This Topic contains everything about developing for the T2A2.
Be it Apple II or Transputer binaries, tools, sources, problems, ideas… it’ll go in here.

The SDK

For a start, I’ve prepared an “Transputer SDK”, well, actually it’s a FreeDOS VM image for VirtualBox containing some of the most commonly used cross-compilers, so you don’t need a Transputer running to host a compiler:

• INMOS Occam
  • version D7305  (more DOS oriented)
  • and D7405 (comes with many cool optional Windows tools. Windows is not provided.)
• INMOS C (version D7414)
• LSC (versions of  ’89 and ’91)

Download the image here.

Documentation for all these compilers are available at the usual place.
AFAIK there’s no complete documentation of all additional features of the D7405 package – a 28 page ‘flyer’ from ST can be found here.

Additionally you’ll find the sources for the occam Mandelbrot demo used for the Apple IIgs, as well as my beloved “Mandel” tool, which runs on DOS only.
Both can be fully compiled in the VM (Borland C is provided, too).

Small Howto:

When using one of the INMOS compilers, you have to set some environment variables first. To do so, execute the batch file inside the corresponding folder.
For example: You want to use the D7305 occam compiler (which I recommend for the first steps) – change into its folder

C: > cd D7305A

and call the identically named batch-file

C:\D7305A > D7305A.BAT   (hint: FreeDOS has auto-completion, so enter “D” and hit TAB)

This sets all paths etc. and you’re good to go. Change into the OCCMANDEL folder, call the make_t8.bat batch and let the magic happen 😉 The binary will placed into the \bin folder.

We’ll discuss the nitty-gritty details about this later – It would blow up this initial post too much.

The DOS “Mandel” program requires a PC with a B004 Transputer interface – but I’ve added it for completeness. To compile it, just call the included nmake inside the DOSMANDEL folder.
It’s a very good example for mixed code, as it uses the LSC C-compiler as well as Borland C.

So have fun fooling around. I know, it’s a steep learning curve, but as soon you dive deep enough into Transputer matters, you’ll be amazed and will ask “why the heck did this technology never made it?!?!“