What is a vector file?

[Keith Wright]

> From: Home Email <home_email2000@yahoo.com>
> 
> In studying a boot prom for an Hitachi SH032 along
> with the source code, I am beginning to get a good
> understanding of how the GNU AS, LD works. However,
> when I read in the boot prom I have into my programmer
> I find locations 0x0000 - 0x01C7 filled with various
> hex numbers that I don't know what they are.

Clearly, you are out of your depth, but you may be
swimming in a minute.  You need to learn about the
hardware you are running on.  Go to Hitachi and ask
for the SH032 "Principles of Operation", "Programmer's
Reference", or "Instruction Set List".  I don't
know what it's called by Hitachi, and I don't have it,
so don't ask me more about that.  Some general book
on programming microprocessors may also be helpful.

> FILE NAME:
>   Vectors.S
> FUNCTION:
>   This file contains the vector overlay for the
>   SH7000  microcontroller.

... so on.  Much more than we need to see of the
interrupt vector table.  Go learn what an interrupt
vector table is, the comment says all that could be
said, you need to learn the language it is written in.

> I am but just a learner here so bear with me while I
> ask some dumb questions.....

I'm being as polite as I can, given my abrasive personality.

> It looks as though as soon as the microcontroller
> begins it is initalizing itself.  Is this what the
> vector file is for?

Its a list of addresses to jump to when an interrupt
happens.  Different addresses for different interrupts.
One interrupt is Power-on and Reset.

> Do all embedded microcontrollers use a file like this
> at the beginning of their their boot prom

You could imagine doing it in other ways, but _every_
boot prom does it somehow, whether it is embeded in
a can opener or largest Supercomputer of the week.

> and how much intialization is necessary?

See processor reference and motherboard schematic.

> Is there any documentation about vector files and how
> to use them (or other methods)?

CS 201, Undergraduate Intro to Computer Architecture.

> Thanks for any help on this.

De nada.

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