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gba-dev.htm
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<HTML><HEAD>
<TITLE>no$gba - nocash gameboy advance / nintendo ds debugger</TITLE>
<META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="nocash XED editor">
<META NAME="Author" CONTENT="Nocash Martin Korth">
<META NAME="Description" CONTENT="Gameboy Advance / Nintendo DS Debugger for Windows.
For professional use only. Source level debugging, VRAM Viewer, and
various other features.">
<META NAME="KeyWords" CONTENT="GBA,gba,AGB,agb,emulator,emu,emus,debugger,
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freeware,professional,support,windows,win9x,win,pc,ibm,multiboot,mb,martin,
korth,martin korth,by,from,the,a,and,Martin Korth,nocash,no$,gameboy,game,
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tech,technical,info,information,informations,details,opcodes,arm,arm7tdmi,
thumb,16bit,80x86,386,486,compatible,nocash@work.de,new,newest,update,i/o,
updates,demo,demos,cable,no$gba,no$agb,small,good,fast,quality,features,
dos,DOS,msdos,drdos,source code,source level,sourcelevel,elf,dwarf,dwarf2,
nds,nintendo ds,ds,dual screen,lite,ds-lite,dslite">
</HEAD><BODY bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000" link="#0033cc" vlink="#0033cc" alink="#0033cc">
<!---------------------->
<CENTER>
<FONT SIZE=+2><B>No$gba Gameboy Advance / Nintendo DS Debugger Homepage</B></FONT>
<TABLE WIDTH=100% BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0><TR ALIGN=CENTER>
<TD width=8% bgcolor="#f0f0c0"> </TD>
<TD width=12% bgcolor="#c0c0a0"><A HREF="gba.htm">Downloads</A></TD>
<TD width=12% bgcolor="#e0e080"><A HREF="gbanew.htm">History</A></TD>
<TD width=12% bgcolor="#c0c0a0"><A HREF="gbapics.htm">Screenshots</A></TD>
<TD width=12% bgcolor="#e0e080"><A HREF="email.htm">Contact</A></TD>
<TD width=12% bgcolor="#c0c0a0"><A HREF="#links">Links</A></TD>
<TD width=12% bgcolor="#e0e080"><A HREF="index.htm">Home</A></TD>
<TD width=8% bgcolor="#f0f0c0"> </TD>
</TR></TABLE><P>
</CENTER>
<!---------------------->
<TABLE bgcolor="#a0ff80" BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0><TR><TD>
<CENTER><B>The Main Debug Screen consists of
Code, Data, Stack, and Registers windows.</B></CENTER>
</TD></TR><TR><TD>
<TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=0 bgcolor="#d0ffc0"><TR>
<TD WIDTH=3%> </TD>
<TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=45%>
The <B>Code window</B> displays disassembled code and/or <B>source
code</B>, the built-in assembler allows to <B>modify</B>, or NOP-out,
single opcodes.
The <B>status bar</B> gives additional information on the currently
selected opcode, for example: "[3001248h]=0114h" for a "ldrh r0,[r1]"
opcode.
Arrow up/down <B>symbols</B> indicate the jump direction
(backwards/forwards, ie. loop/skip) for any branch opcodes, the arrow
right symbol indicates jumps to sub-routines.
Automatic 'true/false' comments are generated when the current
instruction is a conditional opcode, making it much <B>easier</B> to
determine if a jump opcode is about to be executed.<BR>
The <B>memory addresses</B> of code/data/stack windows can be changed by
cursor keys, mouse scroll bars, by <I>search</I> function, or by <I>goto
address</I> (or goto label) functions.
</TD><TD WIDTH=6%>
</TD><TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=45%>
Another very <B>comfortable</B> feature is the 'follow' function: Pushing
right cursor key moves the code window to the <B>target address</B> of the
currently selected branch opcode. On load or store opcodes it moves the data
window to the target address. Left cursor key moves the window back to the
old location(s). That feature also works with return values in stack
window.<BR>
The <B>Stack window</B> gives a list of pushed and allocated words,
including detailed <B>stack information</B> for each word, for example:
"pushed r7", "allocated [1Ch]", or "return from game_initialization".<BR>
The <B>Data window</B> allows to view (and modify) a memory dump in
hexadecimal and ascii text format.<BR>
The <B>Registers window</B> displays the CPU registers and flags.
</TD><TD WIDTH=3%>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><CENTER>
The debug user interface is based on nine years of programming, experience,
fine tuning, and feedback from users.
