Re: [BLACKBOX] Ofront supporting for unsigned types

From: Oleg N. Cher <"Oleg>
Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:22:15 +0300

----boundary-LibPST-iamunique-1251951718_-_-
Content-type: text/plain

Chris Burrows ?????:

> Attempting to target an 8-bit CPU with a higher-level like Oberon is likely
> to lead to disappointment - it wasn't designed with such targets in mind.

I think you're right, because any problem needs an appropriate
instrumental solution. For PIC is good language PICL. For more powerful
microcontrollers probably Oberon-07. For else more powerful CPU a good
choice will be Oberon-2 or Component Pascal. Z80 need a very compact and
low-level language. I've designed this language in far 1997. It was a
language runned directly on ZX Spectrum 48 Kb, called COLOSS and was
very powerful for low-level efficient coding for Z80 CPU.

Oberon-2 with GC has not much approaches for Z80 or 6502. But we use it
"for fun" (or for learn its power). Did you see the screenshots of my
games in Oberon for ZX Spectrum? It may be used for not very dynamic (or
big) games for Z80 with not bad efficiency. Z80 is more powerful than PIC.

Folks, we knows, in any good implementation of Oberon there are set of
bindings to host-platform (in Kernel, in SYSTEM). For example, untagged
pointers, alignments for good work with memory, records with union
fields. All this "bindings" to low-level possibilities are not part of
Oberon or Component Pascal language. But its are very useful in real
development for industry.

I do not want to improve Oberon. Just I need "a binding" to unsigned
types for using it, for more comfortable development for retro-computers.

You probably agree with me, that CP's union records or bindings to DLL
are usable as means of binding of target architecture (Win32 or other).
Ofront's target architecture is C language, and we need "binding" to
unsigned types to use C language possibilities in greater depth.

Btw I propose to use unsigneds in not a direct manner, and via wrapper as:

MODULE Platform;

(* Provided as incapsulated type implementation *)
(* for efficient work on different platforms where *)
(* unsigned, signed or fixed size types are perfect. *)
(* Copyright (C) 2012 Oleg N. Cher, VEDAsoft. *)
(* http://zx.oberon2.ru *)

IMPORT SYSTEM;

TYPE
(* System platform dependent types. Use its in system code. *)
        BYTE* = SYSTEM.SHORTCARD;
        WORD* = SYSTEM.CARDINAL;
        DWORD* = SYSTEM.LONGCARD;
(* System platform independent types. Use as bases in type aliasing. *)
        SHORTCARD* = SYSTEM.SHORTCARD;
        CARDINAL* = SYSTEM.CARDINAL;
        LONGCARD* = SYSTEM.LONGCARD;
(* System platform independent types. Use directly like other types. *)
        ShortCard* = SYSTEM.SHORTCARD;
        Cardinal* = SYSTEM.CARDINAL;
        LongCard* = SYSTEM.LONGCARD;

        Integer* = INTEGER; (* Native platform integer. *)

END Platform.

This way helps to hide type implementation. And in this way we can to
define different type sizes for different platforms.

For 8-bit CPU: SHORTCARD = 1 byte, CARDINAL = 2 bytes (used unsigned
types for efficiency there where it is required).

For 32-bit CPU: SHORTCARD may be = CARDINAL = 4 bytes (no any unsigned
types need - native arithmetic is good).

Thereby, alike algorithms with import of the type Platform.CARDINAL will
equally well be a portable between 8- and 32-bit CPU, in Oberon.

-- 
Oleg N. Cher
http://zx.oberon2.ru/
----
To unsubscribe, send a message with body "SIGNOFF BLACKBOX" to LISTSERV{([at]})nowhere.xy----boundary-LibPST-iamunique-1251951718_-_-
Content-type: application/rtf
Content-transfer-encoding: base64
Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="rtf-body.rtf"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----boundary-LibPST-iamunique-1251951718_-_---

Received on Thu Apr 26 2012 - 16:22:15 UTC