fCPU

Specs

supports blueprints
supports copy & paste
supports multiplayer
supports Informatron and Booktorio in-game wiki
in-game debugger with breakpoints
256 instructions for whole program
64 general purpose registers
4 memory channels for vector processing
integrated access to the logistic network
50+ opcodes
rich math instructions, trigonometry, rounding
SIMD instructions, min, max, filter, comparison, etc...
two input wires (Red, Green)
two output wires (Red, Green) have same output signals and values
parallel output, allows output multiple signals simultaneously
could be controlled through special input signals (interruptions)
one tick = one instruction (except for SIMD ones)
made for geeks

Description

fCPU is a combinator that includes:

program text
a set of registers (for storing signals or\and numbers)
couple of memory channels (for storing not zero signals and numbers)
processor (command processor and vector coprocessor)

Program

Programs for fCPU are entered in plain text in simplified assembly language (this guide is enough for a quick study) and consists of lines.
Each line represents one instruction.
An instruction consists of mnemonics and operands.
For example: mov out1 123[item=copper-ore], here mov is a mnemonic,out1 is the first operand, 123[item=copper-ore] is the second operand.
This instruction tells the processor to send signal [item=copper-ore] with number 123 on to wires connected to the output.

Mnemonics are abbreviated names of operations that the processor understands and knows how to execute.
Operands are arguments to operations. They are used to indicate the values on which an operation will be performed.

The following can be used as operands:

Signal: each signal consists of a type and a value (123[item=copper-ore])
123 - signal value represented by number
[item=copper-ore] - type can be represented by pictogram or text
Register: this is a special cell that store the transmitted signal indefinitely (reg1, r2, ...)
Memory channel: one memory channel consists of multiple cells (array) that store the signal indefinitely (mem1, m2, ...)
LogNet channel: receives content of a logistic network this fCPU is placed in (lgn[1], lgn@2, logi[34], ...)
Input wire: you can receive signals on wires connected to a combinator's input (red,green, red1, green@3, ...)
Output wire: sets the values at the output of a combinator (out1, out2, ..., out256)
Address: instruction address (line number 34)
Label in the code: written in text with a colon in front (:label, :anyname, ...)

The processor executes instructions from a written program in turn, line by line.

Registers

There are 8 generic purpose read/write registers, named reg1, ... reg8 or alias r1, ... r8.
Each register store signal type and numeric value (floating point numbers are supported).
For example mov reg2 10[item=iron-plate], this instruction assigns to reg2 value of 10 and type of [item=iron-plate].

Besides general purpose registers there are some read only registers:

ipt: current instruction line numer
clk: clock, value increases every tick
cnr, cng: signals number on red cnr or green cng input wire
cnl: count of a various items in lognet, not a sum of its values
cnm1, ..., cnm4: signals number in memory

Output registers (write only):

out1, ..., out256: output registers (only integer values)

Memory

For processing several signals at the same time, the fCPU provides a vector coprocessor that handles SIMD instructions.
Unlike scalar operations, which process a limited number of signals at a time, vector operations can process hundreds of signals in the same amount of time.
fCPU Memory is an analogue of registers but for vector instructions.

There are 4 memory channels available for use.
Each channel consists of multiple memory cells.
Each cell stores a signal type and a numeric value.
Memory channels are addressed: mem1, ...,mem4.
To access one cell: mem2[44] or mem1@3 (see Arrays)

Logistic network (LogNet)

Acts as a single memory channel, except that it is read-only and other obvious limitations.
lgn channel could be xmov'ed into memory channel for manipulations.

Arrays\indirect addressing

Each register, memory channel or logistic network item could be addressed not only by direct name: * regN (reg1, r2, etc... N is a register index) * memC[M] (mem1[32], m4[97], etc.. C is a memory channel number, M is a memory cell index) * lgn[I] (lgn[43], logi[12], etc... I is a logistic network item index)
But also with indirect pointer: * reg@R (reg@3, r@7, etc... R is a register index) * memC@R (mem1@3, mem4@8, etc... R is a register index) * lgn@R (lgn@2, logi@8, etc... R is a register index)

This allow you to use values in registers as array indices.

For example:

mov r1 10[item=iron-plate]
mov r2 20[item=copper-plate]
mov r3 300[item=steel-plate]

mov r5 2
mov r6 r@5 # r6 will be equal to r2, which is 20[item=copper-plate]
mov r4 m1@5 # r4 will be equal to mem1[2]

mov r5 3
mov r7 r@5 # r7 will be equal to r3, which is 300[item=steel-plate]
mov r4 m2@5 # r4 will be equal to mem2[3]

mov r5 5
mov r8 r@5 # r8 will be equal to r5, which is 5
mov r4 m3@5 # r4 will be equal to mem3[5]

This approach is also could be used with red, green input wires and memory channels, for example: red@1, green@8, mem1@3.

Control signals, interruptions

You could control fCPU state by wires, not only manually through game GUI.
There are some signals for it:
[virtual-signal=signal-fcpu-halt]: Halt program execution.
[virtual-signal=signal-fcpu-run]: Continue running program.
[virtual-signal=signal-fcpu-step]: Execute current instruction and move to next.
[virtual-signal=signal-fcpu-sleep]: Sleep specified game ticks. In sleep mode fCPU do not handle interruptions.
* [virtual-signal=signal-fcpu-jump]: Jump to specified line in program.

If fCPU encounter error in program it will output [virtual-signal=signal-fcpu-error] with line number as value.

Mnemonics

Instructions which can be executed one by one on per frame basis.
Each instruction take one or more operands and modify them or state of fCPU.

