[Simh] VAX QDSS Simulation [was Re: More on VAX Emulation under Linux]

[Hittner, David T.]

I started working on the QDSS simulation a year and a half ago - it has
been difficult, due the fact that the QDSS ROMs and the VAX ROMs are
interdependant - the VAX console code modifies it's input/output to come
from the QDSS if it exists - making debugging console output somewhat
tough if you don't have the code right [and I don't yet]  ;-)  Console
I/O using the QDSS is non-trivial, requiring an understanding of the VAX
console code and the QDSS console code(!), which is stored in the QDSS
ROMs.
 
The monochrome QVSS has the same difficulties, except 1) output is not
as interesting in just black-and-white, and 2) it's not supported in VMS
v6.X and later.
 
Graphically , the QDSS seems to only do some simple things, such as a
BitBlt, due to it's age. It's the bidirectional graphics memory that's a
bit of a stinker, since the VAX graphics routines are allowed to
manipulate the memory map directly (as opposed to just using calling a
graphics API rotuine), so the QDSS simulation has to manage the internal
graphics memory storage correctly.
 
I have generic routines that work for displaying a 2D 1-layer graphics
output on X and GDI (Windows). Not understanding graphics programming, I
have finally started to understand what multiple graphics layers can do,
and am starting to add in those features, since the QDSS used 4 or 8
graphics planes. Both X and GDI support the full range of graphics
display required for the simulation.
 
Last Thanksgiving (2005), I picked up the MicroVAX that Bob had offered
to a good home. It contains a QDSS graphics subsystem, which I am going
to be using to dump the QDSS ROMs for the simulation.
 
Let me know if there's anyone who would like to help, particularly with
the internal memory map representation. I'l be happy to work with
someone to accelerate this project. Understanding of RGB color mapping
and graphics transforms woud be helpful.
 
Dave
 
 



________________________________

	From: simh-bounces at trailing-edge.com
[mailto:simh-bounces at trailing-edge.com] On Behalf Of Paul Hardy
	Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2006 12:20 AM
	To: simh at trailing-edge.com
	Subject: Re: [Simh] More on VAX Emulation under Linux
	
	
	I could buy Exceed (at a non-trivial price) to run on my Windows
laptop, but it would be even nicer if SIMH emulated one of the low-end
the Vaxstation graphics cards (QVSS?). There was talk a few years ago of
this being on the 'to do' list. Has it made any progress?
	 
	 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.trailing-edge.com/pipermail/simh/attachments/20060619/9a47127b/attachment-0003.html>