In previous episode I presented version 2.0 of my MOS 6502 simulator.
I wasn't yet fully satisfied with the character I/O emulation performance, so I started looking if anything could be improved in this area.
First of all, my character I/O emulation was designed to always be performed on a virtual text display device emulator (class Display). This approach required the contents of the virtual text display memory to be frequently updated on the console screen (each time the content was updated). This caused performance issues and flicker when characters were put to the emulated screen at high rate of speed. My friend suggested that I should use native STDIO for rudimentary text I/O. I thought it was a very good idea and even better idea was to always keep a shadow copy in the virtual display device. This way, when executing code in debug mode (either one of the step-by-step modes: S - step, N - go number of steps with or without registers animation - command 'F', or continuous code execute modes: C - continue or G - go/cont. from new address), the contents of the emulated console could always be recalled to the screen (command 'T') when code was interrupted or the screen contents messed up. In these modes native STDIO is not used to directly emulate character I/O - the display device is refreshed to the screen at the same rate as the contents of the text are updated - just like in previous version.
It is OK for debug modes, they don't need to be fast.
However for continuous code execute mode (X - execute from new address), I wanted to have good performance and non-flicker character output. In this mode, I use native DOS/shell console STDIO to output text. The emulated text device keeps a copy of everything (to its capacity of course) that went to the console though. However it is not output to the console as the characters are already output via native STDIO.
This came along nicely and performance in DOS console improved greatly, flicker is gone. Surprisingly though, this STDIO native mode is much slower on Linux. Perhaps because I am connecting to my Linux box via network while I work on my DOS console directly. The display device emulation works faster in Linux shell than in DOS console though and has no or almost no flicker.
Also, due to Linux default character output behavior (no buffer flush unless new line is output), I had to add flush of the 'cout' stream after each character output.
Well, I found the new version satisfactory and better than previous one despite the disappointing performance problem on Linux, so i updated code on github. Let's call it version 2.1.
As for the future plans, in addition to goals I set in previous blog update, I am also thinking of making this emulator cycle-accurate and switch to GUI at some point.
But I am having a bit of a burnout with this project, so perhaps I will take a break from it, go to my other open projects and return with renewed enthusiasm later. In the meantime, enjoy this version.
3/15/2016
M.K.
In my last update I have been ecstatic about my MOS 6502 emulator running Tiny Basic. Nice achievement, but later more rigorous testing shown my emulation still had issues. I ran few available on the internet test suites and they all passed, but still I was unable to run Enhanced Basic in my emulator.
After I established that it was not a problem with the copy of EhBasic code in my possession itself, I turned to my code to look for errors. I found and corrected few obvious issues, but still no luck.
Finally I turned back to the internet search to find a better test suite.
I found a very good one - 6502 Functional Test by Klaus Dormann.
After I ran that program, I found all issues with 6502 op-codes emulation, some of them were tricky and I am sure I would have problem finding them on my own. Therefore 6502 Functional Test by Klaus Dormann deserves huge credit in making my project going again.
I published version 2.0 on github. There are major changes, many new features and bug fixes. I believe this is a complete or nearly complete DOS/shell version, I run out of ideas what else I can add to a version that runs in text console. To move this project forward I have to move out of the shell window into the GUI world. However I have few ideas for improvements which I will outline below.
To summarize all the changes since originally published version 1.0:
- Bug fixes in 6502 op-codes emulation.
- Improved UI.
- Improved character I/O emulation.
- ROM emulation.
- History of executed op-codes.
- Dis-assembler.
- Registers animation mode.
- Signals handling.
- Loading binary files.
- Conversion tool bin2hex (6502 binary to plain text memory image definition format conversion tool).
- Expanded memory image definition file format (new keywords: IOADDR, ROMBEGIN, ROMEND, ENIO, ENROM, EXEC).
- Linux port.
- EhBasic.
- Microchess.
I have following plans for the next build:
- Reset option in debug console, which will initiate CPU reset sequence.
- API methods in MKCpu class for triggering IRQ, NMI and RESET for future expansion.
- Interface API to easier connect emulated peripherals.
- Ability to load HEX format files.
With nice working step-by-step debugger, ability to interrupt code at any time, history of executed op-codes, disassembler, memory dump and modification facilities I think this has become nice and useful MOS 6502 code development and debugging tool. Program has a built-in detailed usage help. Recommended DOS console/shell terminal size is 25 or more (more highly recommended) rows by 80 columns. It is possible to work with smaller console, but the menu and registry information sections will not be nicely aligned or may be in total disarray and unreadable. Emulated text console display device will work fine with width less than 80 as well as wider than 80 characters, something that previous version couldn't do.
Instructions how to build the code are included in projects ReadMe file as well as information about main software features.
Below I present screenshots of working application.
Thanks for visiting.
3/14/2016
M.K.
