Preface
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The Real Time Executive for Multiprocessor Systems (RTEMS) is designed to be portable across multiple processor architectures.  However, the nature of real-time systems makes it essential that the application designer understand certain processor dependent implementation details.  These processor dependencies include calling convention, board support package issues, interrupt processing, exact RTEMS memory requirements, performance data, header files, and the assembly language interface to the executive.

This document discusses the PowerPC architecture dependencies in this port of RTEMS.

It is highly recommended that the PowerPC RTEMS application developer obtain and become familiar with the documentation for the processor being used as well as the specification for the revision of the PowerPC architecture which corresponds to that processor.

PowerPC Architecture Documents
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For information on the PowerPC architecture, refer to the following documents available from Motorola and IBM:

  * PowerPC Microprocessor Family: The Programming Environment (Motorola Document MPRPPCFPE-01).

  * IBM PPC403GB Embedded Controller User's Manual.

  * PoweRisControl MPC500 Family RCPU RISC Central Processing Unit Reference Manual (Motorola Document RCPUURM/AD).

  * PowerPC 601 RISC Microprocessor User's Manual (Motorola Document MPR601UM/AD).

  * PowerPC 603 RISC Microprocessor User's Manual (Motorola Document MPR603UM/AD).

  * PowerPC 603e RISC Microprocessor User's Manual (Motorola Document MPR603EUM/AD).

  * PowerPC 604 RISC Microprocessor User's Manual (Motorola Document MPR604UM/AD).

  * PowerPC MPC821 Portable Systems Microprocessor User's Manual (Motorola Document MPC821UM/AD).

  * PowerQUICC MPC860 User's Manual (Motorola Document MPC860UM/AD).

Motorola maintains an on-line electronic library for the PowerPC at the following URL:

  
 http://www.mot.com/powerpc/library/library.html

This site has a a wealth of information and examples.  Many of the manuals are available from that site in electronic format.

PowerPC Processor Simulator Information
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PSIM is a program which emulates the Instruction Set Architecture of the PowerPC microprocessor family.  It is reely available in source code form under the terms of the GNU General Public License (version 2 or later).  PSIM can be integrated with the GNU Debugger (gdb) to execute and debug PowerPC executables on non-PowerPC hosts.  PSIM supports the addition of user provided device models which can be used to allow one to develop and debug embedded applications using the simulator.

The latest version of PSIM is made available to the public via anonymous ftp at ftp://ftp.ci.com.au/pub/psim or ftp://cambridge.cygnus.com/pub/psim.  There is also a mailing list at powerpc-psim@ci.com.au.