May 2019 - Oberon - mailman3.inf.ethz.ch

Wanted: Oberon Syntax in TextMate, Sublime Text or Atom Grammar
by Treutwein Bernhard 01 Jan '22

01 Jan '22

Does somebody have grammars for Oberon / Oberon-2 / Component Pascal / Active Oberon as grammar for TextMate / Sublime Text / Atom Background: Github wrongly classifies Oberon / Oberon-2 / Component Pascal / Active Oberon as Modula-2. I opened quite some tiome ago an issue in the github/linguist project (https://github.com/github/linguist/issues/3888) and they don't accept EBNF grammars. -- Bernhard Treutwein

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Debugging FPGA oberon via serial line?
by Michael Schierl 29 May '20

29 May '20

Hello, while I was adding UTF-8 support to Fonts and Texts (and almost rewriting Fonts so that a font can be loaded partially and not all glyphs at once), I noticed that debugging such a system can be cumbersome (as you cannot read the TRAP output any more, as well as you have to reset the system to a previous state to be able to fix your mistakes if the screen is too garbled to be useful, or if the system TRAPs during boot). By the way, here is Oberon running in the browser with UTF-8 support for Texts (and Tahoma font): http://schierlm.github.io/OberonEmulator/emu.html?image=UnicodeDiskImage >From other (older) systems, I know it is possible to debug them via serial line, so I was thinking how much the FPGA oberon system needs to be changed (hardware side/software side) to accommodate this. RS232 is supported, so you could use one FPGA system (or emulator) to debug the other one. And I was wondering if anybody already tried doing something like this. I know that Colby Russell worked on debug support in the emulator, but no idea about how far he got. A minimal feature set to be useful (in my opinion) would be - Read and write memory and disk via serial port while the system is running/idle (already possible today via ORC / PCLink) - Set and remove software breakpoints while the system is running/idle - When software breakpoint or trap is hit, save processor state and allow debugging via serial port (-> suspended) - Read and write registers and memory while the system is suspended - Set and remove software breakpoints while the system is suspended - Continue execution when the system is suspended More advanced features would be single stepping (can be emulated by having a look at the instruction and setting software breakpoints at all following locations), or memory breakpoints. Also to be able to enter the debugger by pressing a hardware button on the FPGA (similar to the current reset functionality, but not resetting). And of course symbolic debugging :) Software breakpoints should be easy, just replace instruction by BL to a fixed address. Restore the instruction before returning. For catching TRAPs, overwrite the TRAP address. Saving processor state might be tricky, especially SYSTEM.H and the flags, and maybe you have problems since you need at least one spare register to be able to save the registers to a fixed location in memory. You will also need to switch stack to a second stack before the stack is accessed by the code. Probably solvable by using a special compiler that leaves a register or two unused. Restoring SYSTEM.H and Flags is also not supported (except by searching for instructions that will result in the desired flags or results). Also the question is whether returning to the code will not destroy some flags again. And you need to make sure not to set breakpoints or break at points where a BL has happened but the link register has not been saved yet. So (similar to interrupt) probably some hardware support is needed for this. Entering the debugger by button also needs hardware support (since the current Reset button forgets the PC and some other state). Once in suspend mode, it might be hard to avoid allocating memory, since you cannot run the GC which might collect objects that are still used by the suspended program. But that should be feasible if the functions are basic enough to work with a fixed buffer (e.g. number of breakpoints is limited). I guess memory breakpoints are only possible with hardware support for them (I have no idea how to emulate them except emulating or setting breakpoints at all LOAD/STORE instructions). For symbolic debugging, the compiler would have to write some more debug symbols. For a start, <https://github.com/schierlm/OberonXref/blob/master/ORG.Mod.patch> annotates the code position for every instruction; I currently use it for creating combined source/assembly listings like <https://schierlm.github.io/OberonXref/ProjectOberon2013/ORP.html#both>. But you would probably also need some information about the stack layout (variable names and types) and register contents for every code locatoin, as well as information about module/global variables, and not-exported record types and record members. And you would also need some client to utilize all this information so that you can do something like "Debugger.Inspect F.vwr.dsc" :) So I guess for my own needs, that's too much work for the benefit (especially since I don't know if I will ever try to rewrite any of the core modules again). But perhaps I'm missing something? Any better ideas? Regards, Michael

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TeroBuild: a new way to build Oberon disk images
by oberon＠x.colbyrussell.com 04 Jun '19

