x86 Instruction Set Reference

FTST - Test Floating Point Value

Opcode Mnemonic Description
D9 E4 FTST Compare ST(0) with 0.0.
Description

Compares the value in the ST(0) register with 0.0 and sets the condition code flags C0, C2, and C3 in the FPU status word according to the results (see table below).

FTST Results
ConditionC3C2C0
ST(0) > 0.0000
ST(0) < 0.0001
ST(0) = 0.0100
Unordered111

This instruction performs an "unordered comparison." An unordered comparison also checks the class of the numbers being compared (see "FXAM-Examine" in this chapter). If the value in register ST(0) is a NaN or is in an undefined format, the condition flags are set to "unordered" and the invalid operation exception is generated.

The sign of zero is ignored, so that -0.0 = +0.0.

Operation
OperandRelation = Compare(ST(0), 0.0);
switch(OperandRelation) {
	RelationGreaterThan:
		C3 = 0;
		C2 = 0;
		C0 = 0;
		break;
	RelationLessThan:
		C3 = 0;
		C2 = 0;
		C0 = 1;
		break;
	RelationEqual:
		C3 = 1;
		C2 = 0;
		C0 = 0;
		break;
	RelationUnordered
		C3 = 1;
		C2 = 1;
		C0 = 1;
		break;
}
FPU flags affected

C1 Set to 0 if stack underflow occurred; otherwise, set to 0. C0, C2, C3 See table above.

Floating-Point Exceptions
#ISStack underflow occurred.
#ISStack underflow occurred.
#IAThe source operand is a NaN value or is in an unsupported format.
Protected Mode Exceptions
#NMEM or TS in CR0 is set.
Real-Address Mode Exceptions
#NMEM or TS in CR0 is set.
Virtual-8086 Mode Exceptions
#NMEM or TS in CR0 is set.