This is probably the stupidest question ever...

[Garrett]

But here goes: Is there some kind of software available
that will attempt to interpret source code and print it
out as electronic schematics that can be made into actual hardware? (Stoopid, stoopid stoopid... :headwall: )

[oleimann]

Well, you could use CAD/CAM to produce a 3D Model of the
Flowchart  :-D

I have actually worked on a digitalized version of an
analog circuit which was built from multipliers, etc.

I'm sure some algorithms could be put into a chip (like 3D
cards, but nowadays it's much more effective to use a
software/hardware combo than pure hardware.

It also has the advantage that it can be updated to fix
issues, or increase functionality.

Perhaps an example would make your point more clear ?

[bobamu]

nah, it contains no mention of porting [something] to ps3/kittens/trampolines

don't think that question is stupid, but it maybe won't lead to the answer you are hoping to get.

I know there's some c to vhdl compilers, though I suspect you'll have to write your code in a very particular style.

But as for schematics? Dunno man.

Someone knowledgeable in this stuff is bound to appear soon with the explanation of it all  :-D

[KThunder]

dennis looked at uae source and used it for info as to how to build minimig, is that what you are talking about?

   some fpga tools and stuff look much like programming but are based on different principles. it depends i think on what type of circut you were planning on making

[Fats]

Hello Garret,

What you ask for is the holy grail of the EDA (electronic design automation) industry. This problem is very complicated because code written in a higher level programming language is a number of commands executed serially, hardware is a number of block working parallel. To get more information about development in this industry you can surf to EETimes. One of the last articles in the EDA section was this: C based design methodology accelerates ASIC/FPGA design cycles

Have fun,
Staf.

[Hyperspeed]

I suppose the closest thing to turning code into hardware would be programming PIC chips.

http://www.ianstedman.co.uk/Projects/projects.html

<-- This chappy does a bit of that, and stuff for Amigas!

[AMC258]

Precisely.  It all depends on what you call code.  Ladder logic is code that is really easy to convert to hardware.  But, it's not easy for someone used to high level computer programming to work with.

There are some controllers that allow you to program in a high level language that easily compiles into ladder logic.  But, these languages share the same charactaristic as most ladders.  They theoretically work in parallel, although most of them execute sequentially.  As a programmer, you write code that assumes parallel, while keeping the sequential aspect in mind!  I work with just such things for a living.  By the time you write good code in these environments, you may as well design the hardware.

By the way, for most applications, if you can write the program, you can compile it for a cheap, small, efficient microcontroller, and then you don't need discreet logic.  Automotive "Engine Control Modules" are a perfect example.

[Dandy]

Garrett wrote:
But here goes: Is there some kind of software available
that will attempt to interpret source code and print it
out as electronic schematics that can be made into actual hardware? (Stoopid, stoopid stoopid... :headwall: )

Hmmm - I only have an old piece of software for the Amiga that can route a PCB layout from a given schematics - but I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for.

Anyway, the soft is called "Newio v3.5"...

[Garrett]

Hello, folks! I was talking about about turning something like UAE into a hardware version of it by converting the source code into schematics one could use for the design. If that's any clearer. I understand the facts provided by Fats here. I'm no electronic wiz or anything it was just a thought a had and wondered if it was science fiction or reality. Thanks for all the replies.  :-)

[billt]

Depends on the "source code". Languages such as verilog and VHDL exist to do that wort of thing, but the source code has to be in those languages. That is then "compiled" (AKA synthesized) into a gate-level netlist, which shows inverters, flipflops, and-gates, etc. which can then be put into an FPGA chip or if you're righ made into a custom chip.

You can also simulate both the "source code" (AKA RTL or Register Transfer Level code) and the "compiled" or synthesized gate-level netlist.

There are tools which are capable of importing these gate-level netlists into schematic views. But schematics imported from verilog or vhdl aren't known to be easily readable by humans. And you need to have a library of symbols available for any gate or cell that would appear in the netlist.

There's also some attempts to do this sort of thing with C or C++. SystemC may be more like that.

Google for "HDL" and see what you learn. HDL stands for Hardware Description Language, which includes verilog, vhdl, systemc, and others.

[voxel]

Hi Garrett :-)

If I remember well, there is a software called Spice that do exactly that : let you feed it with the schematics, test it as if it was real hardware, and issue a netlist for the pcb. BTW it works on PeeCee (berk!) but wasn't there an AmigaSpice soft on aminet?

[Homer]

Hmm, I used to use my old Hal-9000 for that back in 2001, but it seemed to stop working after that problem with the pod bay doors  :crazy: