Developing PLATOTerm64, Flow Control woes.

From: David Roberts <daver21145_at_gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 1 Jul 2018 20:14:53 +0100
Message-ID: <CAC5emFEK6EBe8siz0_jggek9+mWt7a3E4Ru-Yt9dd8MRCXjKRQ@mail.gmail.com>
That's what I partially assumed.

The problem is that this function in turn calls the kernal routines CHKOUT
and BSOUT. I am trying to work out the code path from the user code to the
serial handler itself witinn the NMI handler.

For example, if a keyboard character is detected (that calls ser_put within
keyboard.c) and an incoming serial character arrives at the same time
(resulting in another call of ser_put from io.c) will they interfere with
each other? If the NMI handler is already processing a transmit character,
and an XOFF/XON is required before the previous character has been
transmitted, will this cause problems?

This is my current thinking.

Dave

On Sunday, 1 July 2018, Thom Cherryhomes <thom.cherryhomes@gmail.com> wrote:

> The ser_kernel ultimately jumps to this:
> https://github.com/nanoflite/c64-up2400-cc65/blob/master/dri
> ver/c64-up2400.s#L163
>
> -Thom
>
>
>
> On Sun, Jul 1, 2018 at 1:03 PM David Roberts <daver21145@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Where is the source code for ser_put()?
>>
>> Dave
>>
>>
>> On Sunday, 1 July 2018, <groepaz@gmx.net> wrote:
>>
>>> uh, its like 5 lines of code. thats kinda the point - take your plato
>>> stuff
>>> out of the equation and test *only* the rs232 driver. when this works,
>>> then
>>> the problem is in your code, not the driver. (i'd even test against some
>>> terminal program on the other end, not the plato server - because who
>>> knows)
>>>
>>>
>>> Am Sonntag, 1. Juli 2018, 19:46:17 CEST schrieb Thom Cherryhomes:
>>> > there is no simple text mode in PLATO. can't do that.
>>> >
>>> > -Thom
>>> >
>>> > On Sun, Jul 1, 2018 at 12:43 PM <groepaz@gmx.net> wrote:
>>> > > i'd try those routines with a very simple text terminal
>>> implementation
>>> > > first,
>>> > > and see if the flow control works right. XON/OFF is always a bit
>>> tricky,
>>> > > so it
>>> > > might just be the thresholds that need tweaking.
>>> > >
>>> > > Am Sonntag, 1. Juli 2018, 19:32:04 CEST schrieb Thom Cherryhomes:
>>> > > > great, now if only I can figure out wtf to do... I'm not a skilled
>>> C64
>>> > > > programmer, am only passing through to write this terminal.
>>> > > >
>>> > > > -Thom
>>> > > >
>>> > > > On Sun, Jul 1, 2018 at 12:30 PM David Roberts <
>>> daver21145@gmail.com>
>>> > >
>>> > > wrote:
>>> > > > > I have never used cc65 - but I know programmers who have been
>>> caught
>>> > >
>>> > > out
>>> > >
>>> > > > > on other platforms.
>>> > > > >
>>> > > > > NMI routines need to make sure that all CPU registers are
>>> > >
>>> > > saved/restored
>>> > >
>>> > > > > and that data structures remain intact. If the NMI routine
>>> changes
>>> > > > > anything
>>> > > > > that is relied on outside of it (without the appropriate
>>> protection)
>>> > >
>>> > > you
>>> > >
>>> > > > > are in trouble...
>>> > > > >
>>> > > > > Interrupts can be inhibited during critical processing outside
>>> of the
>>> > > > > interrupt service routine. An NMI requires special treatment. We
>>> use
>>> > >
>>> > > NMI
>>> > >
>>> > > > > as
>>> > > > > a critical error and real-time clock handler (in preference to an
>>> > > > > interrupt) in a piece of communications hardware we use; but the
>>> > >
>>> > > hardware
>>> > >
>>> > > > > contains a mechanism for (very briefly) disabling the NMI around
>>> very
>>> > > > > critical data structures that absolutely must not be modified
>>> should a
>>> > > > > critical error (such as a bus timeout on the MULTIBUS) occur.
>>> > > > >
>>> > > > > Not sure how much of this is relevant to your problem, but it
>>> fits the
>>> > > > > symptoms you have...
>>> > > > >
>>> > > > > Dave
>>> > > > >
>>> > > > > On Sunday, 1 July 2018, Thom Cherryhomes <
>>> thom.cherryhomes@gmail.com>
>>> > > > >
>>> > > > > wrote:
>>> > > > >> The up2400 routines use the NMI to do all the shifting and
>>> filling of
>>> > >
>>> > > the
>>> > >
>>> > > > >> buffers.
>>> > > > >>
>>> > > > >> I'm not entirely sure volatile has any meaningful consequence in
>>> > > > >> cc65.
>>> > > > >>
>>> > > > >> -Thom
>>> > > > >>
>>> > > > >> On Sun, Jul 1, 2018 at 11:54 AM David Roberts <
>>> daver21145@gmail.com>
>>> > > > >>
>>> > > > >> wrote:
>>> > > > >>> I have only just had a cursory look at the sources, but does
>>> > > > >>> anything
>>> > > > >>> use interrupts? Usually interrupts cause unexpected results.
>>> > > > >>>
>>> > > > >>> The other thing to be wary of (with C code) is the ability of
>>> the
>>> > > > >>> hardware to change stuff 'under' the compiler's feet... If C
>>> code is
>>> > > > >>> mapped
>>> > > > >>> onto hardware anywhere - you need to use the 'volatile'
>>> keyword to
>>> > >
>>> > > force
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>> the compiler to re-read the data before use as opposed to
>>> using its
>>> > >
>>> > > own
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>> cached value.
>>> > > > >>>
>>> > > > >>> Just a couple of thoughts...
>>> > > > >>>
>>> > > > >>> Dave
>>> > > > >>>
>>> > > > >>>
>>> > > > >>> On Sunday, 1 July 2018, Thom Cherryhomes <
>>> thom.cherryhomes@gmail.com
>>> > > > >>>
>>> > > > >>> wrote:
