Need Help reverse engineering ACTION!

Jim Patchell · April 30, 2010

Hello All...

I am working on a project of trying to recreate the ACTION! compiler as a cross compiler that runs on the PC under windows. However, at the moment, all of my stuff, or most of it, is in storage, including my Atari 800. So, at the moment, I have no way of generating real examples from the ACTION! cartridge.

So, I was wondering if some kind soul would compile some examples for me from a ACTION! cartridge and send them to me.

;example1.act

MODULE

CARD a,b,c

PROC main()

IF a < b THEN c = 0

ELSEIF a = b THEN C = 1

ELSEIF a > b THEN C = 2

FI

DO

OD

RETURN

;example2.act

MODULE

INT a,b,c

PROC main()

IF a < b THEN c = 0

ELSEIF a = b THEN C = 1

ELSEIF a > b THEN C = 2

FI

DO

OD

RETURN

Well, this should get me started on trying to clean up relational operators.

Thanks in advance for help.

Here is the BLOG of the work I have been doing the past couple of months.

http://www.noniandjim.com/Jim/atari/Action_Compiler.html

This is a very premature posting. I was trying to wait until I finished, but, since I can use some help...well, what could I do.

-Jim

You can either post the object files here, or send them directly to me at:

patchell at cox.net

+MrFish · April 30, 2010

Why not use an emulator?

Jim Patchell · April 30, 2010

Why not use an emulator?

Well, I could, I suppose. (In fact, that would be ideal). Is it posible to get an emulator that will run a virtual Action! cartridge?

-Jim

+MrFish · April 30, 2010

Why not use an emulator?

Well, I could, I suppose. (In fact, that would be ideal). Is it posible to get an emulator that will run a virtual Action! cartridge?

Definitely. Here's a very good one: Atari800Win PLus

The cartridge can be found here: Atarionline - Programming

Shawn Jefferson · April 30, 2010

There is a project that aims to compile ACTION programs on the PC...

http://gury.atari8.info/effectus/

Jim Patchell · April 30, 2010

There is a project that aims to compile ACTION programs on the PC...

http://gury.atari8.info/effectus/

Thank you for the tip. A very interesting project. I took a look at that before I started my project...but I have my own reasons for doing this project.

I lost my eyesight back in September, and I was looking for a project that would be fun and would help me to retrain myself at doing my job (embedded system programming and FPGA design.). So I decided write a compiler and verilog core for the 6502. So, since the ACTION! compiler was a good language for the 6502, that is what I decided on. So, the main point of this project is to do a lot of work. And who knows, when I am done, I might even write a real nice tool.

joyfulcoder · April 30, 2010

Hello Jim,

I have attached a Zip file containing two .ACT files and two .BIN files for your two examples.

Thanks,

Eric

Hello All...

I am working on a project of trying to recreate the ACTION! compiler as a cross compiler that runs on the PC under windows. However, at the moment, all of my stuff, or most of it, is in storage, including my Atari 800. So, at the moment, I have no way of generating real examples from the ACTION! cartridge.

So, I was wondering if some kind soul would compile some examples for me from a ACTION! cartridge and send them to me.

;example1.act

MODULE

CARD a,b,c

PROC main()

IF a < b THEN c = 0

ELSEIF a = b THEN C = 1

ELSEIF a > b THEN C = 2

FI

DO

OD

RETURN

;example2.act

MODULE

INT a,b,c

PROC main()

IF a < b THEN c = 0

ELSEIF a = b THEN C = 1

ELSEIF a > b THEN C = 2

FI

DO

OD

RETURN

Well, this should get me started on trying to clean up relational operators.

Thanks in advance for help.

Here is the BLOG of the work I have been doing the past couple of months.

http://www.noniandjim.com/Jim/atari/Action_Compiler.html

This is a very premature posting. I was trying to wait until I finished, but, since I can use some help...well, what could I do.

-Jim

You can either post the object files here, or send them directly to me at:

patchell at cox.net

examples.zip

Jim Patchell · May 1, 2010

Hello Eric...

Thank you for those files. I was able to confirm one hunch, and solve one mystery. I believe the name of the gent who wrote action! was clinton parker...well, who ever he was, he was sure one bright guy.

Now, if I can just figure out a way to use the Atari Emulator, I won't need to ask for help.

(my screen reader interfers with the emulator program... <sigh>)

Hello Jim,

I have attached a Zip file containing two .ACT files and two .BIN files for your two examples.

Thanks,

Eric

DanBoris · May 2, 2010

You might be interested in checking out my blog http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?app=blog&module=display&section=blog&blogid=52&. I have done a bunch of posting that analyzes the machine code generated by various blocks of Action! code.

Jim Patchell · May 3, 2010

Thank you...I will take a look at that...

You might be interested in checking out my blog http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?app=blog&module=display&section=blog&blogid=52&. I have done a bunch of posting that analyzes the machine code generated by various blocks of Action! code.

Jim Patchell · May 3, 2010

I really do want to thank the person who turned me onto the emulator. Even though I am still having some trouble using it because it is incompatable with ZoomText, I have found ways of at least limping along.

I really like the monitor feature the program has. I have been using that to look at code samples I compile.

Next thing I need to do is get a "boot disk". I used to run MyDos back when I used my Atari 800.

