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@ -26,22 +26,22 @@ experiment!
### Using C1Pjs
> **NOTE:** For those of you who never used a *real* Challenger 1P machine, if any of the operational
**NOTE:** For those of you who never used a *real* Challenger 1P machine, if any of the operational
details of the machine seem bizarre, that's not the simulator's fault. It's how the machine
actually operated.
> Some of those details are artifacts of teletype-based interfaces, which were more common
Some of those details are artifacts of teletype-based interfaces, which were more common
than a video monitor interface in the 1970's. On a teletype, there was no way to physically
erase printed characters, so you had to count underscores to know how many characters had been
erased internally.
> Also, the wide margins on either side of the screen were a side-effect of how the machine
Also, the wide margins on either side of the screen were a side-effect of how the machine
displayed video on a conventional television set; they helped ensure that no characters would be
displayed off-screen and therefore unreadable. As a result, even though the machine contained
enough video memory for 32 rows of characters, each with 32 columns, the usable portion was much
smaller.
> The original C1P, with its more modern keyboard and video monitor interface, obviously could
The original C1P, with its more modern keyboard and video monitor interface, obviously could
have done a better job processing and displaying user input (and in fact, I wrote some
machine-language extensions back in the day that did exactly that). And Ohio Scientific did improve
later models, but the original C1P functioned exactly as shown, with all its teletype-like
@ -49,18 +49,18 @@ idiosyncrasies and television-related limitations.
#### Starting the Simulator
> Press the **RUN** or **BREAK** button to start the C1Pjs Simulator.
Press the **RUN** or **BREAK** button to start the C1Pjs Simulator.
> Press **C** to select a COLD START.
Press **C** to select a COLD START.
> At the MEMORY SIZE prompt, press **Return** to use all available memory.
At the MEMORY SIZE prompt, press **Return** to use all available memory.
> At the TERMINAL WIDTH prompt, press **Return** to select the default screen width.
At the TERMINAL WIDTH prompt, press **Return** to select the default screen width.
> Wait for the BASIC "OK" prompt before using the **Load File** button;
Wait for the BASIC "OK" prompt before using the **Load File** button;
this will allow the Simulator to automatically "LOAD" and "RUN" the selected program.
> NOTE: The wide margins on the left and right sides of the screen are normal.
NOTE: The wide margins on the left and right sides of the screen are normal.
The Challenger 1P's display was organized as 32 rows x 32 columns of text,
but its video circuitry lacked a "guard band" feature, which meant that only
about 24 characters per line, and 24 total lines, in the center of the screen
@ -71,87 +71,87 @@ eventually want to patch the ROMs to enable 32 characters per row.
#### Typing in the Simulator
> The C1P normally uses only upper-case characters and expects its SHIFT-LOCK key to be locked,
The C1P normally uses only upper-case characters and expects its SHIFT-LOCK key to be locked,
so the Simulator initially locks it, independent of your CAPS-LOCK key.
> The C1P keyboard lacks characters found on modern keyboards such as ~ and \_.
The C1P keyboard lacks characters found on modern keyboards such as ~ and \_.
Unsupported keys are simply ignored.
> Characters can be erased using the **DELETE** key instead of the documented **SHIFT-O**.
Characters can be erased using the **DELETE** key instead of the documented **SHIFT-O**.
For each character that's erased internally, an underscore is displayed.
> Lines can be erased using the **@** key instead of the documented **SHIFT-P**.
Lines can be erased using the **@** key instead of the documented **SHIFT-P**.
> The BASIC power operator can be typed using the **^** key instead of the documented **SHIFT-N**;
The BASIC power operator can be typed using the **^** key instead of the documented **SHIFT-N**;
for example, typing "PRINT 5^2" should display "25".
> RUN and LIST commands can be aborted by pressing **CTRL-C**, unless the current program has
RUN and LIST commands can be aborted by pressing **CTRL-C**, unless the current program has
disabled BASIC keyboard polling. Use the BASIC command "POKE 530,0" to re-enable BASIC keyboard polling,
or press **BREAK** and then **W** for a WARM START.
> Pressing **CTRL-O** disables input echo until it is pressed again;
Pressing **CTRL-O** disables input echo until it is pressed again;
presumably this feature was added to prevent the display of passwords or other sensitive information.
