/[gxemul]/trunk/doc/intro.html
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revision 41 by dpavlin, Mon Oct 8 16:22:11 2007 UTC revision 42 by dpavlin, Mon Oct 8 16:22:32 2007 UTC
# Line 10  Line 10 
10    
11  <!--  <!--
12    
13  $Id: intro.html,v 1.110 2007/04/28 00:12:03 debug Exp $  $Id: intro.html,v 1.118 2007/06/15 21:43:09 debug Exp $
14    
15  Copyright (C) 2003-2007  Anders Gavare.  All rights reserved.  Copyright (C) 2003-2007  Anders Gavare.  All rights reserved.
16    
# Line 52  SUCH DAMAGE. Line 52  SUCH DAMAGE.
52    <li><a href="#build">How to compile/build the emulator</a>    <li><a href="#build">How to compile/build the emulator</a>
53    <li><a href="#run">How to run the emulator</a>    <li><a href="#run">How to run the emulator</a>
54    <li><a href="#cpus">Which processor architectures does GXemul emulate?</a>    <li><a href="#cpus">Which processor architectures does GXemul emulate?</a>
55    <li><a href="#hosts">Which host architectures are supported?</a>    <li><a href="#hosts">Which host architectures/platforms are supported?</a>
56    <li><a href="#accuracy">Emulation accuracy</a>    <li><a href="#accuracy">Emulation accuracy</a>
57    <li><a href="#emulmodes">Which machines does GXemul emulate?</a>    <li><a href="#emulmodes">Which machines does GXemul emulate?</a>
58  </ul>  </ul>
# Line 67  SUCH DAMAGE. Line 67  SUCH DAMAGE.
67  <a name="overview"></a>  <a name="overview"></a>
68  <h3>Overview:</h3>  <h3>Overview:</h3>
69    
70  GXemul is an experimental instruction-level machine emulator. Several  GXemul is an experimental <a href="#accuracy">instruction-level</a>
71  emulation modes are available. In some modes, processors and surrounding  machine emulator. Several emulation modes are available. In some modes,
72  hardware components are emulated well enough to let unmodified operating  processors and surrounding hardware components are emulated well enough to
73  systems (e.g. NetBSD) run as if they were running on a real machine.  let <a href="#emulmodes">unmodified operating systems (e.g. NetBSD)
74    run</a> as if they were running on a real machine.
75    
76    <p>The emulator is written in C, does not depend on third-party libraries,
77    and should compile and run on most 64-bit and 32-bit Unix-like systems,
78    with few or no modifications.
79    
80  <p>Devices and processors are not simulated with 100% accuracy. They are  <p>Devices and processors are not simulated with 100% accuracy. They are
81  only ``faked'' well enough to allow guest operating systems to run without  only ``faked'' well enough to allow guest operating systems to run without
# Line 78  complaining too much. Still, the emulato Line 83  complaining too much. Still, the emulato
83  academic research and experiments, such as when learning how to write  academic research and experiments, such as when learning how to write
84  operating system code.  operating system code.
85    
 <p>The emulator is written in C, does not depend on third-party libraries,  
 and should compile and run on most 64-bit and 32-bit Unix-like systems.  
   
86  <p>The emulator contains code which tries to emulate the workings of CPUs  <p>The emulator contains code which tries to emulate the workings of CPUs
87  and surrounding hardware found in real machines, but it does not contain  and surrounding hardware found in real machines, but it does not contain
88  any ROM code. You will need some form of program (in binary form) to run  any ROM code. You will need some form of program (in binary form) to run
89  in the emulator. For many emulation modes, PROM calls are handled by the  in the emulator. For some emulation modes, PROM calls are handled by the
90  emulator itself, so you do not need to use any ROM image at all.  emulator itself, so you do not need to use any ROM image at all.
91    
92  <p>You can use pre-compiled kernels (for example NetBSD kernels, or  <p>You can use pre-compiled kernels (for example <a href="http://www.netbsd.org/">NetBSD</a>
93  Linux), or other programs that are in binary format, and in some cases  kernels, or Linux), or other programs that are in binary format, and in some cases
94  even actual ROM images. A couple of different file formats are supported  even actual ROM images. A couple of different file formats are supported:
95  (ELF, a.out, ECOFF, SREC, and raw binaries).  <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executable_and_Linkable_Format">ELF</a>,
96    <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.out">a.out</a>,
97    <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COFF">COFF</a>/<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECOFF">ECOFF</a>,
98    <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SREC_%28file_format%29">SREC</a>, and raw binaries.
99    
100  <p>If you do not have a kernel as a separate file, but you have a bootable  <p>If you do not have a kernel as a separate file, but you have a bootable
101  disk image, then it is sometimes possible to boot directly from that  disk image, then it is sometimes possible to boot directly from that
102  image. (This works for example with DECstation emulation, Dreamcast  image. This works for example with DECstation emulation, <a href="dreamcast.html">Dreamcast
103  emulation, or when booting from generic ISO9660 CDROM images if the  emulation</a>, or when booting from generic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO9660">ISO9660</a>
104  kernel is included in the image as a plain file.)  CDROM images if the kernel is included in the image as a plain file.
