Introduction
------------

These tools are the beginnings of a suite of pic software development
tools.  The tools included are a macro assembler, simple disassembler
and conversion tools between the internal format and intel hex 16 format
(as used by default by the Microchip tools I have currently.)

License
-------

The software is released under the GNU public license. (See COPYING)
Copyright is retained by me Ian King (c) 1994.
No warranties are given for any code produced by/with these tools for
fitness of any purpose, and the tools are not guaranteed to work.
The best way to think of this is that my liability should be equal to
the amount of money I charge for the software i.e. nothing!

ToDo List and Planned "Products"
--------------------------------

Debug everything and tidy up towards release 1.0
  (place everything under RCS as good practice)
Think of some clever names for the tools (nitpick would be great for a simulator)
Remove the ugly fixed size features from the picasm code.
Give picasm some degree of error recovery rather than falling over in a big heap
Write some proper documentation rather than this rubbish ;-) and manual pages
Make picdis (disassembler) more intelligent (not hard!)
Write a library of Macro functions (possibly similar to the parallax
  instructions suggestions please)
write picsim a pic simulator
write a downloader to the picstart board (hard! due to nasty non-standard
  RS232 Microchip chose to use and complete lack of any docs on the protocols)
OR alternatively build a programmer based on public domain/shareware principles
High Level Language (tentatively called aplus) based on C
Actually build some hardware based on pics!!!!! ;-)

=%-)

Ian

Acknowlegements
---------------

"Compilers, Principles, Techniques and Tools" Aho AV, Sethi R and Ullman JD
ISBN 0-201-10194-7  Formed the basis for the Recursive Descent Parser used for
in the assembler. Excellent reference on compilers/code translators in general.

"Microchip Databook 1993" Obviously for documenting op-codes.

David Tait (david.tait@man.ac.uk) for his 16C84 programmer software from
which I extracted the details of Intel Hex 16 (the Microchip databook LIES!)

Leonard Norrgard <vinsci@fi.funet.nic> Debugging Macros and Bit assembly bugs

And Finally
-----------

Though the license does not require it any sterling style beer tokens/hardware
donations would be much appreciated.  At the least a postcard from your home
town would make writing this stuff more likely in the future, and the ToDo list
more likely to come to fruition ;-)

Snail Mail:-

31 Madras Road
Edgeley
Stockport
SK3 9RE
U.K.

Any suggestions/bug reports to:-

iek@uk.ac.salford.advanced-robotics-research-centre
OR iek@uk.ac.salf.arrc (usually works)

or the above snail mail address.

... The End ...
