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Instruction Op Codes: Q's to Chip & others — Parallax Forums

Instruction Op Codes: Q's to Chip & others

Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
edited 2013-01-16 17:38 in Propeller 2
I have been going over the Op Code summary and I have a few thoughts and questions, in case another tweek of the P2 occurs before the February shuttle run...

JMPRET & JMPRETD
1. Could instruction codes for JMPRET & JMPRETD be swaped? Reason: Maintain P1 opcode compatibility where possible. Alternately, they could share the same "010111" opcode utilising the carry bit C=1=JMPRETD, freeing up an op code inthe process (see 6. below)

CMPSUB & SUBR
2. Could instruction codes for CMPSUB & SUBR be swapped? Reason: Maintain P1 opcode compatibility for CMPSUB (although R=0 is now used for additional instructions). Alternately, they could share the same op code "111000" utilising R=1=CMPSUB and R=0=SUBR. (also see below).

CMPSUB, SUBR, INCMOD, DECMOD & SETINDx, FIXINDx, CFGPINS, WAITVID
3. SETINDx, FIXINDx, CFGPINS & WAITVID could possibly all be combined into a 1/2 instruction with R=0 or 1 instruction with R=0/1, and utilising Z & C bits to decode. Reason: This would permit CMPSUB, SUBR, INCMOD & DECMOD to utilise the NR bits (as for most instructions). (see below to find a new op code)

Other possibilities could be...
3A. CMPSUB & SUBR could share the opcode "111000" with R=1 for CMPSUB and R=0 for SUBR (i.e. NR not possible with these instructions)
3B. INCMOD & DECMOD could share the opcode "111001" with R=1 for INCMOD and R=0 for DECMOD (i.e. NR not possible with these instructions)

IJZ, IJZD, IJNZ, IJNZD & DJZ, DJZD, DJNZ, DJNZD
4. These instructions all have the NR option but no WZ or WZ option. Would WZ be more useful than NR for these instructions ??? (It's a question because I am not sure - perhaps both would be nice and therefore utilise extra op codes that could be freed up below)

JP, JPD, JNP, JND
5. If these were able to have a separate op code, then could R be repurposed to provide a [#]D option too (as in the #n option used in op code "000011" instructions)? Would this therefore be possible... JP #D,#S ???

Possible instruction combinations to free up some op codes...

JMPRET, JMPRETD
6. (See 1. above.) Share op code "010111" utilising C=1=JMPRETD (Note: The D versions of IJxx, DJxx, TJxx & JxPx already utlise the C bit for the Delayed versions of these instructions - this change would provide consistency).

MOVS, MOVD, MOVI
7. In P1 these instructions have C undefined. "C" could therefore be used to combine two of these instructions into 1 opcode. I cannot really see much for the "R" bit so it could be repurposed as another decode bit, permitting all 3 instructions to share the one op code and leaves the possibility of a later instruction such as perhaps MOVC (moves the 4 CCCC bits) or MOVO (moves 14 bits b31:b18) or similar.

CMPS, CMPSX
8. In P1 the "R" bit is always =0. Therefore "R" could be utilised permitting these instructions to share an op code.

ENC
9. This instruction may be able to share another op code as Z/C/R are possibly useless. Perhaps CFGPINS or WAITVID ???

I think that almost all of these are simple verilog changes. Of course I could be completely wrong.

Possible new instruction...
10. Previously I asked if it would be possible to add an instruction to shift right 9 places from b26, leaving b31-b27 untouched, and b26-b18 set to 0. I use this in fast vector decoding (in my faster spin interpreter, and heater uses it in ZiCog) by having 3 cog instruction vectors and 5 top bits for various flags. It would be useful to also have the Z flag set according to the result of the bits b26-b0. Could this instuction be a subset of SHR where S or #S =%xxx100000. Currently, only the last 5 bits are tested and would/should? result in no shifting. By utilising a setting of >>32 an extra special instruction could be added. This is what I am trying to replace in P1 instructions...

