Wire FPGA - Field-programmable Gate Array

[Matte]

This is the development thread for my upcoming chip, the Wire FPGA, or Field-programmable gate array.

Rewriting from scratch! (29/12/2010):

Being free from school and other stuff, I've decided to rewrite the whole project from scratch. A multiplayer alpha shouldn't be too far away if I keep this rate.

The layout of the editor will stay the same as before. The project's rewritten entirely inside.



Alpha Release! (4/18/2010):





Here is the first 'stable' release. I'm asking you as the user to report any bugs or come with any suggestions. Reply to this thread (I will respond faster here), or to the email address: azzi777@gmail.com.

There are a few known bugs that I know of, but have postponed fixing. The list is (As I can remember as of now):

• File opening bug: If you open a file from the q-menu, then open another from the same menu, you suddenly have two editors. Avoid doing that. If you opened the wrong file, just close the editor and load a new one, or load the file directly from the editor.
• Truth Table Size limit: Currently, the maximum size you can have for your truth table is around 400 data cells. This is approximately equal to 6 inputs and 5 outputs.
• Does not work online as of now!

How to use:
I take it you already know the editor, how to save/load and so on. It is similar to the normal E2 editor. How to spawn/load from a chip is also equal to E2.
To spawn, close the editor, then left click.
To load code from an already spawned chip, simply right click that chip.

You can only edit/read/overwrite your own chips.

You set the truth table size by clicking the truth table size button. Then click accept. (See: "Truth Table Size limit" above)
Type the name of your inputs to the left side and the outputs to the right. If an output is named the same as an input, they will automatically be wired together, and the value of the input will equal the value of the output in the last execution.

True = 1 (Anything but zero for inputs)
False = 0

The chip executes once every tick. (I'll most likely change this to execution whenever triggered from an input)

The overlay (the bubble which pops up when you look at the chip) will during execution show the current input state and the current output state.

Debug mode:
This mode is controlled by a checkbox in the q-menu. When enabled, it colors the chip green when it is empty, or a valid truth table is loaded. Otherwise, if something went wrong, the chip will be red.


Installation:

Simpy extract to addons folder.
If you already have Bull's (epic) model, remove it before installation.

DOWNLOAD




First Preview (4/11/2010):



First gate is a 1-bit full adder gate, second one is a not-gate.


Using this chip, you will be given a binary truth table. By selecting which outputs are true at which conditions, you can program this chip to do almost anything. This next picture shows a truth table where an 'exclusive or'-gate (XOR) would be outputted through output 1 and an 'equal'-gate (XNOR) outputted through output 2.


As you can see, the editor is a heavily modified E2 editor, so instead of modifying the E2 editor at runtime, I have made a new vgui component called "FPGAEditor". As you can see from the picture, it has most of the functions the E2 editor got. It has a dedicated 'Set Size' button, which, when clicked will popup a menu where you select the amount of inputs/outputs you want. (Look at picture no. 2 towards the bottom)

An input will be false if it's 0, and true if it's anything else. An output will always be 0/1.

I will update this thread more when I'm further in the developing process.

Progress:
Editor (After a total rewrite) -80% (Save/Load - 100%)
Entity (The chip itself) - 60%
Bridge/connection between the editor/entity (tool etc...) - 70%


Some more pictures:

[goluch]

One World thats all i need.

AWSOME

[Colonel Thirty Two]

Oh hey, its my Digital Electronics class in GMod.

[GmodAce]

WOW. That has to be one of, if not the most, powerful chips in gmod yet! Keep up the work, i want it!!

[N00bDud3]

Sweet. Now we can make our own chips, and eventually make simple computer-like devices with them.

[Azrael]

Matte, I want to make sweet sweet love to your brain.

Interesting concept for a Wiremod-esque mod: Every chip is made of FPGAs such as this! That'd be really awesome and powerful.

[Solece]

Holy shat this is awesome!

[N00bDud3]

I just thought of something. This, plus Wire2's IC concept equals almost anything. Instant WIN of over 9000 internets.

[Azrael]

Actually, the IC combined with just this wouldn't have any more power than just this. This is essentially an IC of logic gates, so what you'd have would be an IC of ICs of logic gates which wouldn't add any extra power.

[Drunkie]

Nice!