git @ Cat's Eye Technologies SixtyPical / 2ffff3b
2ffff3b

Tree @2ffff3b (Download .tar.gz)

SixtyPical

SixtyPical is a very low-level programming language, similar to 6502 assembly, with static analysis through abstract interpretation.

In practice, this means it catches things like

  • you forgot to clear carry before adding something to the accumulator
  • a subroutine that you call trashes a register you thought was preserved

and suchlike.

It is a work in progress, currently at the proof-of-concept stage.

The current released version of SixtyPical is 0.2. It is a complete reboot of SixtyPical 0.1. The reference implementation is written in Python instead of Haskell. The language is much simpler — we're going to try to get the analysis completely right before adding more sophisticated and useful features in future versions.

Documentation

TODO

For 0.3:

  • extern routines.
  • generate 6502 code for all SixtyPical instructions.
  • a little demo that actually compiles and does something on a C64 emulator.

For 0.4:

  • while loops.

For 0.5:

  • add line number (or at least routine name) to error messages.
  • hexadecimal literals.
  • if not.
  • 6502-mnemonic aliases (sec, clc)
  • other handy aliases (eq for z, etc.)
  • source code comments.

For 0.6:

  • repeat loops.
  • word type.
  • table type constructor and indirect addressing.

For 0.7:

  • explicitly-addressed memory locations