xenia-rs/migration/project-root/ppc-manual/memory/lswx.md

# `lswx` — Load String Word Indexed

> **Category:** [Memory](../categories/memory.md) · **Form:** [X](../forms/X.md) · **Opcode:** `0x7c00042a`

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## Assembler Mnemonics

| Mnemonic | XML entry | Flags | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `lswx` | `lswx` | — | Load String Word Indexed |

## Syntax

```asm
(no disassembly template)
```

## Encoding

### `lswx` — form `X`

- **Opcode word:** `0x7c00042a`
- **Primary opcode (bits 0–5):** `31`
- **Extended opcode:** `533`
- **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 |
| --- | --- | --- |

## Register Effects

### `lswx`

- **Reads (always):** _none_
- **Reads (conditional):** _none_
- **Writes (always):** _none_
- **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

**`lswx`**
- xenia-canary XML: [`tools/ppc-instructions.xml` — search for `mnem="lswx"`](../../xenia-canary/tools/ppc-instructions.xml)
- xenia-canary emit: [`src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_memory.cc:732`](../../xenia-canary/src/xenia/cpu/ppc/ppc_emit_memory.cc#L732)
- xenia-rs opcode: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs:42`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/opcode.rs#L42)
- xenia-rs decoder: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs:817`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/decoder.rs#L817)
- xenia-rs interpreter: [`crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs:4644-4662`](../../xenia-rs/crates/xenia-cpu/src/interpreter.rs#L4644-L4662)
<details><summary>xenia-rs interpreter body (frozen snapshot)</summary>

```rust
        PpcOpcode::lswx => {
            let mut ea = ea_indexed(ctx, instr);
            let nb = ctx.xer() & 0x7F; // XER[25..31]
            let mut rd = instr.rd();
            let mut bytes_left = nb;
            while bytes_left > 0 {
                let mut val = 0u32;
                for byte_idx in 0..4 {
                    if bytes_left == 0 { break; }
                    let b = mem.read_u8(ea) as u32;
                    val |= b << (24 - byte_idx * 8);
                    ea = ea.wrapping_add(1);
                    bytes_left -= 1;
                }
                ctx.gpr[rd] = val as u64;
                rd = (rd + 1) % 32;
            }
            ctx.pc += 4;
        }
```
</details>

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## Special Cases & Edge Conditions

- **Byte count from `XER[25..31]`.** Unlike `lswi` (where the count is encoded as `RB`), `lswx` reads `XER[25..31]` for the byte count `NB` (0..127). Xenia's snapshot does `let nb = (ctx.xer() & 0x7F) as u32;`. `NB = 0` is **not** the "32 bytes" special case here — zero means literally zero bytes, no registers touched.
- **Register packing identical to `lswi`.** Bytes are packed big-endian into successive GPRs starting at `RT`, four bytes per register, with wraparound `r31 → r0`. Trailing bytes in the last register are zero-padded on the right.
- **`RA0` semantics.** `RA = 0` selects literal zero. The instruction has no update form — `RA` is not modified.
- **Invalid forms.** AIX flags as invalid: `RT` collides with `RA` or `RB` within the destination range; `XER[25..31]` and `NB` byte stream wraps around through both `RA` and `RB`. Xenia performs writes regardless, with last-write-wins semantics.
- **Used for non-multiple-of-4 copies.** Together with `lswi`, gives a way to load a runtime-determined byte count without per-byte loops. Compilers don't emit it; rare hand-written copy primitives may.
- **Alignment.** Architecture allows arbitrary alignment; cache-inhibited storage may raise alignment exceptions on real hardware.
- **No FPSCR / CR effects.** Pure data movement.

## Related Instructions

- [`lswi`](lswi.md) — sibling with byte count encoded as `RB` field (immediate-style).
- [`stswx`](stswx.md), [`stswi`](stswi.md) — symmetric stores.
- [`lmw`](lmw.md) — word-granular bulk load (no byte tail handling).
- [`lwz`](lwz.md), [`lbz`](lbz.md) — scalar loads compilers actually emit.

## IBM Reference

- [AIX 7.3 — `lswx` (Load String Word Indexed)](https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/aix/7.3.0?topic=set-lswx-load-string-word-indexed-instruction)
- `PowerISA v2.07B Book II` § "Load and Store String" for invalid-form rules and `XER` interaction.