MOV t1,Vector 'make copy
AND Vector,hF8000000 'extract top 5 bits for later
SHR t1,#9
AND t1,h3FFFF WZ 'leaves D & S bits, sets Z flag
OR Vector,t1 'add back in D & S bits

Comments

  • David BetzDavid Betz Posts: 14,511
    edited 2013-01-10 18:24
    I've wondered why some opcodes were changed like JMPRET. Maybe the changes make the decode logic simpler or faster or something like that.
  • Roy ElthamRoy Eltham Posts: 2,996
    edited 2013-01-10 19:53
    Cluso99 wrote: »
    IJZ, IJZD, IJNZ, IJNZD & DJZ, DJZD, DJNZ, DJNZD
    4. These instructions all have the NR option but no WZ or WZ option. Would WZ be more useful than NR for these instructions ??? (It's a question because I am not sure - perhaps both would be nice and therefore utilise extra op codes that could be freed up below)

    You get an implied zero or non-zero from those instructions in the fact that they take the jump or not. You could code something to "read/store" that if really needed. You get actual functionality from the NR option (that I wouldn't want to lose). I think they should stay as they are.

    Also, in general, I don't think it's all that valuable to remain binary opcode compatible with the P1. I think the PASM source instructions should be compatible as much as is reasonable, but at the bit level, I dunno. The shear number of new instructions and the number that are "overlapping" each other in the binary space is making the assembler (DAT section compiler in spin.exe) slightly more complex, but it's not that bad. Make a few cases be more P1 binary compatible isn't going to do much of real use... or am i missing something?

    Roy
  • potatoheadpotatohead Posts: 10,253
    edited 2013-01-10 20:08
    I don't see a big gain from binary compatibility.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2013-01-10 20:10
    Re: using carry to modify the meaning of an opcode. Be sure to read Tracy Kidder's The Soul of a New Machine and learn to appreciate the designers' disdain for a "mode bit." I haven't studied the P2 instruction set in any detail yet, but I hope that the carry bit is not used in such a way -- ever. (I groaned aloud when seeing it used like this in the P1 to distinguish between ina and inb in the waitpxx instructions. Fortunately, we never had to exercise that distinction.)

    -Phil
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    edited 2013-01-10 21:57
    Binary compatibility is useful in a number of cases that I can think of...
    1. All instructions from "001000" ROR to "110111" SUBSX (with/without a few exceptions) are the same as P1 other than they now execute in 1 clock instead of 4.

    By swapping JMPRET & JMPRETD and CMPSUB & SUBR this becomes "001000" ROR to "111000" CMPSUB with the only current exception being CMPSUB which no longer has a usable NR bit. This is the majority of P1 instructions :)

    The only P1 instructions then not the same would be DJNZ, TJNZ, TJZ, the RDxxxx/WRxxxx instructions, the hub instructions HUBOP, CLKSET, COGxxxx, LOCKxxxx, and the WAITxxx instructions.

    DJNZ, TJNZ, TJZ:
    TJNZ & TJZ previously had separate op codes on P1. They now share a new op code where WZ, WC and NR are re-purposed. WZ is used to share the op codes. WC is used to add the "delayed" versions. R is used to share the new JPx/JNPx instructions, since R=0 was implied in TJNZ/TJZ.
    DJNZ now uses a new op code with WZ and WC re-purposed. WZ adds DJZ instructions and WC adds "delayed versions" to this opcode (DJNZx/DJZx)
    IJZx/IJNZx has been added using a new op code (operates similar to the new DJZx/DJNZx)

    RDxxxx/WRxxxx are basically the same with the addition that in RDxxxx, WC is used for the cached reads.

    HUBOPs are changed considerably and were not used regularly anyway.


    2. We use self-modifying code. At least if the majority of P1 instructions remain the same op codes, there will be little in the way of masks to change.

