CASH, CASAH, CASALH, CASLH

Compare and swap halfword in memory

This instruction reads a 16-bit halfword from memory, and compares it against the value held in a first register. If the comparison is equal, the value in a second register is written to memory. If the comparison is not equal, the architecture permits writing the value read from the location to memory. If the write is performed, the read and write occur atomically such that no other modification of the memory location can take place between the read and write.

The architecture permits that the data read clears any exclusive monitors associated with that location, even if the compare subsequently fails.

If the instruction generates a synchronous Data Abort, the register which is compared and loaded, that is <Ws>, is restored to the values held in the register before the instruction was executed.

For a CASH or CASAH instruction, when <Ws> or <Xs> specifies the same register as <Wt> or <Xt>, this signals to the memory system that an additional subsequent CASH, CASAH, CASALH, or CASLH access to the specified location is expected to occur in the near future in the absence of taking an exception or exceptional software conditions. The memory system can respond by taking actions that are expected to enable the subsequent CASH, CASAH, CASALH, or CASLH access to succeed when it does occur.

A code sequence starting with a CASH or CASAH instruction for which <Ws> or <Xs> specifies the same register as <Wt> or <Xt>, and ending with a subsequent CASH, CASAH, CASALH, or CASLH to the same location, exhibits the following properties for best performance when the location may be accessed concurrently, on one or more other PEs:


Note

For a CASH or CASAH instruction, when <Ws> or <Xs> specifies the same register as <Wt> or <Xt>, the value in memory is not modified, because the CASH or CASAH either fails its compare or writes the same value back to memory.

For performance reasons, Arm recommends that software not use a CASH or CASAH instruction when <Ws> or <Xs> specifies the same register as <Wt> or <Xt> in a routine that includes a subsequent CASH, CASAH, CASALH, or CASLH for any of the following purposes:

This guidance does not apply when <Ws> or <Xs> specifies the same register as <Wt> or <Xt> for a CASH or CASAH instruction and the compare between the CASH or CASAH and the subsequent CASH, CASAH, CASALH, or CASLH is intended to detect an exceptional software condition such that the result of the compare does not prevent the subsequent CASH, CASAH, CASALH, or CASLH from executing under normal operating conditions.


For more information about memory ordering semantics, see Load-Acquire, Store-Release.

For information about addressing modes, see Load/Store addressing modes.

No offset
(FEAT_LSE)

313029282726252423222120191817161514131211109876543210
010010001L1Rso011111RnRt
sizeRt2

Encoding for the CASH variant

Applies when (L == 0 && o0 == 0)

CASH <Ws>, <Wt>, [<Xn|SP>{, #0}]

Encoding for the CASAH variant

Applies when (L == 1 && o0 == 0)

CASAH <Ws>, <Wt>, [<Xn|SP>{, #0}]

Encoding for the CASALH variant

Applies when (L == 1 && o0 == 1)

CASALH <Ws>, <Wt>, [<Xn|SP>{, #0}]

Encoding for the CASLH variant

Applies when (L == 0 && o0 == 1)

CASLH <Ws>, <Wt>, [<Xn|SP>{, #0}]

Decode for all variants of this encoding

if !IsFeatureImplemented(FEAT_LSE) then EndOfDecode(Decode_UNDEF); end; let s : integer{} = UInt(Rs); let t : integer{} = UInt(Rt); let n : integer{} = UInt(Rn); let acquire : boolean = L == '1' && s != 31; let release : boolean = o0 == '1'; let tagchecked : boolean = n != 31;

Assembler Symbols

<Ws>

Is the 32-bit name of the general-purpose register to be compared and loaded, encoded in the "Rs" field.

<Wt>

Is the 32-bit name of the general-purpose register to be conditionally stored, encoded in the "Rt" field.

<Xn|SP>

Is the 64-bit name of the general-purpose base register or stack pointer, encoded in the "Rn" field.

Operation

var address : bits(64); var comparevalue : bits(16); var newvalue : bits(16); let privileged : boolean = PSTATE.EL != EL0; let accdesc : AccessDescriptor = CreateAccDescAtomicOp(MemAtomicOp_CAS, acquire, release, tagchecked, privileged, t, s); comparevalue = X{16}(s); newvalue = X{16}(t); if n == 31 then CheckSPAlignment(); address = SP{64}(); else address = X{64}(n); end; let data : bits(16) = MemAtomic{}(address, comparevalue, newvalue, accdesc); X{32}(s) = ZeroExtend{32}(data);


2026-03_rel 2026-03-26 20:48:11

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