Compiling

[NoobT]

Maybe I am missing something here, but my question is how are we supposed to compile the files we've just downloaded and unzipped?

I have read the .txt file and have found that it is worthless in answering this question. I have also tried compiling the packages using java (given that java 1.3 or later is needed to run the software) to no avail.

I run a Mac on OSX and have speent many fruitless hours on this problem. I am probably missing some small detail but any help would be appreciated.

[milythael]

I'm going to make a couple assumptions as you didn't provide much information to go on.

1.  You have just started chapter 1.
2.  You are trying to run the tests from chapter 1.

You first need to download and install the software for the book.  ( http://www1.idc.ac.il/tecs/software.html )

The first several chapters all use the hardware simulator.  Take a look at the hardware simulator tutorial included on the software page.  Also, I highly recommend the Hardware Survival Guide written by Mark.  ( http://tecs-questions-and-answers-forum.32033.n3.nabble.com/Hardware-Construction-Survival-Kit-tt3385741.html )

In general, you run the hardware simulator (I used HardwareSimulator.sh on my mac.), load the .tst file for the chip you are working on, then run it.  The .tst file will load the .hdl file and the .cmp file and run the tests, reporting on the output.

If this is not clear, or you have more questions, please let us know.

[cadet1620]

NoobT wrote

Maybe I am missing something here, but my question is how are we supposed to compile the files we've just downloaded and unzipped?

I have read the .txt file and have found that it is worthless in answering this question. I have also tried compiling the packages using java (given that java 1.3 or later is needed to run the software) to no avail.

On the off chance that you downloaded http://www1.idc.ac.il/tecs/software/tecs-open-source-2.5.zip, note that this is the source for the tools used in the course.  Unless you are an experienced Java programmer these sources will not be useful to you.

--Mark

[NoobT]

Thank you Mark and milythael,
         You are right in that I am not an experienced java programmer (though I have some experience) but my question had more to do with how do get the programs compiled so that I can run them and get to building. Do you have any suggestions or links to help me get started?

[milythael]

If you have the sources for the java programs, you have the wrong package.  Look again at my first post and installed the pre-compiled tools from there.  You do not have to compile anything to get started.  As long as it looks like you do, you have the wrong packages.