Re: [avr-libc-dev] A sugestion for avr-libc

[Theodore A. Roth]

On Fri, 22 Aug 2003, Craig Rodgers wrote:

> First of all I'd like to thank the developers of avr-libc, you've done a
> fantastic job thus far.
>
> I haven't been using avr-libc for all that long now (about 2 months) but one
> of the more useful features that appears to be missing is the ability to
> assign and test individual bits in IO registers. Ie PA0=1; or if (DDRA == 1)
>
> Whilst some of this functionality is provided by current releases using the
> sbi, and cbi functions, I believe adding the capability to read and write
> bits without requiring the use of these instructions would enhance avr-libc.
>
> I have attached a cut down IO header (myIO.h) and a simple test program
> (main.c) that demonstrate how this functionality would be implemented into
> the current avr-libc and used in programs.
>
> I think you'll agree that it provides a much simpler means of accessing bits
> in the IO registers than the current mechanisms. This method of access also
> seems to be relatively common across other compilers/libraries I have come
> across (Mitsubishi M16C, some 8051 compilers etc).
>
> I have found avr-libc useful so if the general concessus is that this would
> be a useful addition I am happy enough to implement it. I would however like
> to make sure that I am not duplicating someone else's effort, if someone
> else out there is already working on this I would like to offer them my
> assistance.

I don't think that you gain anything by doing this except making the
include files more complicated.

The SBI insn is 2 clock cycles, and the LDI + OUT that gcc generates
is 2 cycles (1 each insn). See the instruction set data sheet for more
info on how many clock cycles each instruction uses.

As soon as you want to set more than 1 bit, using SBI becomes more
expensive (it's a wash when setting 1 bit).

As for testing bits, the following are equivalent:

    /* MY_PORTA is a bit field structure. */

    while (MY_PORTA.B0 == 0);
  e0:   d8 9b           sbis    0x1b, 0 ; 27
  e2:   fe cf           rjmp    .-4             ; 0xe0

    loop_until_bit_is_set (PORTA, 0);
  e4:   d8 9b           sbis    0x1b, 0 ; 27
  e6:   fe cf           rjmp    .-4             ; 0xe4

But I get this code when testing for bit clear:

    while (MY_PORTA.B0 == 1);
  e8:   d8 99           sbic    0x1b, 0 ; 27
  ea:   fe cf           rjmp    .-4             ; 0xe8

    loop_until_bit_is_clear (PORTA, 0);
  ec:   8b b3           in      r24, 0x1b       ; 27
  ee:   99 27           eor     r25, r25
  f0:   9c 01           movw    r18, r24
  f2:   21 70           andi    r18, 0x01       ; 1
  f4:   30 70           andi    r19, 0x00       ; 0
  f6:   80 fd           sbrc    r24, 0
  f8:   f9 cf           rjmp    .-14            ; 0xec

Which looks to me like a place where gcc could do better optimization.

>
> P.S. Could anyone replying to this email please send me a copy
> (craig_AT_student.usyd.edu.au) as I'm having some difficulty joining the
> mailing list.

I can manually subscribe you if you wish.


Ted Roth