On 25 Nov 2005 19:09:10 +0200, David Brown
<david@westcontrol.removethisbit.com> wrote:

>WYSIWYG wrote:
>> Hello,
>> 
>> I inherited an embedded computer using the National HPC 46003 processor. I
>> am obliged to correct some programming problems in the code but I have
>> little information and no tools. I have only found some high level spec
>> sheets and app. notes. I'll probably need to hand assemble the changes but I
>> need sufficient info to build the object code. Does anyone have the User's
>> Manual, assemblers, etc for this processor that can help?
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> Bob
>> 
>The HPC was a fine micro in its day - I believe it was one of the 
>fastest microcontrollers available at the time (15 years ago?).  It's a 
>16-bit accumulator-based CISC cpu, with a reasonable range of addressing 
>modes.  We used to have an emulator for it, but it's unfortunately 
>broken.  It was an impressive system - a main board around 50cm by 50cm, 
>with a "daughter" board at about 30cm by 50cm.  The assembler was, as 
>far as I can remember, free (or at least very low cost), while the C 
>compiler from National Semiconductor cost extra.  It's been about 10 
>years since I've written a new program on the HPC, but the last 
>modification I made to a HPC program was a couple of months ago.
>
>Talk to your National Semiconductor representatives about tools and 
>documentation.  If they can't give you the tools, but can authorize a 
>free copy, then I can send you a zip of the assembler and linker (and C 
>compiler, if they authorize that too).  That might be easier to deal 
>with than the originals, which I believe came on 5 1/4" floppies.  The 
>documentation would be harder - I think I only have it in dead tree format.
>
>As long as you don't have to debug anything (which you might avoid, if 
>you are only modifying a working system), then the HPC is fine to work 
>with in assembler, or even its (slightly limited and very old fashioned) 
>C compiler.  It's certainly much more programmer friendly than many 
>8-bit micros.
>
>Good luck!
>
>David
>
>(If you want to contact me directly, I'm sure you can figure out my 
>email address.)
>

I agree with David, a fine micro - every micro that National does
seems to dissapear :-( 
Still have the tools and documentation -  Even have some spare micros
somewhere Im sure..

Vic

Hello,

I inherited an embedded computer using the National HPC 46003 processor. I
am obliged to correct some programming problems in the code but I have
little information and no tools. I have only found some high level spec
sheets and app. notes. I'll probably need to hand assemble the changes but I
need sufficient info to build the object code. Does anyone have the User's
Manual, assemblers, etc for this processor that can help?

Thanks,

Bob

Hello,

I inherited an embedded computer using the National HPC 46003 processor. I
am obliged to correct some programming problems in the code but I have
little information and no tools. I have only found some high level spec
sheets and app. notes. I'll probably need to hand assemble the changes but I
need sufficient info to build the object code. Does anyone have the User's
Manual, assemblers, etc for this processor that can help?

Thanks,

Bob