[Amforth-devel] Simulation of amforth in AVR Studio

[pito <pi...@vo...>]

Hi, 
this is a short story on how I've found a bug in an asm word. After
few days of experimenting at amforth level I decided either to start
with other hobby or to find out how to simulate the whole stuff and
see what is actually going on by stepping via the avr flash code.

The experiments with AVR Studio - mainly simulation at asm level
finished with an early crash. By chance I found the crash is caused
by the debugger - when the asm source wants to continue into a
"debugger" (for the code outside the "amforth.asm") the debuger is
called, but not set properly (my understanding) and crashes.
Now, how it works:
1. compile amforth in AVR Studio as usuall
2. then close all projects
3. open file - e.g. amforth42_1284p.hex (MUST BE .HEX)
4. Studio offers a new project name e.g. amforth42_1284p_hex.aps -
do save
5. select device and debug platform (simulator2 and 1284p)
6. finish
7. debuger opens and you will see the flash disassembled
8. then go Debug -> Up/download memory, choose EEPROM and load
eeprom from file e.g. amforth42_1284p.eep, open memory watch window
and select eeprom - you will see the eeprom content
9. TERMINAL - I did not find terminal in AVR Studio, so I downloaded
HAPSIM for AVR Studio: download, run hapsim.exe and do file -> New
Control -> Terminal, it will connect to AVR studio, you may set
settings
10. Place breakpoints where you want (here you see entire flash
disassembling only, so help yourself and open .lst file and navigate
accordingly) when not keen on stepping via all code there
11. when you Run the debuger you will see after few seconds
amforth's hello and promt in the Terminal, you may work as usual
(mind the respones are several seconds) and you may step via the
flash. I did not try to upload a new word, but I ran existing word
and watched what is going on. 
It help me to find the bug - otherwise I would not find him by
today..

I would be happy to know your experience with amforth
debugging/simulating as well. Pito.