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The implementation of the attributed recursive descent architecture in VAX-11/780 microcode

Published:01 December 1984Publication History
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Abstract

This paper describes a case study in the implementation of a special purpose architecture on a particular microprogrammable engine. The host engine used is the VAX-11/780; the target architecture is one tailored for implementing recursive descent translators. The paper describes the mapping of the target resources onto the host machine including a discussion of the issues involved in interfacing with the normal VAX environment. The architecture specification does not mandate the exact bit-level representation of the target architecture instructions allowing a more efficient emulator to be constructed. Many of the important design decisions involve choosing instruction representations to effectively utilize the host engine. The paper concludes with discussion of the considerable shortcomings of this approach, of the suitability of the VAX-11/780 as an underlying engine for the target architecture, and of the implications of the study for universal host machines.

References

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  1. The implementation of the attributed recursive descent architecture in VAX-11/780 microcode

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            cover image ACM SIGMICRO Newsletter
            ACM SIGMICRO Newsletter  Volume 15, Issue 4
            MICRO 17: Proceedings of the Seventeenth Annual Microprogramming Workshop
            Dec. 1984
            302 pages
            ISSN:1050-916X
            DOI:10.1145/384281
            Issue’s Table of Contents
            • cover image ACM Conferences
              MICRO 17: Proceedings of the 17th annual workshop on Microprogramming
              December 1984
              325 pages

            Copyright © 1984 Authors

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            Association for Computing Machinery

            New York, NY, United States

            Publication History

            • Published: 1 December 1984

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