helge (02/08/83)
For those who did not have the opportunity to attend the cpm83 conference in SF a few weeks ago, here is some excerpts from DRI's "product brief" on cpm-68k, reprinted w/o permission (c) Digital Research 1983. - cp/m-68k features . cp/m and cp/m-86 compatible . supports from 64 kb to 16 mb of RAM . support for 1 to 16 disk drives of up to 512 mb each . C language . sophisticated software development tools . standard cp/m utilities . multiple programs can coexist in RAM . resident system extensions . allows full access to MC68000 hardware features . cross development tools - cp/m and cp/m-86 compatibility cp/m-68k supports an enhanced version of the file system used by cp/m vers. 2 and cp/m-86 version 1. The cp/m-68k file system is compatible with all other cp/m and mp/m file systems. This simplifies conversions of cp/m and cp/m-86 software to run on cp/m-68k. The end user will notice no significant difference between cp/m-68k and previous versions of cp/m. Commands such as DIR, TYPE, PIP, STAT, and ED respond in the same way on both systems. The program interface is also unchanged - cp/m-68k calls for systems services have the same function numbers as cp/m and cp/m-86. Upgrading existing cp/m and cp/m-86 application software to run under cp/m-68k is straightforward, because cp/m-68k is so similar to its predecessors. Although assembly language programs will require recoding, high-level language programs will recompile with little or no modifications. - memory support CP/M-68K is capable of using as little as 64k or as much as 16mb of RAM. The memory used by cp/m-68k can reside anywhere within the address space of the machine. However, user program memory must be contiguous. - disk drive support CP/M-68K can support up to 16 logical drives, each containing up to 512Mb, for a maximum of 8 Gigabytes of on-line storage. A file can be up to 32Mb long, with space dynamically allocated and released. Each disk has a directory which maps each file's physical locations on the disk. Disk definition tables in the BIOS translate this logical information to the physical characteristics of the disk. - C language The cp/m-68k package includes a C compiler and run time library which are subset compatible with un*x V7. This provides a bridge from un*x to cp/m-68k, C programs developed under un*x can easily be transported to cp/m-68k. - Sophisticated software development tools The cp/m-68k package includes the following set of software development tools: . A C compiler and C run-time library compatible with un*x software . An assembler which supports standard Motorola MC68000 assembly language . A linker which produces both relocatable and absolute load modules . An object module librarian . A utility to convert cp/m-68k load modules to Motorola S-record form . A relocation utility to convert relocatable load modules to absolute form . A utility to list the symbol table contained in a load module file . A utility which prints the memory size required by the load module These tools can run on any cp/m-68k system with at least 128k of memory. - Standard cp/m utilities PIP - ED - DDT - STAT - SUBMIT - DUMP - Multiple programs can coexist in RAM The cp/m-68k program load function allows an application program to load other programs into memory. The number of programs which can be loaded is limited only by the memory space on the machine. This feature can be used to implement program overlays. Overlays can be called using the standard cp/m-68k loading sequence. relocatable overlays can be loaded anywhere in user program memory, eliminating the need to relink all overlay segments with every program change. - Resident system extensions he cp/m-68k RSX facility allows customization of the operating system on a selective basis. RSX modules are attached to the base of the operating system where they intercept operating system functions and either perform the function or forward the call to the operating system. RSX modules can remain permanently in memory or be removed when a user program terminates. - Full access to MC68000 hardware cp/m-68k gives the applications program complete access to the advanced features of the MC68000 microprocessor. Support is provided for intercepting 68000 exceptions, using the cpu supervisor state, and accessing i/o devices within the user program. cp/m-68k places no restrictions on the use of coprocessor chips by the applications program. All support for such devices must be supplied by the application, however. - Cross development tools DRI also offers a version of the cp/m-68k cross development tools which will run on a DEC PDP11 under un*x, or on a VAX using either VMS or un*x. Cp/m-68k is shipped on five 8" SSSD diskettes, configured for the Motorola EXORmacs development system. ---------- Some notes from the presentation of the product: -Available Feb. -83 -Planned languages: Pascal/MT+, CBasic -CB80 (CB68K??), APL(!!) possibly PL/I, no decision made yet -The C compiler does not support floating point operations -The assembler does not support macros, but the C preprocessor may be used for this purpose. -------------------------------------------------------------------