx RT, 0, RB` reads at exact `RB`.
- **Zero-extension to 64 bits.** Result occupies the full 64-bit GPR; high 32 bits zero. There is no sign-extending byte-reverse load — combine with `extsw` if needed.
- **Alignment.** Hardware tolerates unaligned 4-byte reads. Cache-inhibited storage may raise alignment exceptions on real Xenon.
- **Pair with [`stwbrx`](stwbrx.md).** Symmetric byte-reverse store.

## Related Instructions

- [`lhbrx`](lhbrx.md), [`ldbrx`](ldbrx.md) — narrower / wider byte-reverse loads.
- [`stwbrx`](stwbrx.md) — store-word byte-reverse counterpart.
- [`lwz`](lwz.md), [`lwzx`](lwz.md) — non-reversing zero-extending word loads.
- [`lwa`](lwa.md), [`lwax`](lwa.md) — non-reversing sign-extending word loads.

## IBM Reference

- [AIX 7.3 — `lwbrx` (Load Word Byte-Reverse Indexed)](https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/aix/7.3.0?topic=set-lwbrx-load-word-byte-reverse-indexed-instruction)
- `PowerISA v2.07B Book II` § "Byte-Reverse Storage Access".