>>> > > > >>>> Hello, everyone.
>>> > > > >>>>
>>> > > > >>>> My name is Thom Cherryhomes, and I am both the systems
>>> operator of
>>> > > > >>>> IRATA.ONLINE, and developing a series of terminal programs for
>>> > > > >>>> different
>>> > > > >>>> machines that can connect to the currently running PLATO
>>> systems en
>>> > > > >>>> extant:
>>> > > > >>>> IRATA.ONLINE, and CYBER1.ORG.
>>> > > > >>>>
>>> > > > >>>> I've gotten the vast majority of the terminal written, using
>>> CC65,
>>> > >
>>> > > and
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>>> appropriating some bits of code from other places, namely:
>>> > > > >>>>
>>> > > > >>>> * up2400 for cc65 based on George Hug's user-port 2400 driver.
>>> > > > >>>> https://github.com/nanoflite/c64-up2400-cc65
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>>> * The swiftlink driver for cc65:
>>> > > https://github.com/gilligan/snesdev/blob/master/tools/cc65-
>>> 2.13.2/libsr
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>>> c/c64/c64-swlink.s
>>> > > > >>>>
>>> > > > >>>> * ip65 for ethernet support https://github.com/oliverschmi
>>> dt/ip65
>>> > > > >>>>
>>> > > > >>>> As I said, the terminal is mostly functioning, but I am having
>>> > >
>>> > > problems
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>>> when flow control needs to assert itself, The type of flow
>>> control
>>> > >
>>> > > that
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>>> PLATO supports is XON/XOFF, so I've implemented a threshold
>>> model
>>> > >
>>> > > that
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>>> sends XON/XOFF based on threshold values:
>>> > > > >>>> https://github.com/tschak909/platoterm64/blob/master/src/io.
>>> c#L20
>>> > > > >>>>
>>> > > > >>>> #define XOFF_THRESHOLD 250
>>> > > > >>>> #define XON_THRESHOLD 100
>>> > > > >>>> And this is asserted during the io_recv_serial() which gets
>>> called
>>> > > > >>>> every pass through the main loop:
>>> > > > >>>> https://github.com/tschak909/platoterm64/blob/master/src/io.
>>> c#L20
>>> > > > >>>>
>>> > > > >>>> I understand that the code as is only works with user-port
>>> devices
>>> > > > >>>> (because up2400 re-uses the kernal structures), these are the
>>> > >
>>> > > devices
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>>> that
>>> > > > >>>> need it most, and I am trying to get these devices working,
>>> before
>>> > > > >>>> I
>>> > > > >>>> refine
>>> > > > >>>> things for the swiftlink cartridge.
>>> > > > >>>>
>>> > > > >>>> However, what happens, is something like this:
>>> > > > >>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9VgIigaJzw
>>> > > > >>>>
>>> > > > >>>> and this:
>>> > > > >>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjSlCOPXYRk
>>> > > > >>>>
>>> > > > >>>> I'm not entirely sure what's happening here, as the buffer is
>>> > >
>>> > > filling
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>>> up, and draining, and the amount of glitching is directly
>>> > >
>>> > > proportional
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>>> to
>>> > > > >>>> the tiniest bits of changes in my drawing routines. The one
>>> biggest
>>> > > > >>>> cause
>>> > > > >>>> of glitch is the block erase routine (which given a set of
>>> pixel
>>> > > > >>>> coordinates, erases an area of the screen...the cc65
>>> implementation
>>> > > > >>>> draws
>>> > > > >>>> horizontal lines until the bottom of the bounding box is
>>> reached...
>>> > >
>>> > > I
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>>> would
>>> > > > >>>> think this would simply cause the buffer to fill up, which
>>> would
>>> > >
>>> > > cause
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>>> xoff
>>> > > > >>>> to trip, stuff would stop being sent, and the buffer would
>>> > >
>>> > > subsequently
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>>> be
>>> > > > >>>> drained until the buffer is empty...but something very subtly
>>> wrong
>>> > >
>>> > > is
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>>> happening.
>>> > > > >>>>
>>> > > > >>>> I have already spent days messing with the threshold values,
>>> as
>>> > >
>>> > > well as
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>>> trying to shuffle code around to try and alleviate the
>>> problem, but
>>> > >
>>> > > I
>>> > >
>>> > > > >>>> seem
>>> > > > >>>> to just keep getting the short end of the stick on this one.
>>> > > > >>>>
>>> > > > >>>> Could really use some help, any insights?
>>> > > > >>>>
>>> > > > >>>> Code is here btw: http://github.com/tschak909/platoterm64
>>> > > > >>>>
>>> > > > >>>> -Thom
>>> > >
>>> > > --
>>> > >
>>> > > http://hitmen.eu                 http://ar.pokefinder.org
>>> > > http://vice-emu.sourceforge.net  http://magicdisk.untergrund.net
>>> > >
>>> > > Habe ich schon erwähnt, daß mir HDTV/Blueray/HD-DVD völlig am
>>> > > Allerwertesten
>>> > > vorbeigehen? Das derzeitige Programm noch hochauflösender zu sehen,
>>> > > empfinde
>>> > > ich als Drohung.
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> http://hitmen.eu                 http://ar.pokefinder.org
>>> http://vice-emu.sourceforge.net  http://magicdisk.untergrund.net
>>>
>>> Wer im Glashaus sitzt hat immer frische Gurken.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
Received on 2018-07-01 22:00:04

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