summaryrefslogtreecommitdiffhomepage
path: root/doc
AgeCommit message (Collapse)Author
2020-10-16Doc versions updatesJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2020-10-15Documentation typo (fixes #59239)Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2019-04-09Change vm->address_list from GSList to GQueueJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
The current emulator uses an unbounded linked list for tracking the memory locations our program has traveled through. On a 64 bit system, this requires 16 bytes of data for every instruction a MIX program performs. For small programs that are light on computation cycles, this does not cause a noticeable issue. For programs that execute hundreds of millions of instructions, this causes the memory footprint of the virtual machine to explode. I have attached an example MIXAL program that will cause the VM to grow to over 3 GB of memory usage when run. To run the sample, compile coin-opt.mixal (attached), run it in mixvm, and enter 499 at the prompt. Or use the following steps. This patch changes all the appropriate references to GQueue references and also caps the backtrace at 1000, which can be changed in the mixlib/mix_vm.h header. I feel like 1000 is a reasonable limit for the vast majority of debugging needs. Most people are looking back at the most recent 100 instructions or so. You can get the original behavior (unlimited tracing) back by setting the MIX_MAXTRACE to -1, albeit with a slightly higher memory cost (24 bytes per instruction). Or you can turn it off entirely by setting it to 0. Using a queue doesn't change the logic of the program in any significant way, and it allows programs to run for an extended period of time without consuming all the memory on the machine and slowing down to a crawl. -Kevin Brunelle
2019-04-09Support IOC commands for disk/drum devicesJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
Thanks to Kevin Brunelle There is a minor fix included with regards to tape devices. The test was failing if M == 0, when it should fail when M != 0. NOTICE: This patch changes the behavior of the VM and changes the function parameters for the ioc_ function. Documentation changes are included. Permits the following: LDX BLKNUM IOC 0(8) OUT ADDR(8) Write block from ADDR into disk[BLKNUM] IOC 0(8) IN ADDR(8) Read block from disk[BLKNUM] into ADDR ... BLKNUM CON 45000 Example possible block on disk I was having an issue writing a block to a drive and then reading back the same block. Because it is impossible to move the SEEK_CUR pointer backwards on a disk device, there was no way for a program to read back a block that it wrote to a disk without restarting or fiddling with ~/.mdk/disk?.dev files and symbolic links. I have added a function parameter to the ioc_ function and used it to pass the value of rX to ioc_. This permits us to use IOC commands to move the read/write head on a disk/drum device. I believe that this conforms to the potential meaning of Knuth's description of IOC for disk/drum devices. I have put in tests to verify that rX is positive and M = 0. I have updated the documentation to reflect this new behavior. This makes disks much more usable. Note: I won't be offended if this patch is rejected because it changed the behavior of the VM. I think it fits the spirit and enhances the functionality in a way that some might find useful. I wanted it for something I was working on, and I felt others might want the same. The thing with the paper-tape should be fixed, though.
2015-12-23Version upgraded to 1.2.91.2.9Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2015-11-16Documentation fixes by Joshua DaviesJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2015-03-03Modify texinfo documentationlitvin
2014-08-04THANKS updated for 1.2.8jao
2014-05-20Fixes for readline 6.3Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2014-01-06Compilation fixesJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2013-02-25Thanks where thanks are due1.2.7Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2013-02-23NEWS for 1.2.7Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2013-02-18Convenience target to generate manualJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2013-02-18Guile versions updated in docJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2013-02-18gendocs scripts updatedJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2013-02-18Version updated to 1.2.7Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2013-02-18Additional samples and doc from TAOCP, via ESR's MIXALJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2010-09-10Versions mentioned in documentation and configure.ac updatedJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2010-09-10Fix for #29524 (links to source repo updated in manual)Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2010-03-26Document generation scripts updated.Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2009-10-11Typos and nits in the previous patch.1.2.5Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2009-10-11Proper acknowledge for Aleix's contributions.Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
* THANKS: * doc/mdk_ack.texi: Proper acknowledgement.
2009-10-11NEWS for 1.2.5.Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2008-08-31.ignore files for the compilation productsjao
2008-03-21Manual generation scripts updated and ignoring doc/manualJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2008-03-15arch-inventory files removedJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2008-03-15Texinfo's @include only works properly with depth 1Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2008-03-15GPL/FDL license files updatedJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2008-03-15More ignored files.Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2008-03-15Ignore files generated by autogen.shJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
2006-08-10Version strings updated to 1.2.3Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
git-archimport-id: mdk@sv.gnu.org/mdk--devel--1--patch-38
2006-08-07Minor adjustments to manual generation template1.2.2Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
git-archimport-id: mdk@sv.gnu.org/mdk--devel--1--patch-26
2006-08-06Restore invariant sections in documentationJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
git-archimport-id: mdk@sv.gnu.org/mdk--devel--1--patch-25
2006-08-06Define missing ac variable GETTEXT_PACKAGEJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
git-archimport-id: mdk@sv.gnu.org/mdk--devel--1--patch-24
2006-08-06No invariant sections in manualJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
git-archimport-id: mdk@sv.gnu.org/mdk--devel--1--patch-22
2006-08-05Info about new Arch archiveJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
git-archimport-id: mdk@sv.gnu.org/mdk--devel--1--patch-15
2006-08-05Acknowledgements to Michael and XiaofengJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
git-archimport-id: mdk@sv.gnu.org/mdk--devel--1--patch-14
2006-03-24CVS $Id$ tags removed.Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
git-archimport-id: mdk@sv.gnu.org/mdk--devel--1--patch-7
2006-03-21Arch inventory files addedJose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
git-archimport-id: mdk@sv.gnu.org/mdk--devel--1--patch-4
2006-03-20Version 1.2.1 imported1.2.1Jose Antonio Ortega Ruiz
git-archimport-id: mdk@sv.gnu.org/mdk--devel--1--patch-1