Uma Nachiappan’s Design Notebook

A Doc Czar doc czarring and processor designing…

Week of 11 September 2023

Project Work:

This week was realizing I did not finish the General Registers from last semester, and also discovering that it was unfortunately un-committed - completely slipped my mind to finish it this week, but I found my old module/test files and I’m hoping to actually wrap it up by next week.

Week of 18 September 2023

Project Work:

After being reminded of old Discord conversations and making silly code typos, I finished the implementation of the registers by adjusting how Register 0 worked, and testing accordingly (with three different commits, sorry Michael). Next week, I want to fix an additional issue with the program counter and also start developing a new component.

I also need to resume Docs work so I’m not slacking on my Czar responsibilities.

Week of 25 September 2023

Project Work:

Fixed the program counter issue by adding an enable input and rewrote test file with multiple test cases and more comments (waiting to be merged) while making more silly typos. Considered dropping out of CS after using a / in the name of a test case which failed the Verilator check :)

I have a Docs task to update the Paths onboarding doc - going to finish it asap before people finish their labs.

While waiting for the PC to be merged, I claimed another Core component - EX/MEM latch. Hopefully I will not be writing “even more silly code typos” to next week’s DN.

Week of 2 October 2023

Project Work:

I don’t want to talk about the EX/MEM latch but I suppose I have to. It took me 10 commits (TEN!) to fix all the tiny mistakes and bugs that the Verilator check kept finding. I was incredibly frustrated with myself and my apparent inability to notice code details, that I completely forgot about Michael’s request for me to write a template for Core interfaces, but at least the latch is finally completed and merged. I also pushed back my documentation tasks (especially the Paths doc) because of the latch as well, but I’m determined to finish it this long weekend, as well as implementing some interfaces this week for the core modules I’ve implemented. Let’s see if I can finish these and maybe get another Core component.

Week of 9 October 2023

Project Work:

Midterm season! Anyways… looked over the current interface docs/template, and created/committed an interface for the EX stage. I also updated my part on the Onboarding Paths doc. AND forgot to do my DN :)

Week of 16 October 2023

Project Work:

Midterm season continues and gets worse :) I was only able to fix some documentation stuff for Core, but hoping to get moving again after this week in terms of implementing components/interfaces. Going to grab another Core Issue, but we’ll see how much sanity I have after my OS and Databases midterms.