</CENTER>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
<P>
<TABLE bgcolor="#ffe0c0" BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0><TR><TD>
<CENTER><B>Source Level Debugging and Profiling</B></CENTER>
</TD></TR><TR><TD>
<TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=0 bgcolor="#fff0e0"><TR>
<TD WIDTH=3%> </TD>
<TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=45%>
The no$gba disassembler displays any <B>labels</B> that are used in
source code (and of course, that labels are also recognized in user
input). Mixed <B>Thumb and Arm</B> opcodes are automatically disassembled
as such.
Additionally, your <B>source code</B> can be displayed in <B>stacked</B>
view mode, that is, the associated disassembled opcodes are displayed
below of each line of source code. For better legibitly, the source
lines are drawn by light blue background color, moving the cursor onto
a source line displays the corresponding <B>line number</B> and source
filename in status bar.<BR>
No$gba supports debug info in .ELF, DWARF2, and .SYM formats.
</TD><TD WIDTH=6%>
</TD><TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=45%>
No$gba displays the <B>execution time</B> in clock cycles each time when
starting and stopping the emulation, eg. after executing a sub-routine.
The <B>power gauge</B> displays the current CPU load (assuming that unused
CPU time is spent in low power state).
The nocash <B>clock cycle comments</B> display the execution time for each
disassembled opcode, different view modes are available - it can display
formulas (eg. "1N+3S+1I") (optionally split into separate code and data
cycles), and it can resolve that formula into actual number of clock
cycles (by automatically recursing the current address and waitstate
configuration, etc. - the results are <B>kinda interesting:</B> some
opcodes take only 1 cycle, others may eat up about 100 cycles).
And, it can calculate the sum of cycles for a sequence of instructions.
</TD><TD WIDTH=3%>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><CENTER>
Profiling and clock cycle counting allows to make faster and smoother
software, and to free up more CPU time - either for battery power saving,
or for additional effects.
</CENTER>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
<P>
<TABLE bgcolor="#ffc0c0" BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0><TR><TD>
<CENTER><B>Conditional Breakpoints & Automatic Warnings</B></CENTER>
</TD></TR><TR><TD>
<TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=0 bgcolor="#ffe0e0"><TR>
<TD WIDTH=3%> </TD>
<TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=45%>
The debugger covers a wide range of <B>breakpoints</B>, which are able
to 'freeze' the emulation - even when debugging interrupt handlers.
Aside from normal 'stop' breaks, it also supports conditional breaks
(for example when writing a specific value to specific address, or
when writing or changing a value inside of a specified memory area).
Also, there's possibilty to define breakpoints (and text messages) in
source code. Of course, basic operations like tracing (either single
opcodes, or complete sub-routines) and stopping when reaching the
currently selected line are supported as well.
</TD><TD WIDTH=6%>
</TD><TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=45%>
Aside from user configured breaks, the debugger also includes built-in
<B>warning messages</B> which are (optionally) notifying the user of
suspicious operations, such like writes into ROM, accesses of invalid
or mis-aligned memory addresses, etc. These features are helpful to
locate both 'obvious crashes' as well as 'hidden bugs' which may show up
only in certain situations, or only in later builts - or not until the
game is released (in fact, no$gba finds bugs in most distributed
commercial titles).
</TD><TD WIDTH=3%>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><CENTER>
NB. Such features are likely to be found only in software debuggers -
which are more flexible than hardware debuggers.
</CENTER>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
<P>
<TABLE bgcolor="#ffe0c0" BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0><TR><TD>
<CENTER><B>General Emulation Features</B></CENTER>
</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#fff0e0"><TD>
In <B>multi-player</B> mode, up to four GBAs can be <B>linked</B> together
by emulating normal, multiplay, or automatic cable connection, this feature
also supports <B>single gamepak</B> software.
The video engine supports real <B>blurred colors</B> and dark
<B>intensities</B>, giving the same picture as on real GBA/NDS displays, the
<B>screenshot</B> function allows to capture the current picture to
clipboard or file.
The <B>stereo sound</B> emulation provides exact reproduction of all six
sound channels. The <B>snapshot</B> function allows to save and restore the
state of the complete hardware to or from file.
No$gba emulates most <B>GBA/NDS BIOS</B> functions, and can be <I>upgraded</I> by
installation of the BIOS rom-image (details <A HREF="gbabios.htm">here</A>),
which provides complete emulation of <I>all</I> functions and <I>highest</I>
timing accuracy. Of course, no$gba <B>can skip the BIOS intro sequence</B> -
you can to start your cartridge directly, without having to see the nintendo
logo each time when testing a new built.