105    
106  <p>Thanks to (in no specific order) Joachim Buss, Olivier Houchard, Juli  <p>Thanks to (in no specific order) Joachim Buss, Olivier Houchard, Juli
107  Mallett, Juan Romero Pardines, Carl van Schaik, Alec Voropay, Göran  Mallett, Juan Romero Pardines, Carl van Schaik, Miod Vallat, Alec Voropay,
108  Weinholt, Alexander Yurchenko, and everyone else who has provided me with  Göran Weinholt, Alexander Yurchenko, and everyone else who has provided me
109  feedback.  with feedback.
110    
111    
112    
# Line 160  specific libraries to build, however, if Line 165  specific libraries to build, however, if
165  not have X11 libraries installed, some functionality will be lost.  not have X11 libraries installed, some functionality will be lost.
166    
167  <p>The emulator's performance is highly dependent on both runtime settings  <p>The emulator's performance is highly dependent on both runtime settings
168  and on compiler settings, so you might want to experiment with different  and on compiler settings, so you might want to experiment with
169  CC and CFLAGS environment variable values. For example, on an AMD Athlon  using different CC and CFLAGS environment variable values when running the
170  host, you might want to try setting <tt>CFLAGS</tt> to <tt>-march=athlon</tt>  <tt>configure</tt> script.
171  before running <tt>configure</tt>.  
172    <p>Note that there is no <tt>make install</tt> functionality; package
173    maintainers for individual operating systems solve this for their
174    corresponding OSes.
175    
176    
177    
# Line 180  Running <tt><b>gxemul</b></tt> without a Line 188  Running <tt><b>gxemul</b></tt> without a
188  <b><tt>-h</tt></b> or <b><tt>-H</tt></b> command line options) will  <b><tt>-h</tt></b> or <b><tt>-H</tt></b> command line options) will
189  display a help message.  display a help message.
190    
191  <p>  <p>To get some ideas about what is possible to run in the emulator, please
 To get some ideas about what is possible to run in the emulator, please  
192  read the section about <a href="guestoses.html">installing "guest"  read the section about <a href="guestoses.html">installing "guest"
193  operating systems</a>. If you are interested in using the emulator to  operating systems</a>. The most straight forward guest operating to
194  develop code on your own, then you should also read the section about  install is NetBSD/pmax; the instructions provided <a
195  <a href="experiments.html#hello">Hello World</a>.  href="guestoses.html#netbsdpmaxinstall">here</a> should let you install
196    NetBSD/pmax in a way very similar to how it is done on a real DECstation.
197    
198    <p>If you are interested in using the emulator to develop code on your
199    own, then you should also read the section about <a
200    href="experiments.html#hello">Hello World</a>.
201    
202  <p>  <p>To exit the emulator, type CTRL-C to enter the
 To exit the emulator, type CTRL-C to enter the  
203  single-step debugger, and then type <tt><b>quit</b></tt>.  single-step debugger, and then type <tt><b>quit</b></tt>.
204    
205  <p>  <p>If you are starting an emulation by entering settings directly on the
206  If you are starting an emulation by entering settings directly on the  command line, and you are not using the <tt><b>-x</b></tt> option, then
207  command line, and you are not using the <tt><b>-x</b></tt> option, then all  all terminal input and output will go to the main controlling terminal.
 terminal input and output will go to the main controlling terminal.  
208  CTRL-C is used to break into the debugger, so in order to send CTRL-C to  CTRL-C is used to break into the debugger, so in order to send CTRL-C to
209  the running (emulated) program, you may use CTRL-B.  the running (emulated) program, you may use CTRL-B. (This should be a
210  (This should be a reasonable compromise to allow the emulator to be usable  reasonable compromise to allow the emulator to be usable even on systems
211  even on systems without X Windows.)  without X Windows.)
212    
213  <p>  <p>There is no way to send an actual CTRL-B to the emulated program, when
214  There is no way to send an actual CTRL-B to the emulated program, when  typing in the main controlling terminal window. The solution is to either
215  typing in the main controlling terminal window. The solution is to either  use <a href="configfiles.html">configuration files</a>, or use
 use <a href="configfiles.html">configuration files</a>, or use  
216  <tt><b>-x</b></tt>. Both these solutions cause new xterms to be opened for  <tt><b>-x</b></tt>. Both these solutions cause new xterms to be opened for
217  each emulated serial port that is written to. CTRL-B and CTRL-C both have  each emulated serial port that is written to. CTRL-B and CTRL-C both have
218  their original meaning in those xterm windows.  their original meaning in those xterm windows.
# Line 222  and SuperH. Line 231  and SuperH.
231    
232  <p>Please read the page about <a href="guestoses.html">guest operating  <p>Please read the page about <a href="guestoses.html">guest operating
233  systems</a> for more information about the machines and operating systems  systems</a> for more information about the machines and operating systems
234  that can be considered "working" in the emulator.  that can be considered "working" in the emulator. (There is some code in
235    GXemul for emulation of other architectures, but they are not stable or
236    complete enough to be listed among the "working" architectures.)
