History

Torsten Ruger 0040baae28 rename frame to named_list to be shared soon		2016-12-21 18:45:18 +02:00
..
builtin	renames compiler to method_compiler	2016-12-18 14:15:19 +02:00
instructions	extracting to_s from getter and setter	2016-12-16 00:30:26 +02:00
assembler.rb	some reek assited coding on assembler	2016-12-16 15:41:26 +02:00
boot.rb	rename frame to named_list to be shared soon	2016-12-21 18:45:18 +02:00
collector.rb	rename layout to type	2016-02-25 11:50:10 -08:00
eventable.rb	move interpreter to register	2015-11-18 12:00:30 +02:00
instruction.rb	introduce base class for get_slot and get_byte called getter	2016-12-11 14:12:35 +02:00
interpreter.rb	adds set_byte interpreter test	2016-12-16 01:43:54 +02:00
machine.rb	refactor also building word	2016-12-15 19:31:39 +02:00
padding.rb	some docs	2016-12-06 11:38:09 +02:00
positioned.rb	some docs	2016-12-06 11:38:09 +02:00
README.md	remove references to soml	2016-12-11 12:55:03 +02:00
register_value.rb	rename object_type to instance_type	2016-02-25 12:16:13 -08:00

README.md

Register Machine

The RegisterMachine, is an abstract machine with registers. Think of it as an arm machine with normal instruction names. It is not however an abstraction of existing hardware, but only of that subset that we need.

Our primary objective is to compile typed code to this level, so the register machine has:

object access instructions
object load
object oriented call semantics
extended (and extensible) branching
normal integer operators (but no sub word instructions)

All data is in objects.

The register machine is aware of Parfait objects, and specifically uses Message and Frame to express call semantics.

Calls and syscalls

The RegisterMachine only uses 1 fixed register, the currently worked on Message.

There is no stack, rather messages form a linked list, and preparing to call, the data is pre-filled into the next message. Calling then means moving the new message to the current one and jumping to the address of the method. Returning is the somewhat reverse process.

Syscalls are implemented by one Syscall instruction. The Register machine does not specify/limit the meaning or number of syscalls. This is implemented by the level below, eg the arm/interpreter.

Interpreter

There is an interpreter that can interpret compiled register machine programs. This is very handy for debugging (an nothing else).

Even more handy is the graphical interface for the interpreter, which is in it's own repository: salama-debugger.

Arm / Elf

There is also a (very strightforward) transformation to arm instructions. Together with the also quite minimal elf module, arm binaries can be produced.

These binaries have no external dependencies and in fact can not even call c at the moment (only syscalls :-)).