14
Parzi
3y

finally got TI to cough up their SDK and I noticed there's no compiler or linker or anything. Turns out I need to use TASM.

...TASM is for MS-DOS or compatible. I'm on Linux.

Well, it went poorly, as usual, specifically like this:
- tried to automate building with DOSBox config and Python script: output binary always corrupted. Manually repeated, TASM mangles output on DOSBox every time. No PCem or 86box, and i'm on a Ryzen, so no KVM DOS. Out of luck there.
- TASM Linux build or wrapper? No build, but there is a wrapper! ...wait, it needs... 4 things written by random people to be made from source. I mean, that's not actually that bad... oh, after setting all of them up (and struggling through some autoconf/automake bullshit, one of the programs only had source for a 2.x kernel and autoconf/automake were not happy about it) it fails because one project's been worked on a lot more and dropped support for working with the other 3... goddammit.
- Community SDK? Several options for this... but all of them need .NET 2 to run on Win9x, don't work in Wine, or require... hey look, TASM! GODDAMMIT!
- DOS on a real machine? It's a massive bitch to shuttle files to and from a real DOS machine quickly and I can't take 30 minutes between builds that take me 4 minutes to change enough to need tested again.

why must i suffer like this

Comments
  • 3
    Can you run DOS in (non-accelarated) QEMU?
    Or for the windows variant: .NET 2 is even available for Windows 10 (as ".NET 3.5").
  • 0
    @sbiewald .NET 2 on Win10 doesn't help if the program's not built to run on NT... and yes, but that overlaps with the "DOS on a real machine" portion except it takes EVEN MORE TIME TO SET UP EVERY TIME because it's floppy images in WinImage or some shit over real ones.
  • 0
  • 4
    @SortOfTested read the post
  • 0
    @RocketSurgeon Z80, but needs to accept a TASM-style .inc file
  • 3
    Win95 VM? 🤷🏻‍♀️
  • 2
    @Root Win9x requires 16-bit modes to work. In the post, I stated I had a Ryzen, which have a bug where the V8086 feature doesn't work properly. (Supposedly fixed, but the bug persists!) QEMU TCG technically works but has its own set of problems that make it impractical.
  • 1
    @Parzi Ahhh I did read that and spaced it. 🤦🏻‍♀️
  • 3
    @Root I thought so as well until I reached the part about him holding up on a Ryzen.

    @Parzi you are a mad scientist (which is why you are suffering), and I am loving these posts, keep them coming
  • 2
    You suffer because you chose a product from a company which doesn't give a shit about the software needed to actually use their products.
    If they would care, you certainly wouldn't need to deal with DOS...
  • 3
    @Oktokolo Let the man be a hacker, extending and or finding ways to run shit the way he/she wants is legit one of the best examples of being an absolute mad lad
  • 2
    @AleCx04 It’s also the best way to master things. Legacy BS in this case, but still.
  • 3
    @AleCx04
    Well, he seemed to not having that much fun while being forced to play a hacker breaking into the pentagon - just to get his newly purchased Z80 (a simple 8-bit CPU, that entered the market at 1976) running.

    Seriously:
    If you keep selling it, you have to keep supporting it!
    There is no excuse for non-existing SDKs (and if it only runs under DOS that today counts as non-existing). Not for the newest µCs and especially not for a CPU which is older than half of the population of this site.
  • 0
    @Oktokolo the SDK is only given out if you apply for it, and this Z80-based device was first made in like '96 and is still sold for $110 today.
  • 1
    @Parzi
    And the fact, that the SDK is considered a state secret, did not trigger any alarms before you actually bought that piece of pretty hardware?
  • 1
    @Oktokolo purchased in 2016, applied for SDK in December 2020, had it before 2021. it also doesn't really qualify as "pretty hardware" if it was needed for school at the time

    edit: devrant what the FUCK did you do to this image
  • 1
    @Parzi
    Their software support obviously is abysmally bad for 2016 too...
  • 0
    @Oktokolo i mean it came out in like '96, this model's more than 20 years old by now and they're trying to force devs to the new eZ80 one from like 2014 or some shit so i mean

    (they don't even have the Z80 SDK listed as being a thing anymore on their site, i had to email their support line and ask if i could get it still and shit)
  • 1
    @Parzi
    So they have a modern SDK for the eZ80 then?
  • 1
    @Oktokolo yep, it's a very much different processor so it's got a new SDK
  • 1
    Go to your local recycling center and pull a fucking Tandy out of the bin?
  • 0
    @HiFiWiFiSciFi no like actually this is a good suggestion but they're all closed
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