237    
238    
239    
# Line 231  that can be considered "working" in the Line 242  that can be considered "working" in the
242    
243  <p><br>  <p><br>
244  <a name="hosts"></a>  <a name="hosts"></a>
245  <h3>Which host architectures are supported?</h3>  <h3>Which host architectures/platforms are supported?</h3>
246    
247  GXemul should compile and run on any modern host architecture (64-bit or  GXemul should compile and run on any modern host architecture (64-bit or
248  32-bit word-length).  32-bit word-length). I generally test it on FreeBSD/amd64 6.x,
249    FreeBSD/alpha 4.x, sometimes also on Linux (various platforms), and every
250    now and then also on NetBSD inside the emulator itself (various platforms).
251    
252  <p>Note: The <a href="translation.html">dynamic translation</a> engine  <p>Note 1: The <a href="translation.html">dynamic translation</a> engine
253  does <i>not</i> require backends for native code generation to be written  does <i>not</i> require backends for native code generation to be written
254  for each individual host architecture; the intermediate representation  for each individual host architecture; the intermediate representation
255  that the dyntrans system uses can be executed on any host architecture.  that the dyntrans system uses can be executed on any host architecture.
256    
257    <p>Note 2: Although GXemul may build and run on non-Unix-like platforms,
258    such as Cygwin, Unix-like systems are the primary platform. Some
259    functionality may be lost when running on Cygwin.
260    
261    
262    
263    
264    
265    
266    
# Line 312  are emulated well enough to run at least Line 332  are emulated well enough to run at least
332    <ul>    <ul>
333      <li><b>IBM 6050/6070 (PReP, PowerPC Reference Platform)</b> (<a href="guestoses.html#netbsdprepinstall">NetBSD/prep</a>)      <li><b>IBM 6050/6070 (PReP, PowerPC Reference Platform)</b> (<a href="guestoses.html#netbsdprepinstall">NetBSD/prep</a>)
334      <li><b>MacPPC (generic "G4" Macintosh)</b> (<a href="guestoses.html#netbsdmacppcinstall">NetBSD/macppc</a>)      <li><b>MacPPC (generic "G4" Macintosh)</b> (<a href="guestoses.html#netbsdmacppcinstall">NetBSD/macppc</a>)
335        <li><b>Artesyn PM/PPC</b> (<a href="guestoses.html#netbsdpmppc">NetBSD/pmppc</a>)
336    </ul>    </ul>
337    <p>    <p>
338    <li><b><u>SuperH</u></b>    <li><b><u>SuperH</u></b>
339    <ul>    <ul>
340      <li><b>Sega Dreamcast</b> (<a href="dreamcast.html#netbsd_generic_md">NetBSD/dreamcast</a>, <a href="dreamcast.html#linux_live_cd">Linux/dreamcast</a>)      <li><b>Sega Dreamcast</b> (<a href="dreamcast.html#netbsd_generic_md">NetBSD/dreamcast</a>, <a href="dreamcast.html#linux_live_cd">Linux/dreamcast</a>)
341      <li><b>Landisk</b> (<a href="guestoses.html#openbsdlandiskinstall">OpenBSD/landisk</a>)      <li><b>Landisk I-O DATA USL-5P</b> (<a href="guestoses.html#openbsdlandiskinstall">OpenBSD/landisk</a>)
342    </ul>    </ul>
343  </ul>  </ul>
344    
# Line 331  it doesn't.</small> Line 352  it doesn't.</small>
352  <br><small><font color="#0000e0">(<super>*2</super>)</font> =  <br><small><font color="#0000e0">(<super>*2</super>)</font> =
353  SGI O2 emulation is enough for root-on-nfs, but not for disk boot.</small>  SGI O2 emulation is enough for root-on-nfs, but not for disk boot.</small>
354    
355    <p>Note that of all of the machines above, none of them is emulated to
356    100%. The most complete emulation mode is probably the DECstation
357    5000/200. Things that will most likely <b>not</b> work include running
358    raw PROM images for most machines, SGI IRIX, MacOS X or Darwin, Windows
359    NT, or Dreamcast games.
360    
361  <p>There is code in GXemul for emulation of many other machine types; the  <p>There is code in GXemul for emulation of several other machine types; the
362  degree to which these work range from almost being able to run a complete  degree to which these work range from almost being able to run a complete
363  OS, to almost completely unsupported (perhaps just enough support to  OS, to almost completely unsupported, perhaps just enough support to
364  output a few boot messages via serial console).  output a few boot messages via serial console. (See the end of
365    <a href="guestoses.html#generalnotes">this section</a> on the Guest OSes
366    page for some examples, but remember that these do not necessarily work.)
367    
368  <p>In addition to emulating real machines, there is also a "test-machine".  <p>In addition to emulating real machines, there is also a "test-machine".
369  A test-machine consists of one or more CPUs and a few experimental devices  A test-machine consists of one or more CPUs and a few experimental devices
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