RELEASE V1.5

Author: sy2002

.gitignore

@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ assembler/qasm
 assembler/qasm2rom
 register_file.sym
 emulator/qnice
+emulator/qnice-vga
+emulator/qnice.js
+emulator/qnice.html
+emulator/qnice.wasm
+emulator/qnice.data
+emulator/qnice_disk.img
 *.bin
 *.lis
 *.out

README.md

@@ -26,11 +26,10 @@ Getting Started
 ---------------
 
 If you do have FPGA hardware, then read on to learn how to get started. If
-you don't, then you might want to use the emulator to experience QNICE.
-
-Switch to the [VGA Emulator Branch](https://github.com/sy2002/QNICE-FPGA/tree/develop-vga-emu)
-to use the emulator without hardware and have a look at the README.md in
-that branch to learn more.
+you don't, then you might want to use the emulator to experience QNICE:
+[Try it online](https://qnice-fpga.com/emulator.html) or have a look at
+[emulator/README.md](emulator/README.md) to learn how to build and run your
+own emulator.
 
 Get started using actual FPGA hardware:
 
@@ -45,7 +44,8 @@ Get started using actual FPGA hardware:
   the fact, that there is an underlying git repository.)
 
 * Hardware: Currently, we develop QNICE-FPGA on a Nexys 4 DDR development
-  board, so if you own one, the fastest way of getting started is to
+  board. Nexys updated and renamed it to Nexys A7.
+  So, if you own one of those, the fastest way of getting started is to
   download the bitstream file `dist_kit/qnice-v141.bit` on a microSD card or
   a USB stick, insert it into the Nexys board and set the jumpers to read the
   FPGA configuration from the SD card or USB stick. Do not copy more than one
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Get started using actual FPGA hardware:
   copies, so that the Nexys board does not accidentally read the `*.bit` from
   your trash instead of the recent one.
 
-* If you do not own a Nexys 4 DDR board, then use your VHDL development
+* If you do not own a Nexys 4 DDR or A7 board, then use your VHDL development
   environment to synthesize QNICE-FPGA. The root file for the system
   is `vhdl/env1.vhdl`. Make sure that you connect at least the IO pins
   for PS2, VGA, UART and the two switches. In the file `nexys4ddr/env1.ucf`
@@ -303,10 +303,12 @@ Acknowledgements
 
 * [sy2002](http://www.sy2002.de): Creator and maintainer of QNICE-FPGA:
   hardware development (VHDL), FAT32 library, additional Monitor libraries and
-  functions, Q-TRIS, additional QNICE specific vbcc toolchain.
+  functions, Q-TRIS, additional QNICE specific vbcc toolchain,
+  VGA and WebAssembly versions of the emulator.
 
 * [vaxman](http://www.vaxman.de): Inventor of the [QNICE ISA](http://qnice.sourceforge.net):
-  system architect, assembler, emulator, Monitor and Monitor libraries, tools.
+  system architect, assembler, original POSIX version of the emulator,
+  Monitor and Monitor libraries, tools.
 
 * [Volker Barthelmann](http://www.compilers.de): vbcc compiler system,
   QNICE specific vbcc backend incl. standard C library.

TODO.txt

@@ -102,17 +102,52 @@ ASSEMBLER STANDARD LIBs (WITHIN MONITOR):
 
 EMULATOR:
 
