uVision2 debugger

no, but where the variables are, which is just the same as

org 30h
store1 ds 1
store2 ds 1

; equ.asm:
        DSEG at 30h
store1 equ 30h
store2 equ store1+1
        CSEG
        ORG 0
        mov     a, store1
        mov     B, store2
        END

; ds.asm:
        DSEG at 30h
store1: ds 1
store2: ds 1
        CSEG
        ORG 0
        mov     a, store1
        mov     B, store2
        END

@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ SYMBOL TABLE LISTING
 N A M E             T Y P E  V A L U E   ATTRIBUTES

 B. . . . . . . . .  D ADDR   00F0H   A
-STORE1 . . . . . .  D ADDR   0030H   A
-STORE2 . . . . . .  D ADDR   0031H   A
+STORE1 . . . . . .  N NUMB   0030H   A
+STORE2 . . . . . .  N NUMB   0031H   A


 REGISTER BANK(S) USED: 0

@@ -17,11 +17,9 @@ LINK MAP OF MODULE:  DS (DS)

             * * * * * * *   D A T A   M E M O R Y   * * * * * * *
             REG     0000H     0008H     ABSOLUTE     "REG BANK 0"
-                    0008H     0028H                  *** GAP ***
-            DATA    0030H     0002H     ABSOLUTE

             * * * * * * *   C O D E   M E M O R Y   * * * * * * *
             CODE    0000H     0005H     ABSOLUTE

-Program Size: data=10.0 xdata=0 code=5
+Program Size: data=8.0 xdata=0 code=5
 LINK/LOCATE RUN COMPLETE.  0 WARNING(S),  0 ERROR(S)

no, but where the variables are, which is just the same as

org 30h
store1 ds 1
store2 ds 1

; equ.asm:
        DSEG at 30h
store1 equ 30h
store2 equ store1+1
        CSEG
        ORG 0
        mov     a, store1
        mov     B, store2
        END

; ds.asm:
        DSEG at 30h
store1: ds 1
store2: ds 1
        CSEG
        ORG 0
        mov     a, store1
        mov     B, store2
        END

@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ SYMBOL TABLE LISTING
 N A M E             T Y P E  V A L U E   ATTRIBUTES

 B. . . . . . . . .  D ADDR   00F0H   A
-STORE1 . . . . . .  D ADDR   0030H   A
-STORE2 . . . . . .  D ADDR   0031H   A
+STORE1 . . . . . .  N NUMB   0030H   A
+STORE2 . . . . . .  N NUMB   0031H   A


 REGISTER BANK(S) USED: 0

@@ -17,11 +17,9 @@ LINK MAP OF MODULE:  DS (DS)

             * * * * * * *   D A T A   M E M O R Y   * * * * * * *
             REG     0000H     0008H     ABSOLUTE     "REG BANK 0"
-                    0008H     0028H                  *** GAP ***
-            DATA    0030H     0002H     ABSOLUTE

             * * * * * * *   C O D E   M E M O R Y   * * * * * * *
             CODE    0000H     0005H     ABSOLUTE

-Program Size: data=10.0 xdata=0 code=5
+Program Size: data=8.0 xdata=0 code=5
 LINK/LOCATE RUN COMPLETE.  0 WARNING(S),  0 ERROR(S)

Note that according to the linker, the program using EQU has used no data at all except register bank #0. I hope you can agree that this is desaster waiting to happen.
Yes, there is a disaster waiting, but not the one you mention. The method virtually guarantee that someone at some time will put 2 variables in the same slot.

I have seen several programs using the EQU method that worked beautifully (and fixed some that did not).

Please understand, I totally agree that the EQU method is dangerous and should not be used, where we do not agree is that, it works. I would neither use nor recommend it, but in a way that invites you to make a bug and almost guarantees you will, it works.

NOW, if you mix this with C the house comes tumbling down, but that was not mentioned. Of course if you mix the EQU method with 'ds' statements it will get so many times easier to make a bug, but, again, it CAN be done.

I do not know how long you have been around, but some of the programs from the pre C days were "really fun", you added a variable and spent days to find out why that maded the whole thing fall apart.

Erik

friends,

come back to the original question:

data_variable: DS 1
typeless_number EQU 0BH

and can be treated with the same instruction:

MOV A,data_variable (F50A)
MOV A,typeless_number (F50B)

,but there is the value of "data_variable" displays properly in the "Watch" window,
"typeless_number" shows it's address instead
of the value.

How can I trace such a variable?


I think the question is not in difference between EQU/define/DATA et cetera, the matter is "how to obtain this value". And the answer is simple - follow the [simple] rules which Keil made for us. Debugger (and its Watch module) is not so smart to understand that if user types "EQU" then he orders: "look at the value which is stored in a memory which address in indicated by this fancy number". So open datasheet, read about numbers and addresses and have good sleep then.

Regards,
Oleg

I think the question is not in difference between EQU/define/DATA et cetera

But it's exactly about the difference between EQU and DS!

And the difference between those is precisely that one generates a number, the other a variable. This difference both neatly explains the difference of behaviour if one tries to display things in the debugger (the EQU is not displayed as "its address", but actually as itself: a number), and provides an obviously correct solution to the problem: don't use EQU if what you wanted was to define a variable.

Now, even an EQU-ed "variable" can be viewed in the debugger, but you'll have to go through quite some painful typing to get there. You'd have use something like

*(data char *)equ_label