User Interface Overview

After selecting a configuration preset (or loading an example) in the initial dialog, the main QtRvSim window appears. This chapter introduces the primary functional areas of the interface necessary for basic operation. The interface can be divided into five main areas:

1. Menu Bar & Toolbar (Blue Area)

• Located at the top of the window.
• The Menu Bar provides full access to all commands (File, Machine, Windows, etc.).
• The Toolbar below offers quick access to the most commonly used commands via icons.

Key Toolbar Buttons (basic simulation):

• Compile Source – Assemble your code.
• Run – Execute the program continuously.
• Step – Advance execution one instruction (or one cycle) at a time.
• Reset – Reset the simulation state to the beginning.

2. Program Panel (Green Area)

• Toggles via Windows -> Program or Ctrl+P.
• Displays the sequence of assembly instructions for the currently loaded program.
• During execution, the currently processed instruction is highlighted (blue).
• A dropdown menu allows you to follow a particular pipeline stage (fetch, decode, execute, etc.):
  • Default: Follow Fetch – ideal to get started.

This panel makes it easy to trace the flow of instructions and observe where execution currently is.

3. Datapath Visualization / Core View (Red Area)

• The central and most distinctive panel of QtRvSim.
• Visually represents the processor’s datapath based on the selected configuration (single-cycle/pipelined).
• Shows how instructions flow through components such as the registers, ALU and memory.

This view makes abstract computer architecture concepts concrete by showing the processor “at work.”

4. Simulation Counters (Purple Area)

• Located in the top-right corner of the window.
• Displays important statistics about the simulation:
  • Cycles – Total number of clock cycles since the last reset.
  • Stalls – Number of pipeline stalls encountered (in pipelined configurations).

Values update continuously during execution (Run) or after each Step. Counters reset when you Reset or Reload the simulation.

5. Additional Information Windows

QtRvSim offers several dockable panels to inspect system state in detail. These can be opened from the Windows menu:

You can rearrange, dock, tab, or float these windows to customize your workspace. Use Windows -> Reset Windows to restore the default layout.

Essential Panels for Beginners:

• Registers (Windows -> Registers or Ctrl+D) – Displays general-purpose registers x0–x31 and the Program Counter.
• Memory (Windows -> Memory or Ctrl+M) – Displays the contents of simulated memory.
• Terminal (Windows -> Terminal) – For text I/O when programs interact with the console.

Next Steps

In the following chapter, we will look more closely at the available menus and toolbar options. (If you are just starting out, you may skip ahead to chapter _____ and return later as needed.)