A programming language
Using APL to understand bit-slice microprocessors
APL '84 Proceedings of the international conference on APL
A two level microprogram simulator
MICRO 7 Conference record of the 7th annual workshop on Microprogramming
CDL - A tool for concurrent hardware and software development
DAC '77 Proceedings of the 14th Design Automation Conference
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APL has long been a versatile language suitable for concise expression of digital processing algorithms. The availability of an interpretive version has permitted creation of executable models of entire soft, firm or hard machines. These APL models can both serve as formal functional descriptions, and as tools for insuring that various hardware realizations are functionally equivalent. A microprogrammable machine model is described. This model provides an easily extended machine that allows a microprogrammer to interactively develop the machine image characterizing his application. He can debug his microinstruction sequences with selective visibility to significant state changes under his control. Statistics gathering is automatic and new statistics are easily added. Examples of APL modeling at various levels are given. This model has been used prior to verification of microcode on actual hardware and for microprogram memory tradeoff analyses. APL has been particularly useful in non-numeric tasks related to software and hardware design.