Supporting FPGA microprocessors through retargetable software tools

Driving FPGA systems from ANSI C is possible using lcc (a retargetable ANSI C compiler) targeted at an FPGA system and dasm (a retargetable, exible assembler) tools. The compiler supports custom hardware capabilities of FPGA systems, as well as all constructs of C. The assembler reads instruction de nitions at assemble time, allowing the user to add new custom hardware functions which dasm can assemble correctly to an instruction stream the hardware executes. A source code debugger has been created for this system. COMMITTEE APPROVAL: Brad L. Hutchings Committee Chairman James K. Archibald Committee Member J. Kelly Flanagan Committee Member Wynn C. Stirling Graduate Coordinator SUPPORTING FPGA MICROPROCESSORS THROUGH RETARGETABLE SOFTWARE TOOLS A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Brigham Young University In Partial Ful llment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science by David A. Clark April 1996 This thesis by David A. Clark is accepted in its present form by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of Brigham Young University as satisfying the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Science. Brad L. Hutchings Committee Chairman James K. Archibald Committee Member J. Kelly Flanagan Committee Member Date Wynn C. Stirling Graduate Coordinator