Use this README as a way to brief each other on changes and updates,
over quick sprints.

This is the first change. 


==Assembler Briefing==
To use: $./assebmler --file inputfile.a16 --out outfile.mif

What the assembler does is it decodes the instructions into
16b binary instructions that the compiler (quartus) can use
to program the Altera DE1 board. It takes an assembly file
that we have created and spits out a specially encoded "mif"
file.

The mif file is just plain text and is easy to read with any
text editor(vim yay!). If you look in the OneCycle.v file,
quartus uses the mif file to load instructions when the board
starts up.


==About the Processor==
So the board is equipped with 8 green leds, 10 red leds, 4 hex
displays, 10 toggle switches, and 4 pressable keys. These can
all be accessed through special memory mapped I/O addresses.

LW from address 0xFFF0 reads KEY state
LW from address 0xFFF2 reads SW state
SW to address 0xFFF8 displays value on HEX display
SW to address 0xFFFA changes LEDR
SW to address 0xFFFC changes LEDG

There also several special registers. These can be loaded and
stored to using WSR and RSR instructions. The special registers
are used to store things like: user or system mode, where to
jump to on interrupts, and such.

Finally, there is a timer that can be used to interrupt the
processor after a certain count down.


==Let Us Begin the Project==
We will be working with the Sorter5.a16 file for this project.
It is located in the programs folder.

Apparently, there are further instructions in the lecture pdf
that I have supplied via email. I haven't looked into this project
much but from what I understand, he wants us to have two programs
running simulatenously: a clock program, and the sorter program
that is supplied to us. The two threads will basically be switched
back and forth using the timer as a round-robin interrupt device.

We shall look into this further. Hopefully this gives you an idea
of what to expect if you wish to continue with this assignment.
It is going to take a lot of man power. You may even question
your ability to think like a functioning member of society before the
end of this project. Beware and good luck.