| Posted By
indi
on 2005-12-01
14:07:55
|  Plus4 Devkit and remote debugger.
Well, my download tool has evolved into a monitor....almost. I still have the command line "upload" program (which is invaluable for developing), but Im busy doing a full remote debugger just now.
And good fun it is too!! I can currently Send/Recieve memory, Send/Receive registers, Run/resume, and stop a program in mid execution.
All the makings of a proper devkit! 
I may also release the API, since it enables things like remote sound system editors, art programs, and all the rest. I did a remote sound system on the PC Engine years (actually, DECADES (well...decade) ago!), and if you can be bothered, it makes life much easier.
Image a PC resolution interface, but playing everything back on the actual machine as you make changes etc. that kind of stuffs very cool.
Its built for XP pro too, so it should be future proof. I'll be after beta testers soon(ish) if anyones interested. Although, you'll need to build a cable first.
I do need a bit of advice as to where to Plus/4's monitor code will sit though. For now I'm thinking it'll be under the ROM, but thats not very handy for most things. It'll probably take up around 1k I think, and it "could" sit anywhere as it doesn't need the ROM.
So, does anyone have any advice on this? Where do you think it should sit? Perhaps a few bytes down at $600/$700 and the rest "under" the rom?
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Posted By
indi
on 2005-12-15
15:20:42
| Re: Plus4 Devkit and remote debugger.
I have now managed to single-step my first sample on a plus/4 from the PC. I forgot how cool it was to watch the +4 completly under the PC's control.
It won't trace IRQ's though, you'd need and ICE unit for that...
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Posted By
Degauss
on 2005-12-15
23:44:44
| Re: Plus4 Devkit and remote debugger.
Hm. I'd be interested in playing around with this! Sounds pretty advanced. Is there a documentation how to build that cable?
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Posted By
indi
on 2005-12-16
11:39:14
| Re: Plus4 Devkit and remote debugger.
Its the same cable as the download tool & OS96 uses.
I'm half planning to make kit to sell, so its plug in and start, rather than people having to build stuff. I know from past experiance that most people simply lose interest when you mention that they have to build something first, but many (most?) would quite happily pay a reasonable sum for everything they need to get going.
Its not terribly complex just now... run/stop/trace... but thats the basics of a proper devkit. I used to love these kinds of kits back in the day, they were so powerful, and nothing quite beats the code running on the actual machine.
It won't be fnished for a while yet.... Debuggers (good ones) take time to write.
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Posted By
Degauss
on 2005-12-16
14:53:05
| Re: Plus4 Devkit and remote debugger.
> I know from past experiance that
> most people simply lose interest
> when you mention that they have
> to build something first, but many
> (most?) would quite happily pay a
> reasonable sum for everything they
> need to get going.
Then i have to admit that i am definetly in the group of "most people" 
But say: Where can i find the instructions for that Download-Cable? Did i miss something? Could you please post an URL if there is any? I'd like to sneak a peak on this at least... Probably i will say: "Hey, no problem, i can do this..."
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Posted By
Ulysses777
on 2005-12-16
15:04:13
| Re: Plus4 Devkit and remote debugger.
If you go to minus4.plus4.net and download the Plus4 Uploader zip file, you'll find the cable diagram in the readme.txt
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Posted By
indi
on 2005-12-16
15:53:30
| Re: Plus4 Devkit and remote debugger.
Yep, its on minus4.plus4.net inside the uploader package.
The plus4 cable is very simple, but you still have to be able to get the parts etc, for it. They are becoming harder to source, have a look inside the uploader thread for some details.
You can build the cable and test it with the uploader program. With it you can download .PRG files directly to the plus4 to run. Which is great in itself - running stuff on the actual machine is much better
I can now fully trace a program running on the Plus4.
This means I can stop a program in mid-execution, run it again, step (steps into JSR's, follows bnranches etc.), trace (executes JSR's, executes until after a branch) etc. And place many user break points.
So now I can start adding symbols, memory windows, watch variables and all the rest. Source level debugging is also something I consider vital these days.
You can see a work in progress here: http://minus4.plus4.net/files/Debug1.gif
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