[comp.sys.m68k] A-line traps

andrew@teletron.UUCP (Andrew Scott) (12/11/87)

Are the A-line traps (illegal instructions with "opcodes" $Axxx) guaranteed to
be available for use through all 68xxx series processors?  I can't find in any
Motorola documentation any statement which says so either way.  The original
F-line traps from the 68000 are now used as coprocessor interface opcodes in
the 68020.  Does Motorola have the A-line traps reserved for some future
feature(s) also?

Please e-mail any response, as I don't regularly read this newsgroup.

Thanks,
		Andrew Scott		(..alberta!teletron!andrew)

gnu@hoptoad.uucp (John Gilmore) (12/13/87)

Since Apple used the A-line traps for ROM calls in the Macintosh, I
doubt that future 68K chips would make valid instructions out of them.
There must be thousands of application programs that rely on this,
and Apple is probably the largest 68K customer.
-- 
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		"Watch me change my world..." -- Liquid Theatre