Status of Linux compatability?

Chris Merck

I would like to know what the status of Linux compatibility is with the Propeller chip at this point in time. I am aware that Linux is not officially supported; however, I have heard scattered reports from various threads of people programming under Linux or other Unix-like operating systems. If other Linux users would post there experiences here it would be greatly appreciated.

Specifically, I would like to know about the following aspects of Propeller use under Linux:

1) prop tool (via wine) - Spin compiling and Serial Port functionality

2) third-party assemblers or programmers

3) C compiling

4) simulation



I managed to get the prop tool installed and running under Wine but programming failed as the com port is not recognized.

Thanks in advance!

Ale

I run the Prop tool under vmware server, no problem, but that is winblows. And has some issues with connection of usb programmer.
- Assemblers there are a few, an assembler done in python I think... no no in java. I never tested it but I heard it works.
- There is a programmer, but you need a compiled source, you can do it with the Proptool under wine, I think.

- C is not yet available. ImageCraft is working on that (have a search).

- Simulation, exist 2 software simulators: Gear : It sort of works under linux, you need all the mono complements, and has many issues with displaying strings in dialogs, but it is not usable outside winblows, where it need the .net thing, SP2, usw.
And my own, beutiful pPropellerTool that runs under java, so I works on Linux, Mac (where I did most development) and Winblows. It has a simulator (assebler, some hw), and a compiler and debugger (only for assembler). I started to develop a programmer, but the Java IO interface has some issues I coul not work around so far, It needs more work, but It works in Linux !. sourceforge.net/projects/pPropellerSim

and 2 in-circuit simulators (but these need winblows)

Any contribution to any of these efforts is welcome !

Ken Peterson

I thought I had heard that the USB support for the Prop Tool running on Wine was a problem. I also think I recall someone saying they compiled SPIN to a data file using Prop Tool, then programmed the Prop with that using the open source programmer. It's too bad that we are so close with the Prop Tool and can't quite get there.

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The more I know, the more I know I don't know.· Is this what they call Wisdom?

Ale

It is always the same, there are some efforts, but little contribution to them. May be the community is too small... so there are no many interested.
I got 2 (two) feature request/bug fixes for pPropellerSim since July. From Leon and from some guy who wrote me in spanish (I also "sort of" speak spanish, actually one of its main dialects). After that, nothing. Even I talked about programming Propellers natively on Linux/Mac. I know my utility is far from the PropellerTool, but that does not mean it is useless. If everyone is interested in PropellerTool for linux, get over it, it will not happen. end of it.
I will not program a PropellerTool for Linux or Mac, I'm not interested in Spin, not at all. It is useful, but not for me, not at this time. I programmed pPropellerSim because I needed a way of teting assembler, and nothing better than a simulator. It even got an assembler and editor. Enough for me. Now I'm interested in LMM, so I'll add what it needs to support that, a macro-assembler to support the primitives the kernel needs. I'll make the programming work, but A Spin compiler is out of the scope. If anyone wants it, it is free to help with this tool, fork it (as permitted by the GPL), or start their own. Just whining because it does not work does not help anyone. Look at hippy for instance, he gathered over spin as much as he could and produced a really nice Spin disassembler. Or the efforts Ariba and deSilva did to produce an in-circuit debugger. There are efforts, but maybe the community is a bit small. We need more tools, that's clear, but someone(s) has to write them.

I told hippy to join efforts for the LMM assembler, he preferred to work alone, I do not blame him, the idea was a bit green for me, now I grew-up on me. Let's produce something more and see if people gather round, but note I do not do it for them. I always ended doing my own tools, sometimes improving others, I like it.

Today I'll give a small talk about the propeller to the Robot Club here in Freiburg im Breisgau (DE). Let's see how it goes. Maybe someone wants to join some of the ongoing efforts.

I do not blame anyone, I just ask for a little (more) support.

Chris Merck

Thanks for the tips.

Ale, I like your enthusiasm, and will shortly try out your pPropSim.

As for the PropTool under wine, I believe that there is just one function that must be implemented in wine in order for it to work fully. Either that or implement a hack to make the USB serial port appear as a normal COM port.

And for C programming, I think the best approach is to add the propeller as a target for sdcc. This is a rather large project (the PIC16-specific section for example, which is imho a somewhat simpler architecture than the propeller, is ~32k lines). However, the result would be a portable, retargetable, open source ANSI-C compiler for the Propeller. The key issue here, as Ale points out, is the size of the community. SDCC can barely maintain its PIC16 code, much less write for a more obscure architecture. Of course, it is really up to the individual developer/maintainer to see it through.

Oldbitcollector (Jeff)

Has anyone tested with a simple serial interface instead of the USB propplug?

I've got one, but it would take me a day or two to have a system with Wine ready to test..

OBC

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Harrison.

If I remember correctly, the Proptool requires NT dll calls that aren't implemented in Wine. Specifically, it is missing NTConnectPort(...) which the Proptool seems to use to connect to the system serial ports.

It seems like a dead end to try to use the Proptool in Wine. You'll have better luck with full x86 emulators (VirtualBox, VMWare, etc) running Windows 2000/XP (just make sure they have USB passthru).

Harrison

Chris Merck

Oldbitcollector: Wow, excellent job with the Propeller Cookbook!

I saw your entry on the XPort and was amazed! I actually have a (freely acquired) XPort at home collecting dust because I thought I needed an expensive dev kit to use the thing. I am definitely hooking this up after finals!

Oldbitcollector (Jeff)

@Chris: Thanks! Glad it's helpful!

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