skip to main content
article
Free Access

Improving the performance of UCSD Pascal via microprogramming on the PDP-11/60

Published:01 December 1983Publication History
Skip Abstract Section

Abstract

UCSD Pascal is implemented as a machine-independent virtual machine. This virtual machine is usually interpreted on a host computer by machine language instructions, which, in turn, are often interpreted by microcode. Performance of a virtual machine is generally a function of the number of levels of interpretation required to perform a computation. By bypassing one or more of these layers, it should be possible to enhance performance.To test this hypothesis, a Pascal interpreter was written for the PDP-11/60. After analysis of the Pascal machine, changes were made that interpreted selected portions of the virtual machine directly in microcode.This paper describes the microcode which was added, and discusses the improvements which resulted.

References

  1. Ahlstrom, J., Personal communication.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  2. Aho, A. and Ullman, J. Principles of Compiler Design, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1978. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  3. Bowles, K. A (nearly) machine independent software system for micro and mini computers. Byte 3 5, (Mar. 1978) 46.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  4. Bowles, K. Microcomputer Problem Solving Using Pascal, Springer-Verlag, New York, NY, 1977.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  5. Colon Osorio, F., and Patt, Y. RISC and CISC - Two different perspectives to an identical problem. Presented at IEEE CompCon Conference, San Francisco, CA, Spring, 1983.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  6. Cook, R. and Lee, I. A contextual analysis of Pascal programs. Software Practice and Experience 12 2, (Feb. 1982) 195--203.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  7. Curnow, H. and Wichmann, B. A synthetic benchmark. The Computer Journal 19 1, (Feb. 1976) 43--49.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  8. Nori, K., and Ammann, U., et al. The Pascal (P) compiler: implementation notes. ETH Zurich Technical Report 10, 1974.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  9. Overgaard, M. UCSD Pascal: a portable software environment for small computers. Proc. 1980 National Computer Conference 747--754.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  10. PDP-11/60 Microprogramming Tools Reference Manual, Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, MA, 1976.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  11. PDP-11/60 Processor Handbook, Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, MA, 1977.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  12. RSTS/E Documentation Directory, Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, MA, 1981.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  13. Smith, G., and Anderson, R. LSI-11 writable control store enhancements to U.C.S.D. Pascal. Proceedings of the Digital Equipment Computer Users Society 5 2, (Fall 1978) 813--817.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  14. Tannenbaum, A. Implications of structured programming for machine architecture. Comm. ACM 21 3, (Mar. 1978) 237--246. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  15. Terry, D. A SLR Parser Generator (Pascal Program), University of California at San Diego, Winter, 1979.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  16. UCSD (Mini-micro Computer) Pascal Version II.0, Institute for Information Systems, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 1979.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  17. Wirth, N. Algorithms + Data Structures = Programs, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1976. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library

Recommendations

Comments

Login options

Check if you have access through your login credentials or your institution to get full access on this article.

Sign in

Full Access

  • Published in

    cover image ACM SIGMICRO Newsletter
    ACM SIGMICRO Newsletter  Volume 14, Issue 4
    December 1983
    205 pages
    ISSN:1050-916X
    DOI:10.1145/1096419
    Issue’s Table of Contents

    Copyright © 1983 Authors

    Publisher

    Association for Computing Machinery

    New York, NY, United States

    Publication History

    • Published: 1 December 1983

    Check for updates

    Qualifiers

    • article

PDF Format

View or Download as a PDF file.

PDF

eReader

View online with eReader.

eReader
About Cookies On This Site

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.

Learn more

Got it!