Testing Saturn Code

[slinga]

Hey guys,

I'm writing up the next section of my guide for newbs, and I wanted to know how you guys test your compiled code. I know only of three methods, using an emulator, PAR\Action Replay, and burning and booting on the real hardware.

For the emulator method, I'm going to write about Satourne. I use the old version of Satourne, pre-plugins. Can you recommend any other emulators? *cough*cough*Runik*cough*cough*

I also want to write a few lines about using a PAR\Action Replay, but I've never used them, so can someone give me the advantages\disadvantages of testing via this method? The only advantage I can think of is the fact that you don't have to burn a cd (and I think Antime mentioned you could generate interrupts). It seems that most of the devers use this method for testing code, so I'm sure there's a better reason.

For the actual booting and testing I'm pretty much set. I have tools from Charles Doty (I think), that take an Sl.bin, and turn it into an iso. This can wait a while, I'm going to get the other two done first.

Edit: Anyway wouldn't you know I can't download Satourne or Saturnin because consollection.com is apparently down. argh. <_<

 

[antime]

Unfortunately you can't generate interrupts from via the Commlink, you have to poll it if you want to use the port in your programs. The advantages of using the Commlink are that it's a lot faster than burning CDs and more exact than emulators. A good emulator would be a great aid in testing, especially if it supported debugging (the ability to inspect any part of the machine at any time is really helpful).

One additional method you could mention is using simulators. GDB comes with a built-in SH simulator and Renesas also sells one. Of course you can't test anything that involves the Saturn hardware, but you can run code that you suspect is misbehaving.

 

[vbt]

About testing on emus I verify on three emus :

- Girigiri hacked for his speed (but accepts too many things)

- SSF 0.06R4 to compare results (accepts too many things but less than Girigiri)

- Satourne DYNAREC beta (seems to be closer to the saturn for some parts)

About PAR I use mine when I have access to the TV.

Advantages :

- real Saturn.

- save CDs.

- fast to perform tests .

Drawbacks :

- force to remove CD support and to replace files by C arrays.

- binaries are limited by the Saturn memory size.

- need an ISA port.

 

[antime]

You can always burn your data on a CD and just upload the code over the Commlink. Also, you can use the 1MB of workram-L and 4MB of AR RAM to store things.

 

[mrkotfw]

Well, I have only 1 option: use girigiri... its very unreliable but i still use it for speed, i cant really use satourne or Ssf because of ASPI problems i have...

 

[madmalkav]

Tried ForceAspi?

 

[AntiPasta]

I used to use the PAR for testing my code. I never felt the need to use another method, I built a separate PC for PSX and Saturn dev and had that permanently hooked up to my Saturn (which, in turn, was hooked up to the TV card of my other PC). Great for testing small code and 100% accurate

(too bad I never got anything useful out of the Saturn, T(#)@(*#$) VDP2 )