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Software News   Software News : Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
   posted by _Steve_ on 29-Dec-2004 18:29:02 (4008 reads)
PPC680x0 is a source level converting utility, which means that you can now convert any kind of Motorola 680x0 source codes directly to PowerPC source codes. It uses several methods to optimize the output code and therefore adapts it to work optimal with the pipelining- and parallel instruction system of the PowerPC family.

The message on their website states:

After lots of bugfixes and updates, PPC680x0 has become freeware and can be downloaded from this site. Both the docs and the program have been updated. Since PPC680x0 V2.0 is in beta state, please let us know if the program contains any bugs. PPC680x0 has not been tested on machines without custom chips, so we cannot guarantee that it will work on such systems. It should work under UAE. Have fun !
    

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elwood 
Re: Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
Posted on 29-Dec-2004 19:25:18
#1 ]
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Joined: 17-Sep-2003
Posts: 3428
From: Lyon, France

It produces a DSI exception under OS4 when converting the SRC.
When it will go native, it will be easier to find bugs...


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Chunder 
Re: Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
Posted on 29-Dec-2004 19:26:55
#2 ]
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Joined: 10-Mar-2003
Posts: 1956
From: The City of Xebec's Demise

OOoooooOoh!

Quote:
... convert any kind of Motorola 680x0 source codes directly to PowerPC source codes


Clever stuff - interesting to see how well the converted code runs.
I won't even pretend to try and understand the half of what the website says, but it sounds promising... wonder how good Petunia is at intercepting (and emulating) custom chip calls?


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alx 
Re: Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
Posted on 29-Dec-2004 19:37:46
#3 ]
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Joined: 7-Mar-2003
Posts: 1224
From: Midlands, UK

Quote:
Internally, PPC680x0 uses a complex mathematical model of the 680x0 and PowerPC CPUs. The 680x0 CPU is split up in elements and finally the elements are put together to form the architecture of the PowerPC CPU. Backwards-referencing is used to decode 'blocks' of code: This means that the conversion is not just line-dependent, but also block- (128 lines) and file-dependent.


Sounds very interesting. As far as I know, even a JIT basically goes through the code instruction by instruction, so the code could be far more complicated than it needs to. By the sounds of it this does something far more complex - reconstructing blocks of the machine code to run logically on the PPC CPU.

@Chunder

Quote:
wonder how good Petunia is at intercepting (and emulating) custom chip calls?


I believe that OS4 watches a very limited number of custom chipset registers so that some simple tricks used in the past can be executed in a system-friendly way - but don't expect anything that bashes the chipset to run under this or petunia - for that you'd need UAE.


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Manu 
Re: Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
Posted on 29-Dec-2004 20:11:51
#4 ]
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Joined: 4-Feb-2004
Posts: 1561
From: Unknown

This sounds like good news.. What kind of programs could be converted
using this tool? Old assembly games & demos ?


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tetuzo 
Re: Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
Posted on 29-Dec-2004 20:13:08
#5 ]
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Joined: 25-Apr-2004
Posts: 16
From: France

Hum an ASM->C programs would have been possible but It's more complicated.
But this is really a great news for those who still have some asm to convert even if they should port their code to C for increasing portability.

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Richi 
Re: Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
Posted on 29-Dec-2004 21:22:41
#6 ]
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Joined: 25-Dec-2004
Posts: 158
From: Unknown

@Chunder
Petunia doesn't handle anything about the custom chips.

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Toaks 
Re: Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
Posted on 29-Dec-2004 21:57:07
#7 ]
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Joined: 10-Mar-2003
Posts: 8042
From: amigaguru.com

lets hope this wont stand still like so many other free/open projects has done on Amiga...

thanx coyoteFlux.


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Rachy 
Re: Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
Posted on 30-Dec-2004 9:12:37
#8 ]
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Joined: 21-May-2004
Posts: 276
From: Auckland, New Zealand

@Chunder
Quote:
wonder how good Petunia is at intercepting (and emulating) custom chip calls?

