The MIX computer comes equipped with a set of block devices for
input-output operations (see Input-output operators). mixvm
implements these block devices as disk files, with the exception of
block device no. 19 (typewriter terminal) which is redirected to
standard output. When you request an output operation on any other
(output) device, a file named according to the following table will be
created, and the specified MIX words will be
written to the file in binary form (for binary devices) or in ASCII (for
char devices). Files corresponding to input block devices should be
created and filled beforehand to be used by the MIX virtual machine (for
input-output devices this creation can be accomplished by a MIXAL
program writing to the device the required data, or, if you prefer, with
your favourite editor). The device files are stored, by default, in the
directory ~/.mdk
; this location can be changed using the
mixvm
command devdir
(see Configuration commands).
Device | No. | filename | type
|
Tape | 0-7 | tape[0-7].dev | bin i/o
|
Disks | 8-15 | disk[0-7].dev | bin i/o
|
Card reader | 16 | cardrd.dev | char in
|
Card writer | 17 | cardwr.dev | char out
|
Line printer | 18 | printer.dev | char out
|
Terminal | 19 | stdout | char out
|
Paper tape | 20 | paper.dev | char out
|