By the way, the source code for the Duplicator 1050 is on my website. It was writen for the Atari Macro Assembler.

-Jim

+MrFish · May 4, 2010

I really do want to thank the person who turned me onto the emulator. Even though I am still having some trouble using it because it is incompatable with ZoomText, I have found ways of at least limping along.

I really like the monitor feature the program has. I have been using that to look at code samples I compile.

Next thing I need to do is get a "boot disk". I used to run MyDos back when I used my Atari 800.

Here's a page that has info and downloads for MyDOS: Mathy's MyDOS

Edited May 4, 2010 by MrFish

Jim Patchell · May 7, 2010

Just thought I would share this. What is going to follow is the output from my compiler. It is far from complete...but seeing things like this make me happy. What you will see is a stupid little short proceedure, followed by the syntax tree, followed by the generated code.

ACTION! Ver 0.04 cross compiler for the 6502
Copyright (c) 2010 by Jim Patchell
This program is free for any use
Get Input From Consol
module
proc aproc(card a,b)
card c
if a < b then c = 1
elseif a = b then c = 2
else c = 3
fi
return
        NUMB DOWN NEXT
;          22   21   -1 +-PROC aproc
;          21   -1   19   +-PROCLOCALS c
;          19    7   20   +-IFSTMT
;           7    3   14   | +-IF
;           3    1    6   | | +-LT
;           1   -1    2   | | | +-IDENT a
;           2   -1   -1   | | | +-IDENT b
;           6    4   -1   | | +-EQUALS
;           4   -1    5   | |   +-IDENT c
;           5   -1   -1   | |   +-CONSTANT 1
;          14   10   18   | +-ELSEIF
;          10    8   13   | | +-EQ
;           8   -1    9   | | | +-IDENT a
;           9   -1   -1   | | | +-IDENT b
;          13   11   -1   | | +-EQUALS
;          11   -1   12   | |   +-IDENT c
;          12   -1   -1   | |   +-CONSTANT 2
;          18   17   -1   | +-ELSE
;          17   15   -1   |   +-EQUALS
;          15   -1   16   |     +-IDENT c
;          16   -1   -1   |     +-CONSTANT 3
;          20   -1   -1   +-RETURN
^Z
Processing Nodes 22:PROC
       .SECTION        "temps",$80
__TEMP_var0:    .DS     16
       .SECTION        "args",$a0
__ARGS: .DS     16
       .SECTION        "code",$2000
aproc_ARG__a:   .DS 2
aproc_ARG__b:   .DS 2
aproc:
       STA     aproc_ARG__a
       STX     aproc_ARG__a+1
       STY     aproc_ARG__a+2
       LDA     $A0+3
       STA     aproc_ARG__a+3
       JMP     aproc_Lab0
aproc_c:        .DS 2
aproc_Lab0:
               ;If Statement
       LDA     aproc_ARG__a+0
       CMP     aproc_ARG__b+0
       LDA     aproc_ARG__a+1
       SBC     aproc_ARG__b+1
       BCC     aproc_true__Lab3
       JMP     aproc_false__Lab2
aproc_true__Lab3:
       LDA     #1
       STA     aproc_c+0
       LDA     #0
       STA     aproc_c+1
       JMP     aproc_exit__Lab1
aproc_false__Lab2:
               ;If Statement
       LDA     aproc_ARG__a+0
       EOR     aproc_ARG__b+0
       BNE     aproc_false__Lab4
       ORA     aproc_ARG__a+1
       EOR     aproc_ARG__b+1
       BEQ     aproc_true__Lab5
       JMP     aproc_false__Lab4
aproc_true__Lab5:
       LDA     #2
       STA     aproc_c+0
       LDA     #0
       STA     aproc_c+1
       JMP     aproc_exit__Lab1
aproc_false__Lab4:
       LDA     #3
       STA     aproc_c+0
       LDA     #0
       STA     aproc_c+1
aproc_exit__Lab1:
       RTS
Attributes in type field are:   upel
   unsigned (. for signed)-----+|||
   private  (. for public)------+||
   extern   (. for common)-------+|
   long     (. for short )--------+

name               rname              lev   next   type
a              0 int FIX (NO OCLS) u...
aproc          0 void FIX (NO OCLS) ....()
Arguments of aproc
a              0 int FIX (NO OCLS) u...
b              0 int FIX (NO OCLS) u...
End of Arguments of aproc
b              0 int FIX (NO OCLS) u...
c              0 int FIX (NO OCLS) u...

Structure table:


D:\Projects\Action>

Sure am having fun with some of the new emulator tools I have been shown!

-Jim

+MrFish · May 8, 2010

There is also another very popular (and currently under development) emulator that you may want to look at, available here: Altirra

It may be more compatible with your reader program. Unfortunately it will not run the Action cartridge, yet. However there is a disk version, which will run on Altirra, available on the same site as the cart.

Edited May 8, 2010 by MrFish

Jim Patchell · May 9, 2010

There is also another very popular (and currently under development) emulator that you may want to look at, available here: Altirra

It may be more compatible with your reader program. Unfortunately it will not run the Action cartridge, yet. However there is a disk version, which will run on Altirra, available on the same site as the cart.

Thanks I will take a look at that one...:-)

Need Help reverse engineering ACTION!

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