</TD></TR><TR><TD><CENTER>
Forget everything that you have experienced with normal emulators.
No$gba is not like that.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
<P>
<TABLE bgcolor="#c0ff80" BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0><TR><TD>
<CENTER><B>I/O Map and VRAM Viewer</B></CENTER>
</TD></TR><TR><TD>
<TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=0 bgcolor="#e0ffc0"><TR>
<TD WIDTH=3%> </TD>
<TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=45%>
The <B>I/O Map</B> Window lists the name, address, and content of all
hardware registers, including undocumented ports. Additionally,
the separate control bits are resolved for each register (eg. Bit6 Irq=On,
Bit7 Start=Off). All values are, optionally, updated also when the
emulation is running.
The information can be viewed either in a tabbed window (with tabs for
Video, BG0-3, Sound, DMA, Timers, and Other registers), or in all at once in one
huge single window, (requires at least 1024x768 pixels screen resolution).
</TD><TD WIDTH=6%>
</TD><TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=45%>
The built-in <B>VRAM Viewer</B> allows to view the various BG layers,
the BG and OBJ tile memory, OAM content, and color palettes. Moving the
mouse arrow onto a specific OBJ or BG tile displays a zoomed copy of that
tile, as well as associated attributes (screen position, memory address,
color depth and palette, OBJ mode and size, flip or scaling parameters,
etc.) BG layers can be viewed with/without grid. A 'laser arrow'
indicates the screen position of the currently selected OAM entry.
</TD><TD WIDTH=3%>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><CENTER>
That is punk rock software debugging - it's a bit more than a gameboy
connected to a PC user interface by some cables.
</CENTER>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
<P>
<TABLE bgcolor="#ffe0c0" BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0><TR><TD>
<CENTER><B>Accuracy</B></CENTER>
</TD></TR><TR><TD>
<TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=0 bgcolor="#fff0e0"><TR>
<TD WIDTH=3%> </TD>
<TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=45%>
Emulation has been programmed with love in <B>detail</B>. Most operations
are having a timing accuracy of +/-0 clock cycles. Opcodes and hardware
ports are giving 1:1 same results, bits, and flags as real hardware.
The emulation covers undocumented ports, and exactly emulated 'garbage'
readback from unused memory areas (which is actually required for many
- apparently badly debugged - games).
</TD><TD WIDTH=6%>
</TD><TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=45%>
Of course, it is nearly impossible to make a <B>perfect</B> emulator
of total accuracy. At least, I am trying to. If you should come accross
any details which are not working exactly as one real hardware, please
let me know about it! Even if it is only a small glitch and looks
unimportant. I'd even love to reproduce the undefined MUL carry flag,
even though it is probably not - intentionally - used by any games.
</TD><TD WIDTH=3%>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><CENTER>
I'd recommend to run your game frequently on real hardware (eg. by using
flash-cards) for 100% proof bug-testing.
</CENTER>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
<P>
<TABLE bgcolor="#c0ffc0" BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0><TR><TD>
<CENTER><B>Performance</B></CENTER>
</TD></TR><TR><TD>
<TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=0 bgcolor="#e0ffe0"><TR>
<TD WIDTH=3%> </TD>
<TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=45%>
Most of the <B>user interface</B> was designed, and works smoothly on
a 66MHz computer. That guarantees no nasty surprises in case that you
don't own one of the latest 16GHz models. And, because the debugger
does not need to communicate with external hardware it is likely to be
ways faster than hardware debuggers.
</TD><TD WIDTH=6%>
</TD><TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=45%>
Emulation of the <B>GBAs RISC processor</B> takes up more CPU load,
most GBA games are working smoothly and at full speed on 500Mhz computers.
If you do have a faster PC you may use the additional CPU time to
emulate up to four GBAs at once - in multiplayer mode, or to let the
emulation run at quad speed on keystroke (eg. to skip intro sequences).
</TD><TD WIDTH=3%>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><CENTER>
All no$gba program code, both emulation and user interface, is
all hand-crafted and pure assembler code.
</CENTER>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
<P>
<TABLE bgcolor="#ffe0c0" BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0><TR><TD>
<CENTER><B>Additional Features</B></CENTER>
</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#fff0e0"><TD>
The built-in <B>manual</B> contains help about debugging functions
(see <A HREF="gbahlp.htm">help</A> html version),
as well as complete <B>specifications</B> for the GBA/NDS hardware
(see <A HREF="gbatek.htm">specs</A> html version).
