GNU tools for embedded 8086 processor?

[Joel Sherrill <joel@merlin.gcs.redstone.army.mil>]

On Mon, 17 Mar 1997, Keith Outwater wrote:

>   Does anyone have any information on GNU toolchain support for the 8086 
> processor?

The gnu tools only support i386 and above in protected mode.  This means 
that there is no support for any CPU lower than the 80286.

There is an effort to build a small version of Linux which could run
on a cpu such as the 8086.  The top link is http://www.uk.linux.org/ .
They have free tools for the 8086.

Technically it is possible to port RTEMS to a 16-bit CPU.  The main 
challenge is in having the tools and time to do the port.  I have been
curious how suitable the Linux 8086 toolset is for this effort.

>   1. Is there support?
>   2. How good is it?
>   3. Can GDB debug an embedded 8086? Is there a serial stub and monitor 
> available?
>   4. How about the GNAT ADA compiler for the 8086?

GNAT uses the same backend as GNU C/C++.  If GNU C supports a CPU
then a GNAT port is much more feasible.  GNAT exercises the backend
differently than C/C++ do and has been known to point out otherwise
hidden problems.  Remember that Ada has a tasking model, so supporting
GNAT on an embedded CPU is a bit more complicated than GNU C.

Although not as well known as we would like, my company (OAR) is working
with the GNAT developers (ACT) to support GNAT/RTEMS.  These are
cross configurations of GNAT which use RTEMS for the tasking.  We are
currently in the process of validating on an embedded SPARC.  We will
port to and validate other CPU families based on customer demand.

--joel sherrill
Joel Sherrill                    Sr. Computer Scientist
joel@OARcorp.com                 On-Line Applications Research
Ask me about RTEMS: a free RTOS  Huntsville AL 35805
   Support Available             (205) 722-9985