PASCAL-80
PASCAL Compiler
for Z80
PASCAL-80 is a powerful software development tool which
allows high-level programming in PASCAL on all the grifo® boards
based on Z80
microprocessor family. The code compiled by PASCAL-80
needs to use the functions and features of GDOS-80, a Rom-based
Operating System. The development environment is extremly friendly
and achieves to reduce the development time. Unexperienced programmers
will be able to take advantage of its numberouses commands and
functions, becoming productive in few hours of work, while experienced
programmers won't need any training. However the great code performance
and the rapidity of hardware intervents make the PASCAL-80
an unreplaceable work instrument for all the applications.
The compiler supports mathematic functions, control applications,
data base management, interfacing to generic consoles, Operating System calls and many other
features designed to solve industrial automation problems. Its
strictness allows to write only structrured program, obtaining
a level of efficence and flexibility hard to find in other development
tools of equal price.
G E N E R A L I T Y
PASCAL-80 is a programming and development environment
made by a set of independent items that can be used or not by
the programmer, without any limitation. Wishing to make comparisions
amongst PASCAL-80 and other well-known PASCAL programming
tools, we detect that PASCAL-80 has an environment and
instruction set comparable to those of Borland
Turbo PASCAL's Ver. 3.0.
PASCAL-80 enables to take the greatest advantage of
the hardware resources from the boards you are using, because
you may use them directly through the high-level instructions,
with no need to develop specific firmware. For example, PASCAL-80
has the capacity to manage hardware resources like serial lines,
printers, mass storage devices, operator interfaces, etc.
PASCAL-80 software package is made up by a set of disks,
a rich reference manual and a great number of examples (both source
and compiled code) showing how to use the control board's hardware
resources.
PASCAL-80 FEATURES
Basically PASCAL-80 has two main working modalities:
editor mode and command execution mode. The main characteristics
of these two modalities are described as follows:
- Configuration mode: in this situation becomes possible to set
many inernal parameters of the compiler which affect directly
or indirectly the code generation:
- Pascal source saved on a single file or divided in submodules
linked together with include tecnique. This possibility increases
the total application program dimension and at the same time
it speeds the maintenance and it increases the readability.
- Standard syntax; it allows to reuse code written and already
tested on other PASCAL programming environments.
- Powerfull and fast integrated editor that lets the user write
its application program directly from the developing environment.
- Six different data types: boolean (true or false), byte (0÷255),
integer (-32768÷+32767), real (-1E-38÷+1E+38 with
11 significant digits), char and string.
- Management of structured data, either homogeneus (array and
matrix) or not (record and field).
- Wide range of operators including mathematical, relational,
logical, shift operators, precedent, subsequent, etc.
- Complete set of functions including trigonometric, trascendental,
scalar and utility functions.
- Support for the most commonly used numeration bases (hexadecimal
and decimal).
- Instruction set dedicated to the use of an operator interface
(cursor positioning, partial or total screen clear, check for
key pressed, data input, etc.). By means of these functions you
may control GET-80 terminal emulation and the complete
QTP xxx terrminals serie.
- Wide range of GDOS-80 file system management instructions
set. There is no more need for low-level memory and data area
management. GDOS-80 takes care of this by manipulating
RAM data files, which can be created, deleted, renamed,
copied, downloaded etc. PASCAL-80 supports some different
file types to better satisfy the requirements of data base management.
- Interesting string manipulation instructions set (concatenation,
fragmentation, search, conversion etc.).
- Availability of pointers and of pertinent functions and operators.
- Powerful control flow instructions set, which allows to perform
iterations, single or multiple tests, define functions and procedure,
run other programs etc.
- Basic low-level hardware resources management instructions
set, like I/O instructions, direct memory access, machine
code and assembly language routines, absolute calls to external
procedures, interrupts management, etc.
- High level devices management instructions set, which, by
means of GDOS-80 features, allows easy use of peripherals
like printer and serial lines.
- Different compilation modalities and options which permit
to optimize compilation times and compiled code.
- Complete management of overlay technique, which makes possible
to run any number of programs sequentially with data forward
communication. Using this powerful feature, the problems of automaton
involving great amounts of data and code can be easily solved.
- Capability to write customized I/O drivers that manages
some card resource, directly called by some PASCAL high
level functions.
- On line help, easy to use and capable to give a whole description
of any part of PASCAL-80, makes training faster.
- No License fee or overcharge;
developers are free to create programs without even informing
grifo®.
Normally the development of a user application program, consist
of the following phases:
- 1) write and correct the source of the application
(this phase can be performed by the integrated editor or an external
ASCII editor, like the GET-80's one ).
- 2) upload the source to the board using the features
of GDOS-80 file system.
3) compile the uploaded program, to get the compiled code.
In case of error, please return back to point 1
4) execute the compiled code directly on the control board
. If during the functional test of the program problems are detected,
you must go back to point 1
5) recompile the code in the final GDOS-80 executable
form (for example ready for EPROM, or FLASH EPROM
burning).
PASCAL-80 REQUIREMENTS
Only three elements are required to be immediatly up and running:
- A Z80 based control board
like:
- Single Europe Size (100x160
mm)
- BLOCK Size (100x195 mm
e 100x245 mm)
- 3 Type Size (100x145
mm)
- 4 Type
Size (100x50 mm)
- A GDOS-80 operating system for the desired control
board.
- A personal computer, connected to the control board through
a serial line.
Page up-dated at October
30, 2003
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