Generating ASM code from the synth?

jorge · 5 Mar 2004

I think it might be already possible, I havent tried with a full synth but I have tried with most of it. If you need more details on how to do it let me know. I'm assuming you figured out that the DynOut component outputs the assembled Machine Code in text. I lot of things are already possible but need some Beta testers.

Justaguy · 15 Mar 2004

Actually, I haven't got any version of Synthmaker to work. I have an AMD Athlon-C (1.2GHz, 768MB RAM, Win2k SP4, etc. etc.), and even the latest beta crashes as soon as it gets the main screen displayed.

Anyway, I'd use the asm code in my own programs, especially some 4k and 64k intros. 😉 Now we're just using a very crappy integer-based sound generator. Synthedit could add a LOT of possibilities.

jorge · 15 Mar 2004

Hi justaguy, thanks for your post. Pity synthmaker crashes for you, could it be because your processor doesnt support SSE instructions?

I could change synthmaker to compile normal FPU code and not require an SSE processor, but time is limited and I'm concentrating on a high-quality highly efficient version even if it doesnt support all processors and operating systems.

I'd eventually like to use synthmaker to compile other types of code, for example for PocketPCs, Gameboys etc. but as the sound generations features grow, I guess sound generation might only grow in priority.

One solution to make it more flexible is to have a general Dyn component that allows you to define the Hex code it generates, that is quite easy to do and will allow users to use it for other types of machine code.

As for your SM crash, if it is caused by your processor not supporting SSE, I can change it to allow SM to still run but without any sound. Would that be any good?

Justaguy · 16 Mar 2004

Yeah, I think it's because of the SSE problem. Actually, I thought I had a decent processor... 😉 Don't Athlons support all those, and more? If you think adding support for normal FPU math is too much work right now, too bad. But I'll be watching SM's development anyway! 🙂 It seems like a brilliant idea.

jorge · 16 Mar 2004

I think recent AMD processors support SSE like Athlon XP and Athlon Duron. I have a second computer with an Athlon Duron and synthmaker works on it. I read on the specification of the Athlon XP that it supports SSE. I think that older Athlons dont support SSE.

Implementing FPU math might take 3 or 4 days, not a lot of time but it is time taken from other features, and I'd be implementing a sound engine that runs 4 times slower just to support processors that will soon become obsolete. Having said that, I havent completely ruled out implementing it as I am trying to follow user's requests.