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Robby compiler for Voja's 4-bit processor?

A project log for nedoPC SDK

Software Development Kit for DIY programmable devices, Retro computers and Supercon badges ;)

shaosSHAOS 10/24/2022 at 03:390 Comments

Since new Supercon badge was introduced I started thinking about possible porting of my Robby compiler (aka nedoPC SDK) to this 4-bit processor - it should be doable. Robby is a programming language that operates only 16-bit signed integers. I can write libraries to calculate 16-bit math using 4-bit instructions (but technically possible to create 8-bit Robby flavor where all variables are 8-bit instead of 16-bit).

I can start this effort by creating instruction table for my 2-pass RoboAssembler (that is part of nedoPC SDK and even if I stop on this stage it already becomes useful thing I think). 

Graphics in nedoPC SDK usually works with 8x8 tiles, but Supercon.6 badge only have 8x16 LED matrix, so I'll probably limit myself by PIXEL x,y and CLEAR x,y graphics commands (that currently available only for ZX Spectrum machine in unreleased version of SDK) leaving tile API out of the picture. If I'll be able to support Supercon.6 CPU then it should be relatively easy for me to port TETRIS ( nobody wrote tetris for this badge yet, right? ; ) that was already re-written in Robby (formerly known as RW1 programming language) by me 20 years ago:

it was for Sprinter 320x256 screen (256 colors) and this one is for ZX Spectrum 256x192 screen:

In case of Supercon.6 badge it will be LED "pixels" instead of 8x8 tiles (as above) - so game area will shrink to 8x16, but it still should be playable. The only thing to add to hardware must be add-on board with navigation keys connected to input pins of the connector. Any thoughts about usefulness of all of these? ;)

Voja's project with CPU docs: https://hackaday.io/project/182568-badge-for-2020-supercon-years-of-lockdown

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