    This is definately not a show-stopper, but if it is simple enough, then it is preferable.

    Roy: re the WZ bit in the IJxxx/DJxxx/TJxxx scenarios. I often enter a routine with the C or Z or both indicating from where it came. I thought this could perhaps be more useful than the NR bit. I cannot see a valid use of the C bit here. Of course, my preference is to have both WZ & NR, but isn't that always the case ;)

    Phil: The compiler should restrict the use of the re-purposed flags. I agree the WC was not a good choice for the INA/INB and WAITPXX instructions. FOrtunately for us we never had to deal with this since the P1B never eventuated. However, the re-purposing of the ZCRI bits in insructions that do not require them seems an excellent way to extend the instruction set. This will all be hidden by the compiler, just like TEST was hidden from the AND instruction effectively using NR.

    potatohead: No binary is going to run without recompiling at least. But the less changes the better. I think it is more a matter of making out the case that the P2 is a souped up extended version of P1. I think this makes it simpler for us P1 people to shift easily to P2.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2013-01-10 22:01
    Cluso99 wrote:
    However, the re-purposing of the ZCRI bits in insructions that do not require them seems an excellent way to extend the instruction set.
    I disagree. Many times you want a condition bit to last more than one instruction. If an intervening instruction requires it just to define its operation, its use as a condition bit is fatally compromised. Moreover, using a condition as a detached opcode bit requires two instructions to perform the operation: one to set the condition bit; another to execute the opcode. Simply put: condition bits should be used only as condition bits, not as detached opcode bits.

    -Phil
  • potatoheadpotatohead Posts: 10,253
    edited 2013-01-10 22:13
    I'm sorry, I really don't agree.

    Binary compatibility really only matters when people are dealing with a lot of object code with the intent of running it directly, or with a very minimal modification. That's just not typical in the Propeller world. Self modify code is largely used for indexing / indirection, both of which are now hardware supported with additional instructions and registers for those purposes. That leaves the odd case of a self-modifying program that writes instructions for some purposes. I'm not sure we have cases worth such a change and where that might be true, it's only of limited value given code targeted to both CPU's remains confined to the subset of binary compatible instructions. Just don't see that as being a significant use case.

    "the less changes the better"

    Why? If we aren't really considering executable code, assembly language compatability and above is all that really matters. Where it's really at issue, some software can very easily assist with that, presenting things in ways that people understand easily. We do very little at the machine code level, mostly assembly and above and that's not really going to change, but for some niche cases patching things with the monitor, etc... and there isn't similar functionality on P1 and the resources required for one make it an educational thing at best.

    Adding an instruction to address a clear and high value use case makes sense to me, but only when it's very significant, and we've not demonstrated that there aren't better means / methods open to us. By all means, make your case for either. I just can't support the instruction shuffling on the basis of binary compatibility because I don't see where it's high enough value to warrant the cost / risk of doing so.

    I second Phil's comment about conditionals carrying through a few instructions.

    Finally, the more I work with the P2 emulation, the more I realize they are very different chips that share the same design ideology. The P2 isn't really an increment of the P1, like where we see binary compatabity pay off, it's changed enough to warrant it's own arrangement of instructions.
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    edited 2013-01-10 22:16
    I disagree. Many times you want a condition bit to last more than one instruction. If an intervening instruction requires it just to define its operation, its use as a condition bit is fatally compromised. Moreover, using a condition as a detached opcode bit requires two instructions to perform the operation: one to set the condition bit; another to execute the opcode. Simply put: condition bits should be used only as condition bits, not as detached opcode bits.

    -Phil
    No Phil: You have its function incorrect. For example, instructions that share the Z and C bits are DJZ, DJNZ, DJZD and DJNZD. If the WC is on (set by the compiler into the binary instruction) then the "Delayed" version of the DJxx instruction is executed. Nothing changes the C flag and nothing uses the C flag. The P2 just uses this bit in the 32bit instruction in a different way. Likewise, the WZ bit is used to distinguish if the instruction will be a DJZx or DJNZx instruction. Again, nothing changes or uses the Z flag.
    These instructions can still execute conditionally based on the CCCC condition. They just cannot set the Z or C flags.