-* Emulate the VGA output and the USB keyboard (maybe using something like
-  LIBSDL? SFML? GLFW?). Optimally, the whole thing would by totally
-  dynamically loaded so that the emulator continues to run on text only
-  systems and on systems that don't have a multimedia library installed.
-  If this does not work, then we should just work with #defines within
-  the Emulator's code and compile two versions, like "qnice" and "qnice_vga".
+* Use defines from ../dist_kit/sysdef.h instead of redefining them in qnice.c
+
+* Test, if compilation and running works under Linux (e.g. Ubuntu)
+
+* Test, if compilation and running works under Windows
+
+* Emulate all VGA register commands
+
+* WASM: Investigate if switching the WebGL context to high performance mode
+  makes sense; currently we run on the low performance mode on most browsers,
+  which means on Mac Books that the low performance GPU is used. Currently it
+  looks like this works absolutely well enough, but nevertheless investigating
+  this topic might be worth a try.
+  + Reference Emscripten Changelog.md: 1.39.9 searcch for #10505
+  + https://www.khronos.org/registry/webgl/specs/latest/1.0/
+    and search for "powerPreference"
+
+* macOS only: Make file option for creating a installable/clickable Mac
+  executable (learn how to do that first and also how to sign). Maybe the
+  demo disk image from qnice-fpga.com should also be mounted there by default
+  (but still other images should be mountable, too)
+
+* U.S. keyboard support
+
+* Homogeneous code style like vaxmans original style
+  (pointers, indentation, etc.) => try to find and use a coding style
+  modification tool and throughly check that no bugs are introduced
+
+* Better support for window resizing: offer some presets incl. aspect ratios
+  (see above) using Q> commands and maybe additionally also using ALT+<key>
+  combinations or a small "windowed menu" building on the speed regulator
+  window "system" . Optionally, as a bonus: Research menu items in SDL and
+  offer this via menus (seems to need very platformm specific code;
+  plugins/open source available?) 
+
+* Improve the Full Screen mode by allowing various aspect ratios such as
+  1.8:1 which is optimal for Q-TRIS, or standards like 4:3 and 16:9.
+
+* Support High-DPI Mode (needs to be signed on Mac?)
 
 
 NATIVE TOOLCHAIN: ASSEMBLER:
 
-<currently no TODOs>
+* Get rid of hardcoded gcc in the assembler/asm script for precompiling.
+  Use tools/detect.include. But this needs thorough testing, if for example
+  the precompiler invokation works the same in clang vs. gcc.
 
 
 VBCC TOOLCHAIN: C COMPILER:
@@ -156,7 +191,7 @@ DEMOS:
 
 * Forth Interpreter
 
-* VGA Textmode games: Snake, Pac Man, 2048
+* VGA Textmode games: BreakOut, Snake, Pac Man, 2048
 
 
 DOCUMENTATION:

VERSIONS.txt

@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+Version 1.5     March, 22 2020
+==============================
+
+This version greatly enhances the capabilities and the stability of the
+emulator. Detailed description: emulator/README.md
+
+* qnice-vga: VGA screen and PS/2 keyboard emulation
+* qnice-wasm: WebAssembly/WebGL version that runs in the web browser
+
 Version 1.41    December, 30 2016
 =================================
 

doc/emumount.txt

@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ For macOS:
 Here is an example, how you can add the folders "test_programs" and "qbin"
 from the QNICE-FPGA root folder to a newly created raw image file.
 
-
 1. hdiutil create -megabytes 33 -fs MS-DOS -fsargs "-F 32" -volname myimage -srcfolder qbin -srcfolder test_programs -o myimage.dmg
 
 2. hdiutil convert myimage.dmg -format UDTO -o myimage
@@ -35,6 +34,12 @@ IMPORTANT: hdiutil is only able to create FAT32 images, when the size of the
 image (the "-megabytes" parameter) is larger than 32, so we use 33 in the
 above-mentioned example.
 
+IMPORTANT: In 2016, above-mentioned step (1) worked on my then current macOS
+and machine. In 2020, step (1) strangely enough led to 100% CPU usage without
+any file being created. Workaround: Remove the two "-srcfolder" statements,
+let hdiutil create an empty DMG and then mount it using Finder. Then manually
+copy the files you need. Then unmount and proceed with step (2).
+
 Creating a raw image file from an existing device
 -------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -59,7 +64,7 @@ to do it on a Mac:
 Mounting a raw image file
 -------------------------
 
-Use the new command like parameter -a to mount a far image file:
+Use the new command line parameter -a to mount a raw image file:
 
 ./qnice -a <raw image file>
 
@@ -99,3 +104,4 @@ Example of how to do it on a Mac:
 
 
 written by sy2002 in December 2016
+latest update by sy2002 in February 2020

doc/github/vgaemu.jpg

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+Minimum requirements to work with QNICE-FPGA:
+
+* bash
+* CC or GCC
+* perl
+* If you want to synthesize your own bitstream (.bit): Xilinx ISE
+