Not good at all, because it does nothing about it. The kernel (only on A1) sets up an MMU based intercept mechanism for certain custom chip accesses (eg. mouse button read), but the rest of the chipset is not emulated at all. Can be done, but not part of the actual OS plans.


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ErikBauer 
Re: Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
Posted on 30-Dec-2004 11:03:22
#9 ]
Super Member
Joined: 25-Feb-2004
Posts: 1141
From: Italy

Sounds a good thing...
So old school asm programmers have no excuses for not progamming their things on OS4 now!

I expect this to bring a lot of OS4 demos on the scene!

EDIT: damned spelling!

Last edited by ErikBauer on 30-Dec-2004 at 11:03 AM.


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_Steve_ 
Re: Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
Posted on 30-Dec-2004 13:50:12
#10 ]
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Joined: 17-Oct-2002
Posts: 6807
From: UK

Quote:
Poster: tetuzo Date: 29-Dec-2004 20:13:08

Hum an ASM->C programs would have been possible but It's more complicated.
But this is really a great news for those who still have some asm to convert even if they should port their code to C for increasing portability.


An ASM to C converter does exist, but it isn't exactly on the cheap side of things.

Relogix is aimed ideally at high end developers or people with large amouts of money to burn as the starting cost to have them convert your source is $750 for 1000 lines of code., going up to $80,000 for 500,000 lines of code. They charge I believe it was something like $0.16 for each asm line of code, excluding extra costs incurred if your source needs glue code or other tweaking.

You can also purchase their software, but they give no proces for that, and I would imagine it would be out of the reach of most people.


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_Steve_ 
Re: Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
Posted on 30-Dec-2004 13:55:26
#11 ]
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Joined: 17-Oct-2002
Posts: 6807
From: UK

@elwood

Well I guess you could use it under UAE on OS4, and test your compiled code directly on OS4

However, I would imagine that if your asm code makes use of the custom hardware found in the classic machines, then it will not work on an A1 etc, but could conceivably run on OS3.x/OS4 under a CSPPC or BPPC (if the access to the custom hardware on those machine is still there under OS4.)


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alx 
Re: Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
Posted on 30-Dec-2004 16:59:18
#12 ]
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Joined: 7-Mar-2003
Posts: 1224
From: Midlands, UK

One thing I didn't see mentioned - anyone know the format of the executable created? I.e. is it Hunk (WarpOS) or ELF (PowerUP, OS4)?

@_Steve_

Quote:
(if the access to the custom hardware on those machine is still there under OS4.)


From what OS4 developers have said, access is still there - providing that the ASM code to bang the custom chipset registers is accurately translated then I would have though't it'd work fine.


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Rachy 
Re: Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
Posted on 30-Dec-2004 17:24:57
#13 ]
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Joined: 21-May-2004
Posts: 276
From: Auckland, New Zealand

@alx

It compiles (pseudo)68k assembly source into PPC assembly source.


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alx 
Re: Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
Posted on 30-Dec-2004 17:40:59
#14 ]
Super Member
Joined: 7-Mar-2003
Posts: 1224
From: Midlands, UK

@Rachy

Quote:
It compiles (pseudo)68k assembly source into PPC assembly source.


Dunno where I got the idea from that it outputted binaries

I presume that since ASM translates 1:1 to machine code, that it'd be possible to disassemble a 68k program with a few nasty bits that need AGA, convert to PPC ASM, make it a bit more system-friendly and recompile? Obviously it'd be illegal, but I can see that as being useful for porting obsolete software if the original developer's permission can be obtained but the source is lost.


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Rachy 
Re: Cyote Flux releases PPC680x0 as Freeware
Posted on 30-Dec-2004 22:39:14
#15 ]
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Joined: 21-May-2004
Posts: 276
From: Auckland, New Zealand

@alx
Quote:

I presume that since ASM translates 1:1 to machine code, that it'd be possible to disassemble a 68k program with a few nasty bits that need AGA, convert to PPC ASM, make it a bit more system-friendly and recompile

It would be possible, but where could you find such an insane coder who would do it?
Don't look at me...


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