The built-in <B>source code assembler</B> provides two-way interfacing
with the built-in <B>text editor</B>.
The <B>upload function</B> allows to run small programs (max 256K)
in Work RAM of attached GBAs by simple <A HREF="gba-xboo.htm">xboo</A> cable
connection, that feature is significantly faster and more comfortable than
'flash-cards' even though the limited size restricts it to small games (or
to fragments of larger games, it might be suitable to test a sound engine
or intro sequence, for example).
Also, a <B>disassemble</B> to file function is included.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
<P>
<TABLE bgcolor="#ffe0c0" WIDTH=100% BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0><TR><TD>
<CENTER><B>Contacting me (Martin Korth) - Developers only (no gaming questions)</B></CENTER>
</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#fff0e0"><TD>
<CENTER><A HREF="email.htm">Contact per email</A></CENTER>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><CENTER>
<B>Caution: Emails with attachments are deleted automatically without notice!</B>
</CENTER>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
<P>
<!---------------------->
<A NAME="links"></A>
<TABLE bgcolor="#c0c0c0" BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0><TR><TD>
<CENTER><B>Related info & tools & links</B></CENTER>
</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#f0f0f0"><TD>
<A HREF="gbanew.htm">release notes</A><BR>
Info about newer (and older) no$gba updates.
</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#e0e0e0"><TD>
<A HREF="gba-xboo.htm">gba-xboo</A> - <FONT SIZE=-1><B>Updated 15th August 2002</B> - new function for downloading the <B>GBA BIOS</B> to file</FONT><BR>
Stand-alone DOS version of the 'multiboot' upload program and instructions
on how to built the cable, use that for testing games on real hardware,
the new version should be also working with fast >100MHz computers.
</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#f0f0f0"><TD>
<A HREF="gbatek.htm">gbatek.htm</A> and <A HREF="gbatek.txt">gbatek.txt</A>
- <FONT SIZE=-1><B>New Feb 2006 with NDS specs</B></FONT><BR>
Standalone version of the no$gba tech docs in Html and Text format (ca. 500
KBytes each). Describes the complete GBA/NDS hardware, memory map, I/O ports,
BIOS functions, cartridge header, undocumented features, CPU instruction set, etc.
</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#e0e0e0"><TD>
<A HREF="magicflr.htm">magicflr</A><BR>
Magic Floor, freeware puzzle game for the GBA, includes assembler source code.
Aside from playing with it, I hope this will delight some programmers whom seem
to be confused about terms such like interrupts, sound, halts, and multiboot.
</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#f0f0f0"><TD>
<A HREF="http://gbadev.org/">gbadev.org</A><BR>
<A HREF="http://www.gbaemu.com/">gbaemu.com</A><BR>
<A HREF="http://devrs.com/gba/">devrs.com/gba</A><BR>
Links related with news in gba programming scene. Tools, docs, emulators,
jobs, competitions, freeware games, demos, examples, etc.
</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#e0e0e0"><TD>
<A HREF="http://www.pdroms.de">pdroms.de</A><BR>
Big collection of freeware games. Also check the games/demos section at gbadev.org (see link above).
</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#f0f0f0"><TD>
<A HREF="gmb.htm">no$gmb</A><BR>
Emulator/debugger for the old 8bit monochrome gameboy, super gameboy, and color
gameboy, some of the users killed the program, but it's netherless still a
useful dev tool with similiar features as no$gba.
</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#e0e0e0"><TD>
<A HREF="gbapub.htm">gbapub</A><BR>
The public opinion. Feedback & lyrics on no$gba project...
"YOu SuCK MAn!!!I'm ThE EVIl!!, and i want to cook your soulI WANT TO MURDER
YOUyour fucking emulators are PURE TRASH!!!SHUTDOWN YOUR SITE NOW, and use
another emulator!!!LOSER!!!"
</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#f0f0f0"><TD>
<A HREF="ereader.zip">ereader.zip</A> - <B>New (June 2007)</B><BR>
Contains four dotcode games/demos: Magic Floor, e-Reader Camera Viewer demo,
Yarin's Rotris, and Snowbro's Bomb Sweeper. Including some sample source code.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
<!---------------------->
<P><CENTER><HR>
<A HREF="index.htm">Back to nocash mainpage</A>.<BR>
<HR>
<FONT SIZE=-1>
2 ^ 10 = 1024 ;
C programmers should be careful not to misread this notation as exclusive-or.
</FONT>
<BR>
</BODY></HTML>