AN3349

Converter operation

Doc ID 018511 Rev 2

9/13

4

Converter operation

The eTPU assembly converter is given a file (or manual data) as an input and produces a

new file with all assembly instruction converted from Byte Craft to eTPU Compiler assembly.

If the original file compiled correctly according to standard Byte Craft assembly architecture,

the converted should convert the file without errors and create a new eTPU compile-ready

file.

4.1

Context

The converter is a context independent tool. It analyzes each assembly instruction

separately and converts it regardless of any other instructions. The only exception to that

rule is macros. The converter has the ability to preprocess c files before converting them

and therefore recognize macros in instruction even if they were defined elsewhere in the file

(or outside the file), more information about this option in available in the command line

section.

4.2

Error handling

When the converter encounters an unrecognized instruction, it reports an error along with

the line number of the problematic instruction. Since the converter is context independent, it

can continue converting instructions immediately after the error. Therefore, when the

converter finishes converting, it is necessary only to manually fix the reported error and

there is no need to convert the whole file again.

In addition during the conversion, the converter may report warnings. In these cases, the

converter was able to convert the specified instruction but there a chance that the

conversion wasn't perfect, more information is available at the Chapter 5: Limitations.

4.3

Variables

In c files, variables may appear in inline assembly instructions. The converter does not

recognize these variables (since it is context independent). In order to allow variables in

inline assembly, the converter copies any text that appears in assembly operands where

variables are optional. It is the users' responsibility to verify that this text refers to a real

variable. If no such variable exists the compiler will report an error if it attempts to compile

the converted file.

4.4

Parallel instructions

The etpu assembly converter supports parallel instructions. The sub-instructions in parallel

instructions are separated by semicolons in Byte Craft.