04 Jun '19

I've re-implemented parts of Peter De Wachter's Project Norebo to eliminate the dependencies on C and Python. In the past, I've discussed with Michael Schierl the importance we both placed on his in-browser emulator's ability to run even on computers with old versions of Internet Explorer installed and no admin access to install or run other software (such as newer/other browsers, or a copy of Peter's SDL-based emulator). I've done some work so anyone can now use an offshoot of Project Norebo to build system images from the most recent Oberon source code modules even if you have neither a C compiler handy nor Python installed locally. Here's a two minute video demonstrating this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUpd70Mu0Ek In the video, I actually do two builds: once by opening Build.app.htm in the browser, and another by using it directly from the terminal. (This is part of work I've been doing for triplescripts.org, where I implore people to revisit the assumptions they make about their software projects and ask what it should take for another person to dive and begin working on the code. The idea is that too many times software developers wind up with tunnel vision and assume others have the time to burn to get a "development environment" set up, even though this often isn't necessary. In many cases the build scripts can be made to run using nothing more than what most most people have already installed on their computers--i.e., a browser, which is the closest thing the world has to a universal application runtime. I see this as also being important regarding matters of reproducibility and the long-term preservation of computing history.) Unfortunately, I didn't take the time to make this Build.app.htm work in Internet Explorer. You'll need a reasonably modern browser to make use of it. A hacked copy of the Norebo source tree with my TeroBuild changes applied can be found on Keybase by cloning repo at: keybase://public/crussell/norebo.git And in case you don't have Git or Keybase installed (see what I mean about developer tunnel vision?), an archive can be downloaded from: https://keybase.pub/crussell/TeroBuild.zip -- Colby Russell

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Mail.FindObj
by peter＠easthope.ca 02 Jun '19

02 Jun '19

MODULE Mail IN Oberon; ... PROCEDURE Show*; ... obj := FindObj("MailList"); ... END Show; The module is visible at https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Oberon/A2/Oberon.Mail.Mod . If message n exists, Show n ~ shows it; so obj # NIL. Yet this procedure always reports "obj is NIL." (** Display salient information of message number no. In absence of no, survey all messages. Survey [no] ~ *) PROCEDURE Survey*; VAR S: Attributes.Scanner; obj: Objects.Object; m, n: LONGINT; BEGIN Attributes.OpenScanner(S, Oberon.Par.text, Oberon.Par.pos); Attributes.Scan(S); IF S.class = Attributes.Int THEN (* message number specified. *) IF (0 <= S.i) & (S.i < noMsgs) THEN obj := FindObj("MailList"); IF obj # NIL THEN Texts.WriteString(W, "obj is not NIL."); Texts.WriteLn(W); m := S.i; n := m+1 ELSE Texts.WriteString(W, "obj is NIL."); Texts.WriteLn(W) END END ELSE (* Survey all messages. *) m := 0; n := noMsgs END; IF m < n THEN Texts.WriteString(W, "Msg no. From To Subject"); Texts.WriteLn(W) END; WHILE m < n DO Texts.WriteInt(W, m, 4); Texts.Write(W, " "); Texts.WriteLn(W); INC(m) END; Texts.Append(Oberon.Log, W.buf) END Survey; How can obj always be NIL in Survey but not in Show? Incidentally, https://trac.inf.ethz.ch/trac/lecturers/a2/browser/trunk/source/Oberon.Mail… was functional a few months back. Now gives, "Error TracError: IOError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/import/lecturers/svn/repositories/a2/trac/VERSION'" Any clues about trac? Thanks, ... Lyall E. -- Composed and transmitted by software designed to avoid the complication and vulnerability of antivirus software.

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New ULX3S batch ordering next week
by Goran Mahovlić 31 May '19

31 May '19

Next week we are planing to order next batch of ULX3S We will order 100pcs 85F with 64Mb SDRAM and ESP32 onboard. If someone is interested in 10+ pcs of ULX3S you can contact us at ulx3s.fpga(a)gmail.com We can offer you direct buy from production company in Germany for production price... And today is last day of hackaday.io prize so if you did not vote please sign in and like our project. https://hackaday.io/project/159108-ulx3s/ Currently we are holding 2. place, but few votes could change that... Regards, Goran

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Module definition and Watson.
by peter＠easthope.ca 20 May '19

20 May '19

Hi, "Definition" and "Watson" are now in http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Oberon#Glossary . No doubt improvements are possible. Anyone interested is welcome to dive in, or post a suggestion or complaint to me. Thanks, ... Lyall E. -- Composed and transmitted by software designed to avoid the complication and vulnerability of antivirus software. Pender Is., BC: +1 604 670 0140 Bcc: peter at easthope. ca

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Mail.FindObj
by peter＠easthope.ca 20 May '19

