Thread: binary programming

Does anyone or can anyone here program in Binary?

I could, on the right chip.... Why would you want to?

>>> can anyone here program in Binary

I have not needed to program in binary for a great many years. A couple of machines I have used required a bootstrap to be entered in binary, (DEC PDP-8 using on/off switches on the front panel and a Gould-SEL32/77+ hex via a 16 key keyboard). I also learnt Z80 programming on a development board with no backing store, (so every power on meant typing your entire program in from scratch!), and a simple 16 key keyboard.

>>> Why would you want to?

That's a good question.

i cannot think of any reason why anyone would want to program in binary - i was just curious if any does or can.

>some kind of 'binary compiler' or something?

If you actually were doing it in binary, there'd be no need for a compiler.

>>> there'd be no need for a compiler

Right. You need only use a hex, (or binary), editor, and then find some way of getting it's start address into the program counter register.

On some of our embedded systems, we take the object from the compiler, (which is relocatable object of course), then run it through a little utility program which "locates" it, i.e. it turns all of the "base + offset" values into actual numbers. We then blow that into a prom and set the CPU's restart vector to the base address of the, now located, code in the prom - easy.