560Z Utility Package

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TangentDelta
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:48 am

560Z Utility Package

Post by TangentDelta »

I have created a Github repo for my custom 560Z utility package.
https://github.com/TangentDelta/OSI-560Z-Utils_Modified

Not all features of the package have been fully tested, so there are most likely some bugs in the utility routines I haven't had to use yet.

If anybody is interested in some pre-built binary releases let me know. I need to know what memory address it should be built at, the base address of the 560Z, and what ACIA is to be used.
Klyball
Posts: 230
Joined: Tue Dec 09, 2014 12:53 am

Re: 560Z Utility Package

Post by Klyball »

This is great, I was trying to add some more functionality to the 6100 like memory manager as the way it is it only does one bank of memory, i ran focal on it but most pdp software need the memory calls, i did not get very far and it went down the list of projects. have you look at adding any extra to the 6100 , memory ,disk etc.

cheers
Replica 600 Rev D:8K,CEGMON
Replica 610 Rev B: 24k,MPI B-51 with Custom Data separator D-13
510 on the bench/replica 582 backplane/replica 470a /replica 555/original 570B/2 x Shugart 851
Ongoing : 630 ,620 ,510,542c,custom 590,SA1200,592,594,596,598
TangentDelta
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:48 am

Re: 560Z Utility Package

Post by TangentDelta »

Klyball wrote: Wed May 29, 2019 5:02 pm have you look at adding any extra to the 6100 , memory ,disk etc.
Yes. My current project is to implement the PDP-8 memory management unit. The KM8E changes its internal registers when certain instructions are executed. For example, when a JMP is executed, the instruction field buffer register is moved into the instruction field register. The only way to implement this without modifying the 560Z hardware is to run the 6100 in single-step mode and compare every instruction when an instruction field change is pending.

As for the disk drive, I plan on using Kyle Owen's disk drive server.
https://github.com/drovak/os8diskserver

I'm working on getting a 550 serial card going in my system so that I'll have plenty of serial ports.
TangentDelta
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:48 am

Re: 560Z Utility Package

Post by TangentDelta »

I have the data field and instruction field functionality of the KM8-E implemented in my driver package. It passes all of my quick and dirty test programs, but I'd like to try something a bit more intensive on it. I will have to find a PDP-8 memory extension test program, or a programming language that uses it.
Klyball
Posts: 230
Joined: Tue Dec 09, 2014 12:53 am

Re: 560Z Utility Package

Post by Klyball »

This page has a lot of software

http://pop.aconit.org/Programs/
Replica 600 Rev D:8K,CEGMON
Replica 610 Rev B: 24k,MPI B-51 with Custom Data separator D-13
510 on the bench/replica 582 backplane/replica 470a /replica 555/original 570B/2 x Shugart 851
Ongoing : 630 ,620 ,510,542c,custom 590,SA1200,592,594,596,598
TangentDelta
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:48 am

Re: 560Z Utility Package

Post by TangentDelta »

The memory extension functionality has been implemented in my testing environment and passes my quick and dirty tests. I'm in the process of getting the DEC memory extension utility running to test it fully, but I need to rework some major parts of the driver package to support un-halting the 6100 after it encounters a HLT instruction. The DEC utility halts the CPU so that the user can change the switch register and then hit the "continue" switch on the PDP-8's front panel.

In the mean time, I have modified the utility package's BIN loader. My modified version loads the BIN-formatted tape image directly into the SYS bus memory, supports data field changes (more than 4K of memory), and is slightly smaller in size.

Code: Select all

;Enhanced BIN loader for 6100
;Load directly into the SYS memory
;Supports field changes (more than 4K words)
BINLDR:
	lda #0		;Clear high pointer
	sta PNTH

	lda DSTL
	sta OCTAL
	lda DSTH
	sta OCTAH
	BINL0:
	jsr REDCHR	;Skip through leader
	cmp #$80
	beq BINL0
	bne BINL1A

	BINL1:
	LDA #0
	sta PNTH
	jsr REDCHR
	BINL1A:
	bit SC0		;Skip special case checking if upper two bits are 0
	beq DATAFD

	bit S80		;Check if a control code
	bne FIELDQ
	
	CHGORIG:	;Change data origin
	jsr TWELV	

	sta OCTAL
	stx OCTAH

	jmp BINL1
	FIELDQ:
	bit S40		;Check if trailer is encountered
	beq END

	FIELDC:		;Change field
	asl a		;Shift field data into correct position
	and #%01110000	;Mask off field bits
	ora OCTAH	;Set upper bits of pointer to new field

	;Write OCTDL,OCTDH into (OCTAL,OCTAH)
	jmp BINL1

	END:
	rts

	DATAFD:		;Load data into field
	jsr TWELV

	sta OCTDL
	txa
	sta OCTDH
	jsr WRITEO

	inc OCTAL
	bne BINL1

	lda #'.'
	jsr OUTCH

	inc OCTAH
	jmp BINL1

	TWELV:		;Get two bytes and create a 12-bit pointer
	asl a		;Shift high 6 bits into position
	asl a
	ldx #4
	TW1:
	asl a		;Shift raw data into high pointer
	rol PNTH
	dex
	bne TW1

	sta PNTL
	jsr REDCHR
	ora PNTL
	ldx PNTH

	rts
	S40:	.byte $40
	S80:	.byte $80
	SC0:	.byte $C0
TangentDelta
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:48 am

Re: 560Z Utility Package

Post by TangentDelta »

Implementing a "supervisor" console is proving to be a bit trickier than I had anticipated. The most logical solution to the problem is to re-write the 6100 driver package to be called via an interrupt service routine. This requires an interrupt service routine, which I do not have implemented.

My concern is that the modifications I'm making will limit the accessibility of the driver package. If I go the route of making it interrupt-driven, you would have to make the necessary modifications to your 560Z board and ACIA board. The "supervisor" console would also require multiple ACIAs in the form of the 550 board, which has not yet been reproduced.

The "core" version of the driver package (on Github) is enough to run FOCAL, which I imagine should be fine for most use cases.
TangentDelta
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:48 am

Re: 560Z Utility Package

Post by TangentDelta »

The interrupt-driven I6100 IOT driver is working...more or less. There are some timing issues with the "teleprinter clear flag set" interrupt due to the relative slowness of the I6100 and the speed at which the ACIA can transmit a character at 9600 baud. I had to add a delay loop to the interrupt generator and set up the interrupt handler to perform recurrent interrupts in certain states.

The best solution to this issue would be to have a programmable timer to generate an interrupt for the 6502 in order to generate an interrupt for the I6100. I'm not aware of any OSI boards with programmable timers, so one would have to be designed.

As for "hardware-accelerating" the memory extension feature, I have an untested idea. I should be able to AND the DATAF pin of the 6100 with the CA2 pin of a PIA in order to feed a diode that connects to the "trap" line. When the data field differs from the instruction field, the CA2 flag on the PIA would be set. When an indirect instruction is executed, an interrupt is generated via the hardware mod I made previously ("halt" line tied to CA1) and the ISR can poll the "DATAF" bit on the PIA in order to take the appropriate action.
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