    In other cases, the cccc bits are re-purposed. All this means is that these instructions do not have conditional execution capability - they will always execute. e.g. SETINDx
    Perhaps this helps.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2013-01-10 22:48
    Okay, that makes more sense. As long as the distinguishing bit is part of the 32-bit instruction itself, I don't see a problem with using it that way.

    -Phil
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    edited 2013-01-11 02:46
    I never thought that the P2 would be so close to being a super-set of the P1 instructions. Therefore, I think a valid case could possibly be made for binary compatibility for most P1 instructions. This means that we could have P1/P2 compatible binaries with some restrictions, which could be catered for.

    These are the same P1 instructions, with exceptions noted...

    WRxxxx/RDxxxx (WC repurposed)
    ROR "001000" to SUBSX "110111" by combining JMPRET/JMPRETD into "010111" by repurposing WC. (also frees up "000111")
    CMPSUB "111000" by moving CMPSUB/FIXINDx (NR repurposed)
    DJNZ, TJNZ & TJZ "111001", "111010" & "111011" by reorganising IJxxx, DJxxx, TJxxx & JxPx plus "111100" (WC repurposed for "Delayed" variants)

    The instructions...
    HUBOPS (CLKSET, COGxxxx, LOCKxxxx) would be incompatible.
    WAITxxxx would be incompatible.

    So, providing the HUBOPS and WAITxxxx instructions were not used, or specifically catered for, the same PASM binary should run on both the P1 and P2. The caveat here is that self-modifying code require an extra instruction inserted for the P2, so this would be needed to be inserted in P1 binaries too.
  • Roy ElthamRoy Eltham Posts: 2,996
    edited 2013-01-11 03:03
    There are a few instructions that re-purpose the CCCC bits, so those can't be conditional (they always run). It's the SETINDx and FIXINDx ones, plus the REPS instruction.
  • AribaAriba Posts: 2,682
    edited 2013-01-11 05:08
    Roy Eltham wrote: »
    There are a few instructions that re-purpose the CCCC bits, so those can't be conditional (they always run). It's the SETINDx and FIXINDx ones, plus the REPS instruction.

    Don^t forget that all instructions that use INDA or INDB in the destination or source field can no longer be conditional. The conition bits are used to specify the addressing mode for the indirect access in this case.

    Andy
  • Ym2413aYm2413a Posts: 630
    edited 2013-01-12 14:29
    I'm not a big fan of endless backwards compatibility. So I don't mind if the PropII has a different binary op code layout.
    As long as the basic ideas are the same. : ]

    I'm sure there is some underpinning logic as to why the instruction set is laid out the way it is on the PropII.
  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,140
    edited 2013-01-13 12:23
    Binary compatible is only really worth chasing, when it is 100.0%
    - anything less, and you are only merely discussing degrees of binary incompatibility.
    Cluso99 wrote: »
    2. We use self-modifying code. At least if the majority of P1 instructions remain the same op codes, there will be little in the way of masks to change.


    Do you have an example ? In most cases I have seen, Self modifying uses a seed opcode and then replaces the Address fields.
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    edited 2013-01-16 17:38
    In cases I have seen where the opcode changes, most have been the change from read to write and changing byte/word/long. These would still work. I have also seen jumps change and also disabling instructions by setting cccc=0000.
    The biggest gotcha would be the requirement that any self modifying code now needs 2 instructions between the change and execution (up from 1). Things like mov *,#0 wz,nr to clear the z flag and similar will still work because those instruction opcodes have thankfully not changed.
    I have thought about (but cannot recall seeing) the changing of JMPRET from jmp to call and back again. Certainly I have seen the RET instruction modified, but again think there would be no compatibility problems.
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