20 May '19

From: peter(a)easthope.ca Date: Fri, 17 May 2019 08:15:21 -0700 > MODULE Mail IN Oberon; > ... > PROCEDURE Show*; > ... > obj := FindObj("MailList"); > ... > END Show; Considering how "MailList" appears in the LayLa command at the end of the module, I'll guess that 'obj := FindObj("MailList")' might be relevant when a message is opened from the Mail.Panel. Not obvious how a command with a parameter is invoked by a click in a panel. Any explanation might interest others as well as me. Thanks, ... P. -- Composed and transmitted by software designed to avoid the complication and vulnerability of antivirus software. Pender Is., BC: +1 604 670 0140 Bcc: peter at easthope. ca

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Re: [Oberon] PO2013 - System.CloseTrack / System.ExtendDisplay
by Jörg 15 May '19

15 May '19

Hi Just a thought: As compilation is so fast in Oberon it's questionable whether it's worth introducing a configuration file.... Just replace the key constants, recompile, reload and you're done ( br Jörg Am 03.05.19, 12:29 schrieb "Oberon im Auftrag von Skulski, Wojciech" <oberon-bounces(a)lists.inf.ethz.ch im Auftrag von skulski(a)pas.rochester.edu>: Andreas: this is great. The drawback of the commands, and of Text User Interface (TUI) in general, is that the commands need be present on every screen. A hot key would be a hot alternative (pun intended). The difference between the TUI and the hot key is how the hands are operated. Being right handed, I need to operate the mouse (right hand) to execute the TUI command. It is OK, but I need to move my right hand from the keyboard to grab the mouse. With hot keys I can execute the hot key combination with the fingers of my left hand. Hold down the modifier key and press the letter. The CTRL-N, CTRL-B are actually not optimal due to the distance between the CTRL and the letter. A better combination would be CTRL-Q, CTRL-W which can be executed with one hand. But this is not standard in any sense. This brings a thought: the hot keys could be defined by the user at run time rather than built in. The user can then modify the keyboard for a given task. Imagine a file with associations CTRL-"key" = Module.Command. Such a file can be defined for a given task. Looking at my keyboard and how my fingers work I think that the CTRL and ALT modifiers can be used equally well. A predefined "hot key file" can be then supplied as a part of the system distribution. The file can then be cloned and modified for a given task. A default file can be restored by the user when the work has been finished. This mechanism can provide an ergonomical alternative to the menus, if it is not overused. The mechanism should not be hardwired into the software itself, because the finger dexterity is not distributed equally. A file which can be modified by the end user would be a useful optional system feature. Just my two cents. Thank you, Wojtek ________________________________________ From: Oberon [oberon-bounces(a)lists.inf.ethz.ch] on behalf of Andreas Pirklbauer [andreas_pirklbauer(a)yahoo.com] Sent: Friday, May 3, 2019 1:12 AM To: ETH Oberon and related systems Subject: [Oberon] PO2013 - System.CloseTrack / System.ExtendDisplay > How about making it round-robin? Imagine three or more tracks on top of each other. > Imagine CTRL-N cycling forward to the "next track", CTRL-B cycling back. The two commands System.NextDisplay (like CTRL-N) System.PrevDisplay (like CTRL-B) in EO do exactly that … but with entire (virtual) displays instead of tracks. -- Oberon(a)lists.inf.ethz.ch mailing list for ETH Oberon and related systems https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__lists.inf.ethz.ch_mail… -- Oberon(a)lists.inf.ethz.ch mailing list for ETH Oberon and related systems https://lists.inf.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/oberon

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PO2013 - System.CloseTrack / System.ExtendDisplay
by Andreas Pirklbauer 13 May '19

13 May '19

> How about making it round-robin? Imagine three or more tracks on top of each other. > Imagine CTRL-N cycling forward to the "next track", CTRL-B cycling back. The two commands System.NextDisplay (like CTRL-N) System.PrevDisplay (like CTRL-B) in EO do exactly that … but with entire (virtual) displays instead of tracks.

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ULX3S oberon
by D EMARD 13 May '19

13 May '19

HI I'll try to answer some questions about ULX3S. Not all parts are in lola2. Yes, cache, SDRAM are in verilog, and dvi2vga video converter are in VHDL. That addidional code is completely vendor independent and should have clean and separate register and combinatorial logic, so I'd say, a straightforward replacement to lola2 should be possible without thinking of what code actually does. cache and sdram part is done by FleaFPGA/Valentin by borrowing from 486 emulator project, code just appears to work for oberon but I don't know details about how it works. With vga2dvi I have more experience so If you need some help porting this to lola2 I'll try to answer of course. 64-bit color is connected and should go to DVI/HDMI monitor display Just I don't know how to make something color from oberon-v5 disk image, attached examples seem to draw only BW I'n not sure what is with sierpinski example on oberon-v5, middle click reports error about file missing and doesn't start it - is that normal? Davor

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