Drag a Babe object code file to the emulator icon on the icon bar, or double-click it to load it into the emulator and automatically run it.
When the emulator has finished executing, simply press any key to return to the desktop, as displayed on the screen.
Alternatively, press Escape to quit the emulator to the desktop at any time. At any time during the emulation, it is possible to save a screenshot, simply press the S key on the keyboard, you will be asked to enter a file name, type it in and press return. Warning: you will need about 307Kb of free disk space.
Running the emulator
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There are different modes of emulation, which are set by selecting the 'Options' item from the icon bar menu. Simply select the option you want, and then run the Babe program as described above.
Full display - display the memory after every fetch-execute cycle, then fetch next instruction automatically.
Stepped - display the memory after every fetch-execute cycle, and then waits for a keypress before displaying the next. A must for debugging a program.
Realistic time - not yet implemented, but will basically be a full display, but each instruction will be executed taking the same time as the original Baby.
Jump to cycle number - this will make the emulator run in full display until it reaches cycle number XXX (fill in the writeable icon) it then goes into stepped mode, so that you can debug certain parts of a program mid way through running, without sitting for ages holding down a key in stepped mode.
Description of the screen layout:
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At the very top of the screen, the version number of the program is displayed, along with its date of release, and my email address.
Each of the lines of green dots represents a binary digit (bit) in the computers memory, the dark dots represent a 0 and the lighter ones a 1. At the end of each of these lines (with the exception of the PI) is the decimal value of the bits. After this, for all store lines, and the PI is the assembly code equivalent of that instruction (function) for fast recognition. This is updated every time the storeline and PI alter.
The next line down labelled "C I:" is the Control Instruction.
After that is the "P I: " or present instruction.
Next comes the accumulator "ACC:"
Followed by the 32 lines numbered 0-31 of the store.
After the store comes the cycle counter, which displays the number of instructions executed since the program began "Cycle:". This is useful for the 'jump to cycle number' mode of emulation.
When the STP (stop) instruction is executed, this is printed below the cycle counter.
Below this, the time taken for the program to execute (only relevent for the full display mode) is printed in centi-seconds (hundredths of a second).
Read the ProgRef manual for details of how to program the baby.
