AmiDEVcpp: Allocating gfxdata in chip mem

[tolkien]

I´m trying AmiDEVccp to code a few things for Amiga68k but I have a problem.
When I define a gfx in other compilers I can use the chip keyword to allocate it in CHIPMEM but here I cant.
How can I do it? Must I do AllocMEM in chipmem and copy my gfx there?
What am I doing wrong?

Thanks!

[Zetr0]

as I remember it you need to token the variable you want to store in chip.

in DICE I would use "__CHIP" before the variable - thats two underscore's btw

i.e.

__CHIP UBYTE tile[2048]

I would suggest looking at CHIP as a place to copy to as opposed to store stuff in - and I would also suggest using Blitter copy routines if you can - although if you are targeting an 030@28Mhz or faster then forget the Blitter as the CPU is faster

To ensure that variables are stored in FAST memory, again the token of "__FAST" is used under DICE, there should be a pre-compiler list for these for the compiler that you are using.

to dynamically allocate memory, as with all pointers its about your cast

void main( void )
{
    __CHIP unsigned char *tile;
    tile = (char *) malloc ( sizeof (char) *2046 );

    if (tile == 0)
    {
        printf("ERROR: Out of memory\n");
        exit(0);
    }

    // REST OF CODE HERE***
    
    // Remeber to free the pointer afterwards!
}

I hope that helps

[tolkien]

I'm out of home but I'll try tomorrow. Thanks mate!

[Leffmann]

__chip (lower case letters) should be defined in GCC (AmiDevCPP), if it's not then try __attribute((chip)) or __attribute((__chip__)). It may also require static duration, so you must declare it either static or global.

If you have to resort to allocating dynamically then you must use AllocMem(), calling malloc() and then casting to a pointer with __chip can never work because the qualifier only applies to storage of the pointer value itself.

[hooverphonique]

using a qualifier like __chip__ causes the data to be stored in a chip data hunk in the resulting executable, i.e. amigados loads it directly into chipmem.. If you don't find a way to make the compiler/linker do this, but use the allocmem method, you will have duplicate copies in memory, which is not a good idea :-)

[tolkien]

I think I tried those qualifiers yesterday but remember to have an error "chip attribute is no supported in this target" or something similar. Hope to be in home soon and try. Thanks for the answers!

[davideo]

StormC uses Pragmas to set the type of memory that the data should be stored in.

i.e.

#pragma Chip
Everything from here until the #pragma Fast is encountered is stored in Chip RAM.

Dave G

[Leffmann]

Originally Posted by tolkien

I think I tried those qualifiers yesterday but remember to have an error "chip attribute is no supported in this target" or something similar. Hope to be in home soon and try. Thanks for the answers!

Compilers are tricky like this, because each one needs to have its own way of implementing target specifics.

If everything else fails then just put the array in its own file and type a couple of lines assembly to declare it as chip data, and assemble and link it in. That always works.

[NovaCoder]

I just use the API?

AllocMem

MEMF_CHIP:	If the requested memory will be used by
				the Amiga custom chips, this flag *must*
				be set.

				Only certain parts of memory are reachable
				by the special chip sets' DMA circuitry.
				Chip DMA includes screen memory, images that
				are blitted, audio data, copper lists, sprites
				and Pre-V36 trackdisk.device buffers.

[tolkien]

Yes NovaCoder. Thats the other option I use but wanted to know why it didn´t work.
I have tried all other options but not working. I´ll use the AllocMem/copy option.

Thanks friends!