INTER: Brief information

Purposes and directions of application

• Research of processor properties long before occurrence not only physical samples, but even the projects of their hardware realization.
• Software development for processor in parallel with development of the hardware.
• Development of debug environments for special processors. ( Nobody can do it faster because huge amount of work - i.e. creation of debug environment we already have done)
• Development of alternate debugging environments ( simulators ) for any processors, even possessing firm debugger, our advantages:
• Much more powerful environment of debugging
• Work directly on the source texts with application of incremental technology for turbo-debugging
• Considerably lower prices
• The description of digital systems, consisting from several ( possibly diverse ) processors and accompanying peripheral devices, with the subsequent development and debugging of the software for the digital system.
• Development of the assembler software for any processors.
• Development of systems intended for training to program on assembler for any processor.
• Automatic generation of VHDL-models of processors and processor systems under there appropriate descriptions which are generated and organized in our tool.
• Microprogram language definition, microprogram debugging, and synthesis of microprogram machine on the base of debugged microprograms.

List of executed processor descriptions

• Digital signal processors from Texas Instruments TMS320c25, c30, c40, c50, c80 (Master Processor) and from Analog Devices ADSP-21000 family
• Transputers T414, T800
• Popular 8-bit microcontrollers and microprocessors Intel 8051, PICxxx, TMS370xxx, Intel 8080, Z80
• Popular 16-bit microprocessors: Intel 8086/8087, Intel 8096
• Programmable logical controller: MicroDat (MB 57.0)
• "Old" processors: PDP-11, IBM 360/370, Apple (6502)
• Diverse hypothetical processors ( to research power of a meta language for processor description )
• Processor, controlled by flows of data
• Database processor
• Processor for language FORTH
• Programmable microcalculators MC-61, MC-64

The release description is always finished by comprehensive testing of the processor instructions, as well as examples checking from firm manuals.

For Intel 8051 two real projects are executed:

• Library of the universal subroutines for screen management
• Library of the subroutines ( +, -, *, /, log, exp, polynom, converting float <=> binary-coded decimal) for float arithmetic ( 24-bit )

The subroutines tested on a real equipment have shown complete adequacy of our debugger and appropriate processor.

Now we work on the modern DSP processors description:

• TMS320c80 from Texas Instruments
• ADSP-21010,21020,21060 from Analog Devices

In addition we are preparing to describe the following processors:

• T9000 - Transputer (INMOS)
• PowerPC - Joint development (IBM, Motorola, Apple)

Main tools advantages

Main advantages of an offered program product are:

• Simplicity and efficiency of descriptions development for processors and processor systems
  
• Tool power as a result of incremental technology for assembler program debugging
  
• Opportunity to describe not only processor, but also its peripheral devices: memory, controllers, indicators, ports and external environment
  
• Modern standard multi-windowed interface CUA
  
• Support of national languages. There is the complete documentation and on-line help in Russian and English languages. Environment ( menu + help ) can be translated on any of european languages without the program compilation

Brief information on non-traditional opportunities

1. INCREMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
• Editing of the source assembler program in the full-functional built-in editor with automatically executed incremental syntax analysis
• Instant transition to execution
• Common window for "editor/debugger"
• "Warm" start (program execution resuming after assembler program updating)
2. HELP
• Complete contextual help on integrated environment
• Help on technology of debugging
• Help on current model of a processor and its assembler
3. SHADOW COMMANDS
• To establish expression value
• To check up expression value
• To display processor objects and its values
• To save a part of processor object onto disk
• To execute specified processor instruction or metafunction
4. DISPLAY OF THE INFORMATION
• In float format determined by user
• In a enumerated format determined by user
• Logic names of expressions in a watches-window
• Picture-window viewing
• Operands of an assembler and debugger as expressions
5. MANAGEMENT OF INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENT
• Desktop changing with resuming of program debugging
• Window of descriptions and desktops list
• Specified function run on a hot key

Application condition

The tool system works on IBM-compatible PC under MS DOS or MS Windows ( DOS session ), has the versions under real and protected modes. The maximum configuration requires about 5 Mb on a hard disk and depends on a number of processor descriptions.

Developers Address

Scaryna's Gomel State University
Chair "Mathematical Problems of Control" (MPC)
Research Laboratory of System Programming (RLSP)
Head of chair MPC and RLSP: prof. I.V. Maximey tel. +375-232-564-237.

Developers: Ph.D. M. Dolinsky, Ph.D. I. Ziselman, S. Belotcky

Phones: +375-232-564-237, +375-232-473-713

E-mail: sprl(at)gsu.by