> If the Simulator is not responding to any keys, try clicking on the black display area to restore focus;
If the Simulator is not responding to any keys, try clicking on the black display area to restore focus;
if all else fails, press **BREAK** and then **W** for a WARM START.
#### Operating Tips
> ##### Using The Control Panel
##### Using The Control Panel
> > Press the **Run** button to start the Simulator; it will change to **Halt** while running.
Press the **Run** button to start the Simulator; it will change to **Halt** while running.
> > Press the **Step** button while the simulated CPU is halted to execute a single instruction;
Press the **Step** button while the simulated CPU is halted to execute a single instruction;
hold the **Step** button to step through multiple instructions.
> > Press the **Reset** button to halt and reset the simulated CPU; screen memory will be erased,
Press the **Reset** button to halt and reset the simulated CPU; screen memory will be erased,
but all other memory will be preserved, permitting a WARM START.
> > Press the **Load File** button to load the selected BASIC program into the simulated cassette device;
Press the **Load File** button to load the selected BASIC program into the simulated cassette device;
the Simulator will attempt to automatically "LOAD" and "RUN" the selected program.
> > Alternatively, use the BASIC "LOAD" command to begin loading a program from the simulated cassette device.
Alternatively, use the BASIC "LOAD" command to begin loading a program from the simulated cassette device.
Press the spacebar at the end of the "LOAD" operation to restore keyboard control.
> > Press the **Load Disk** button to mount the selected disk image into the simulated floppy disk drive;
Press the **Load Disk** button to mount the selected disk image into the simulated floppy disk drive;
press **BREAK** and then **D** to boot from the image and load the OS-65D operating system.
> ##### Using The Debugger
##### Using The Debugger
> > A built-in Debugger is provided as part of the Control Panel.
A built-in Debugger is provided as part of the Control Panel.
> > Type **?** and then **Enter** to display the list of Debugger commands.
Type **?** and then **Enter** to display the list of Debugger commands.
> > The instruction frequency ("f") and history ("p") commands collect data only while the CPU is
The instruction frequency ("f") and history ("p") commands collect data only while the CPU is
running (not stepping) and one or more breakpoints have been set; set a dummy execution breakpoint
(eg, "bp 0") to enable collection.
> ##### Controlling The Speed
##### Controlling The Speed
> > The default speed of the simulated CPU is roughly 1Mhz, or one million simulated CPU cycles per second.
The default speed of the simulated CPU is roughly 1Mhz, or one million simulated CPU cycles per second.
> > Press the **FAST** button to allow the Simulator to run as fast as possible; press **SLOW** to return to
Press the **FAST** button to allow the Simulator to run as fast as possible; press **SLOW** to return to
the default speed of 1Mhz.
> > Slow computers, as well as browsers with slow JavaScript interpreters, may not be able to achieve 1Mhz operation;
Slow computers, as well as browsers with slow JavaScript interpreters, may not be able to achieve 1Mhz operation;
in those situations, the speed controls will have no effect.
### Embedding
> Want to embed the C1Pjs Simulator on your own web page? Everything you need to know is explained [here](embed/).
Want to embed the C1Pjs Simulator on your own web page? Everything you need to know is explained [here](embed/).
You can even launch multiple simulations on a single page; check out the C1P "Server Array"
[demo](/devices/c1p/machine/8kb/array/).
### Implementation
> This computer simulation was written in JavaScript, in part to test the performance limits of web-based applications.
This computer simulation was written in JavaScript, in part to test the performance limits of web-based applications.
The result was one of the **fastest** JavaScript implementations of a 6502-based computer simulation on the web.
> This application uses XML to define the machine architecture, XSLT to transform the XML into HTML, and JavaScript
This application uses XML to define the machine architecture, XSLT to transform the XML into HTML, and JavaScript
to implement the simulation and bind it to the various HTML elements. The C1Pjs screen is implemented using the HTML5
<canvas> element, so the application requires a browser that supports HTML5.
> This application was tested with current versions of Safari, Firefox, Chrome and Internet Explorer. Somewhat less
This application was tested with current versions of Safari, Firefox, Chrome and Internet Explorer. Somewhat less
current versions will probably work as well, with the exception of Internet Explorer, which did not add support for
the <canvas> tag until IE9.