Re: [UrJTAG-dev] Python on Top

[Renato C. <sev...@gm...>]

Hello,

On Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 8:33 PM, Dick Hollenbeck <di...@so...> wrote:
> (...)
> I had heard all the hype about Python before, put it on my todo list to
> learn, but never got around to it until last week.  Then recently I got
> to looking at OpenOCD and UrJTAG and found myself simply hating C code.
> I have been staring at and writing C/C++ for 40 hours per week for 25
> years.  I can read it at a very fast rate, and think in it, probably
> even dream in it.

It's still on my todo list, because verilog had higher priority :)

> (...)
> My suggestions for this project are:
>
> 1) stop writing C code except for cable drivers.
>
> 2) clean up, and stabilize the cable driver API and its documentation
> (Doxygen).

The current cable driver API is not a suitable "interface barrier".
It's not generic enough and seems to be targeted at bit-banging
adapters.

Looking at the "future stack" it seems to me that the best C/Python
barrier is at level 3. The API would then present a generic JTAG
interface for whatever tools people want to use.

So these tasks could "morph" into:

0) Come up with a suitable JTAG API that fits the "Future Stack" ideal.

1) Make a "middle-ware" that converts this API to the current cable
driver API. In the meantime start porting things to the "Future
Stack".

2) Document this future API.

> 3) Make an "in process" binding layer to the cable drivers from Python 3000.
>
> 4) *Commit to Python* for the bulk of the project
>
> (...)
>
> Please step back and spend some time with Python if you don't already
> know it.   There is no reason to be *programming on your hands and
> knees* any more.   Think Legs, Legs, Legs
>

I can't yet advocate for this, as I've yet to learn Python ;)

But from what I hear it seems to be a nice language for the higher
level of the project (tools, gui's and such).


BTW, I'm developing a (hopefuly) cheap and full featured USB->JTAG
adapter. If the hardware comes up right I'll probably look into the
"Future Stack" API, because the current one doesn't seem to fit my
device ;)

Cheers,
  Renato Caldas