[Mod] VM16 CPU/Computer [vm16]

[joe7575]

VM16 CPU/Computer

A CPU/computer simulation (virtual machine) with programming environment

VM16 is the basis for mods like PDP-13, but comes with its own small demo CPU/computer.



On client side Minetest 5.4+ is recommended (font=mono)

• Develop ASM or C-like programs
• Debug/execute your code with ingame debugger
• Read input values from switch blocks
• Output values on colored lamps or as an ASCII string in the menu
• Lua API to adapt vm16 to other mods
• Two types of server and programmer blocks (16 and 32 bit textures)

Manuals are on GitHub Wiki
Download and install from GitHub
YT-Video (outdated)

License

Copyright (C) 2019-2022 Joe
Code: Licensed under the GNU AGPL version 3 or later. See LICENSE.txt
Textures: CC BY-SA 3.0

Dependencies

Optional: default, basic_materials for the demo CPU (recipes)

[jp]

You can have syntax highlighting with the `hypertext` formspec element.

Very nice mod and I give five stars to your code.

[joe7575]

You can have syntax highlighting with the `hypertext` formspec element.

Unfortunately, this is not possible inside a textarea[...] field, I guess

[Desour]

Great!
(I haven't tested it much, nor looked much at the code.)
rip-relative addressing doesn't seem to work nicely with labels. Ie. jmp +mylabel jumps to PC + location of mylabel, not PC + location of mylabel - current location. (Also, why not a syntax like this: jmp PC+mylabel?)

[joe7575]

rip-relative addressing doesn't seem to work nicely with labels. Ie. jmp +mylabel jumps to PC + location of mylabel, not PC + location of mylabel - current location.

Thanks for the hint, the bug is fixed with the new version 2.5

[joe7575]

Small YT Video https://youtu.be/Q9bZxxFs6EI

[joe7575]

v2.6 is available with breakpoint support and further CPU improvements

Spoiler

• The turquoise line is the position with the next instruction to be executed
• The yellow address (000A) is the breakpoint

Hint: Because of the breakpoint support, v2.6 is currently not compatible with the PDP-13 Mod!

[joe7575]

(Almost) High Level Language for Minetest (work in progress)

• C like language (so far the only data type is a machine word )
• Other language flavors are also possible
• Symbolic debugger with breakpoints and variables

The idea is to provide a PLC like "programming station" which contains compiler, debugger, file system, and so on. That means, the target controller can be a simple node that just runs the code.


Todo:

• Many tests and improvement
• A server block with the file system (can be shared by several programming stations)
• A controller API, to be able to use the programming station from other mods
• PLC like "functional blocks"
• Functional plug-ins for other applications like the signs bot

Any further ideas?

[jwmhjwmh]

This mod looks cool. Would it be possible to integrate it with Mesecons?

[joe7575]

This mod looks cool. Would it be possible to integrate it with Mesecons?

Yes, sure.

[joe7575]

Update

Version 3.3 is available in GitHub:
- Mod completely restructured
- Programmer block (notebook) with the development environment (compiler, debugger, file browser) added
- File server block added
- Demo CPU/controller adapted to the programmer
- Many compiler and debugger improvements

The mod itself has no dependencies and can be integrated in almost all games, only the demo CPU with the I/O blocks come with recipes based on default and basic_materials.

Due to the programmer with its small API, a VM16 integration in other mods should be quite simple.

[joe7575]

Update

• The Assembler mode is reactivated again. The controller/CPU can now be programmed in assembler and in a C-like language.
• More classic looking blocks with 16x16 textures are added for programmer and server. These can be used alternatively.

[jp]

You can have syntax highlighting with the `hypertext` formspec element.

Unfortunately, this is not possible inside a textarea[...] field, I guess

There's some misunderstanding here. hypertext is a powerful alternative to textarea, it is not meant to be used inside textarea.

hypertext is, actually, a textarea on steroids.

You could propose various code color schemes with hypertext, such like in a conventional text editor.

(hint: I'm the co-author of hypertext)

[joe7575]

You can have syntax highlighting with the `hypertext` formspec element.

Unfortunately, this is not possible inside a textarea[...] field, I guess

There's some misunderstanding here. hypertext is a powerful alternative to textarea, it is not meant to be used inside textarea.

hypertext is, actually, a textarea on steroids.

You could propose various code color schemes with hypertext, such like in a conventional text editor.

(hint: I'm the co-author of hypertext)

You mean this hypertext?

[Blockhead]

(hint: I'm the co-author of hypertext)

You mean this hypertext?

Maybe, maybe JP co-authored it with Tim Berners-Lee :P

So i'm not completely off-topic: what kind of ISA and ASM syntax is used in the mod?

[joe7575]

So i'm not completely off-topic: what kind of ISA and ASM syntax is used in the mod?

The assembler follows the Intel syntax. See manual.

But what is ISA? I only know ISA bus :)

[Blockhead]

But what is ISA? I only know ISA bus :)

Instruction set architecture (ISA), as in the collection of valid instructions and associated registers, like Intel x86, amd64 extensions. Can also be broken down into a 'base level' and extensions like x86's SSE, AVX etc. amd64 is the 64-bit extensions to x86, (sometimes generically called x86_64).

Though since you mentioned ISA it's worth asking if there is a bus standard for your architecture as well, comparable to ISA/PCI?

[joe7575]

Ah, ok.
The CPU is a self made 16 bit VM without any template. It is as simple as possible. Simple to implement and simple to be programmed in assembler.

Though since you mentioned ISA it's worth asking if there is a bus standard for your architecture as well, comparable to ISA/PCI?

It has no bus standard but a simple Lua API:

Code: Select all

-- Called for each 'input' instruction. Function returns the input value.
on_input = function(pos, address) ... end,

-- Called for each 'output' instruction.
on_output = function(pos, address, val1, val2) ... end,

-- Called for each 'system' instruction.
on_system = function(pos, address, val1, val2) ... end,

See API

[joe7575]

Update

Inline assembler added to compiler and debugger.

[joe7575]

Update

Compiler now supports:

• one-dimensional arrays
• pointers
• strings and chars
• constants

This largely completes the range of functions.

[joe7575]

Update

New features and changes:

• Import of C and ASM files added for larger programs
• Further C examples added to the file server
• Standard library function added (stdio, mem, string, math)
• Started to write a "Language Reference" manual on GitHub
• Improve debugger with step-in and step-out buttons
• Improve debugger with variable and memory watch window
• Many further improvements and bug fixes

[joe7575]

Update

vm16 is now in a usable condition. Further improvements are planned.
The second mod, which uses vm16 is Beduino
A video to Beduino is on YT

[joe7575]

Update

• break, continue, and goto statements added to the compiler
• Compiler Language Reference improved

[joe7575]

Update

Following Compiler features added:

• <= and >= operators
• constant expressions and static constants
• sizeof operator
• function-local arrays
• octal numbers
• '&' reference operator

Further improvement on debugger, VM, and Compiler Language Reference

[mainspirit]

Hello, we are faced with the fact that when using any Slavic language, ru, ua, instead of letters - dots. Is it possible to fix it somehow? Thank you.