WHAT IS PPC680x0???
PPC680x0 is a source-level converting utility (which means you can convert
your old 680x0 source codes straight to PowerPC source-codes) and a highly
powerful 680x0-based programming language.
There's a lot of programmers who don't seem to be happy with the programming
architecture of the Motorola/IBM PowerPC family. Although the PPC is an
extremely powerful piece of silicon, it suffers a bit from its
not-exactly-user-friendly design.
Although many people (and even universities) seem to deny it, machine
language is the only way to make programs run at maximum speed. Just take a
look at the demo-scene, where coders push the most advanced effects through a
'theoretically slow' 68k CPU.
PPC680x0 is a program that should help out coders in a easy but (when used in
the right way) extremely powerful way. You can actually treat the PowerPC CPU
as a very big 68060.
Try to imagine yourself an 68060 with over 27 general purpose registers
(which means it doesn't matter if you use one as an address or data
register), many extra instructions, more addressing modes, Quad-word
operations, etc. etc... It is now possible, thanks to PPC680x0...
PPC680x0 outputs 100% Storm PowerAsm compatible code.
This version is for promotional use ONLY and should not be spread as a Public
Domain utility. This promo version might have some little bugs in the output
codes although they weren't spotted yet. It should have no fatal bugs,
though.
Let's hope this utility will make PPC programming easier for all of you!
Just a little note: PPC680x0 is a big library function that is called
everytime you push a button on the PPC68k interface. The library version will
be released together with the final version, allowing realtime conversion
etc.
Also remember that we are always happy to see bug reports!!!
WHAT'S MISSING IN THIS VERSION:
This promo-version has nearly all 68000 instructions enabled except for:
* link/unlk
* some extremely low-level instructions which include trapping
and exception instructions.
But there's a lot of other things missing, such as:
* low-level carry emulation
* 64-bits implementations output
* Intelligent label detection:
At this moment PPC680x0 does not detect brackets in labels
which results in errors. The final version will detect labels
as well as their perfect sizes for optimizations
* Support for equr, fequr equrl and reg directives
* 68020+ (EXTRA) instructions support
(which means the promo does support divs etc. but
no bitfield commands etc.. 64->32 bits divisions are also left
out)
* 68881+ instructions support
* low-level SR/CCR emulation
* low-level register emulation
* extra WarpUp/PowerUp goodies
* rest emulation for divisions/multiplications
* next 50% of SUPER architecture instructions
* More error messages for the interface
* Amiga-guide instruction file with a LOT of more information in it
* IFF-pictures with schedules and conversion methods
* full-color interface on 8 bitplane+ Amiga's.
* PPC680x0.library for low-level usage
AND MOST IMPORTANT:
* modular interface, which means you can always get free patches,
optimizations, additional instructions etc. from Aminet.
* all functions tested 100%
* output-organ extensions: There's a possibility that there will
be new output languages for PPC680x0, which means you can then
convert your codes to PowerPC, ColdFire, AmigaNG etc..
REMOVED IN PROMO 1.8 (FROM COMMERCIAL RELEASE 1.04)
SORRY, but we have removed slightly more from the latest promo
as it is a cut-down version of the near-perfect commercial
release. Placing too much features in the promo would make it
TOO powerful for a promotional release...! ALL the other features
than listed here ARE implemented, though...!
- FPU
- some bitfield instructions
- multiplications (sorry...!)
- SUPER2 architecture
- good guidefile
- extensive internal interfacing
- 64-bits implementations (Button turns 'dead'!)
- carry emulation (Button turns 'dead'!)
COMMERCIAL RELEASE 1.01 - 1.04 (CLEAN SUPER-VERSION!!!)
- Fixed almost every single bug that was in it, including
all Enforcer Hits and trash commands
- Recoded almost the entire address calculator
- Fixed the r0 suffix
- Fixed the movem/lea/pea/jsr/jmp commands
- Official 'clean' version, intensively & succesfully tested!
- New 'parallel' instruction optimizations
REMOVED IN PROMO 1.7 (FROM COMMERCIAL RELEASE)
- FPU
- some instructions for bitfields etc.
- SUPER2 architecture
- rest emulation
- good guidefile
- extensive internal interfacing
ADDED IN COMMERCIAL RELEASE 1.0 (7th July 1999)
- A LOT EXTRA!!!
- rN suffix
- good guidefile
- most bitfield commands
- optimizations (too much to list!)
- bug-fixes (too much to list!)
- dctv.library conversion routines succesfully converted
ADDED IN COMMERCIAL PRE-RELEASE EDITION 0.82 (5th July 1999)
- link/unlk set to enabled
- return terminators added to prevent spaces in between code
- rest emulation added
- ext carry emulation fixed
- many tiny fixes for parts that created trash or forgotten tabs
- Bit Fields are now in the work-in-progress state, they don't
give an error, but don't give an output either. Expect them
tomorrow...!
ADDED IN COMMERCIAL PRE-RELEASE EDITION 0.8
- link, unlk
- 68060 Floating Point Unit working and enabled
- bug-fixes for all conditional and branching instructions
- optimizations in loading/storing
- 40% EXTRA of Super Architecture
- new guidefile
- better immediate handling
- modular interface native functions
- X=D button
- header questions enable/disable
- carry emulation now better
- 'not' fixed
- better low-level register handling
For a longer revision history, please read the guide...
NOTE: PPC680x0 Commercial V1.0 will be released at the World Of Amiga 1999
show, held on the 24th and 25th of July 1999 in London. See you there :)
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