[Coco] NoICE debugging for the Coco

[Stephen H. Fischer]

Hi,

Apart from those who post messages, It is very hard to determine what people
are doing with their CoCo's.

Because of the CoCo's limitations many people have moved on to other
platforms.

Those who remain may not understand the very powerful tools for programmers
that are available in the computer world today. They may just have no
interest in programming.

I moved the posting on the NoICE debugger into the Urbane folder right away
because I understood that it was a great step forward and immediately
started thinking about how to integrate Urbane with NoICE debugger. If there
are a sufficient numbers of users who want that capability or any other, we
can provide it.

When I posted a message suggesting that Roger Taylor had the wrong
definition of "IDE", he replied with a blank message. I took that to mean
that he understood what I was saying but my definition of "IDE" was not what
he is trying to provide currently.

"IDE" = Integrated Development Environment.
"IDE" = Integrated Debugging Environment.

Many "IDE"'s are both allowing the programmer for example using "C" to step
through their programs "C" source lines one at a time. Variables can be
inspected as to what their values are after each line is executed. A list of
Variables can be "Watched" as the program executes in slow motion.
Breakpoints can be set to allow the program to run at full speed when
executing parts of the program that need no further debugging at that point.

The point that I am trying to make is the Integrated Debugging Environment
allows the programmer to work completely in the "C" language and have to not
be concerned with machine language. Other languages can be debugged in a
similar manner.

There are many things that can be added to the CoCo to improve its debugging
environment.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So why no response?

I think that we have reached the point that the number of persons
programming the CoCo is very close to the number of people that are posting
messages to our various lists. NoICE is great, but not when there are not
sufficient numbers of people who want to do programming.

It may well be that we are producing great tools so that great CoCo
applications can be written, but there are not a sufficient numbers of
application writers remaining to use the tools.

And there are not a sufficient number of persons who would want to use the
applications.

The number of persons reading these lists is much larger than those who post
messages. I again wonder why they are doing so and where their real
interests lie.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have a idea as to how to better judge the current state of the CoCo which
I will be sending to a small list of people who may be the most violent
opposition to it soon. If it has any hope at all then I will present the
idea to the CoCo list.

Stephen H. Fischer


Mark Marlette wrote:
>> Robert/Boisy,
>>
>> I was waiting to see how many responded to this. Zero. :(
>>
>> This is a hardware/software dream! A tool that we have never had for
>> the CoCo. Truly a GIANT step forward.
>>
>> I have seen people in the past compare us to the Commodore group. Why
>> don't we have this, they do, etc. Well they might have a larger
>> following? I don't know. What I do know is that they must be using
>> the current tools that are available to be creating these projects.
>>
>> My point, we need to have more people using these tools, creating
>> hardware and software for the CoCo. Instead most sit and talk about
>> what it was like 20 years ago. Mosts of the posts are off topic,
>> which is fine if that is what you use this list for. I do not.
>> Seriously, the best time to own/develop for a CoCo is now.
>>
>> Great work by all on this project. Tip of the hat.....
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Mark
>> Cloud-9
>>
>>
>>
>> At 3/3/2006 10:50 PM, you wrote:
>>
>>> Boisy posted a message not too long ago about a powerful debugging
>>> system which runs on a PC and permits you to monitor what is
>>> happening on a Coco. Here is more information on this software which
>>> is obtainable from John Hartman at www.noicedebugger.com  .
>>>
>>> At the time Boisy posted his message, the debugger could handle 6809
>>> opcodes and would work with OS-9 using a kernel driver written by
>>> Boisy. I, John, and Boisy have enhanced the NoICE debugger so that
>>> it will also handle 6309 opcodes. John Hartman is planning to
>>> release version 8.5 in a month or so which will contain support for
>>> both the 6809 and 6309 CPUs. There will also be software that runs
>>> on the Coco under Disk Basic ( a monitor ) which sends information
>>> to the PC via an RS-232 pack. The kernel driver for OS-9 (also
>>> requiring the RS-232 pack) will be available from Boisy (NitrOS-9
>>> project) for 6809 and 6309 systems. There are no plans for the
>>> debugger to correctly display OS9 F$ and OS9 I$ system calls but it
>>> will still be a great tool for trouble shooting Coco software
>>> development.
>>>
>>> This system will display register contents, disassemble code, dump
>>> memory, step through a program, and much more.
>>>
>>> The icing on the cake is that the package for the 6809/6309 will be
>>> free. This CPU has been a favorite for John who has spent a good
>>> part of his career programming systems using it. That is why
>>> licensing for these CPUs (NoICE supports many others) will be free.