Legend

V, value: integer constant in range [-2^31..2^31), (-3500)
T, type: signal type ([item=iron-ore])
VT, signal: consists of Value and Type (123[item=copper-ore])
R, register: (reg1, r3, ..., reg8 or r@4 notation, or one memory cell m1[23] or one input wire signal red34, green@3)
M, memory: channel (mem1, m2, ..., mem4)
N, lognet: channel (lgn, logi, lnc)
I, wire: input wire (red, green)
O, wire: output buffer (out1, out2, ..., out256, out)
A, address: instruction address (5)
L, label: instruction label (:labelname)
S, string: used in utility mnemonics ('rotation_speed')

... - one or more, could be specified multiple times with space separator.
? - optional, may be specified.

Common

nop
No operation.
clr
Clear all registers, memory channels and output.
clr reg
Clear all registers.
clr out
Clear all output values.
clr mem
Clear all memory channels.
clr dst...[R/M/O]
Clear specified registers, memory channels or output wires (mem3, r2, out4).
mov dst...[R/O] src[V/T/VT/R]
Copy signal from source to destination.
dst... = src
ssv dst...[R/O] val[V/R]
Set signal value.
dst... = val
sst dst...[R/O] type[T/R]
Set signal type.
dst... = type
fid dst[R/O] src[I/M] type[T/R]
Find type in src (memory or red/green input wire), then assign dst to signal type and number value.
idx dst[R] src[I/M] type[T/R]
Find type in src (memory or red/green input wire), then assing dst to the index of memory cell or input wire location.
fir dst[R/O] type[T/R]
fig dst[R/O] type[T/R]
Shorthands for fid ... red ... and fid ... green ....

Swap

swp reg1[R] reg2[R]
Swap signals in memory cells.
swpt reg1[R] reg2[R]
Swap signal types in memory cells.
swpv reg1[R] reg2[R]
Swap signal values in memory cells.

Arithmetic

add dst[R] src?[V/R] val[V/R]
dst = src + val (if src is specified)
dst = dst + val
sub dst[R] src?[V/R] val[V/R]
dst = src - val (if src is specified)
dst = dst - val
mul dst[R] src?[V/R] val[V/R]
dst = src * val (if src is specified)
dst = dst * val
div dst[R] src?[V/R] val[V/R]
dst = src / val (if src is specified)
dst = dst / val
mod dst[R] src?[V/R] val[V/R]
dst = src % val (if src is specified)
dst = dst % val
pow dst[R] src?[V/R] val[V/R]
dst = src ^ val (if src is specified)
dst = dst ^ val
inc dst[R]
dst = dst + 1
dec dst[R]
dst = dst - 1
subi dst[R] val[V/R]
dst = val - dst
divi dst[R] val[V/R]
dst = val / dst
modi dst[R] val[V/R]
dst = val % dst
powi dst[R] val[V/R]
dst = val ^ dst
rnd dst[R] min[V/R] max[V/R]
Assigns into dst a pseudo-random value in range [min to max] (inclusive).
fract reg[R]
Get the fraction part of a real number in register.
floor reg[R]
Get the greatest integer less than or equal to real number in register.
round reg[R]
Get the closest integer to real number in register.
ceil reg[R]
Get the lowest integer greater than or equal to real number in register.
dig dst[R] num[V/R]
Get digit number from destinatination and write to dst.
dst = dst / 10^num % 10
dis dst[R] num[V/R] val[V/R]
Set digit to value at number in destinatination.
dst = dst + (val % 10 - dst / 10^num % 10) * 10^num

Trigonometry

cos dst[R] src[V/R]
dst = cos(src)
sin dst[R] src[V/R]
dst = sin(src)
tan dst[R] src[V/R]
dst = tan(src)
atan2 dst[R] y[V/R] x[V/R]
dst = atan2(y, x)
sqrt dst[R] src[V/R]
dst = sqrt(src)
exp dst[R] src[V/R]
dst = exp(src)
ln dst[R] src[V/R]
dst = ln(src)

Bitwise

band dst[R] src?[V/R] val[V/R]
AND.
dst = src & val (if src is specified)
dst = dst & val
bor dst[R] src?[V/R] val[V/R]
OR.
dst = src | val (if src is specified)
dst = dst | val
bxor dst[R] src?[V/R] val[V/R]
XOR.
dst = src ^ val (if src is specified)
dst = dst ^ val
bnot dst[R] src?[R]
NOT.
dst = ~src (if src is specified)
dst = ~dst
bsl dst[R] src?[V/R] val[V/R]
Shift left.
dst = src << val (if src is specified)
dst = dst << val
bsr dst[R] src?[V/R] val[V/R]
Shift right.
dst = src >> val (if src is specified)
dst = dst >> val
brl dst[R] src?[V/R] val[V/R]
Rotate left.
dst = src rot<< val (if src is specified)
dst = dst rot<< val
brr dst[R] src?[V/R] val[V/R]
Rotate right.
dst = src rot>> val (if src is specified)
dst = dst rot>> val

Flow control

lea dst[R/O] addr[L]
Load label address into dst.
jmp addr[V/A/L/R]
Jump to address or label.
jmp addr[V/A/L/R] offset[V/R]
Jump to address + offset or label + offset.
For example: jmp ipt -2, jump at two lines before current instruction (ipt).
hlt
Halt program execution until it will be resumed by player or by Run signal from any input wire.
slp cnt[V/R]
Sleep for specified ticks count.
fCPU do not handle interruptions while sleeping.

Block execution until condition met

Instructions execute the next line immediately after them (in the same tick) as soon as the condition is met.
This allows them to be used to copy the input signal that triggered continuation.
For example:

mov r1 0[virtual-signal=signal-green]
btrc r1
xmov m1 red

bkr cnt[V/R]
bkg cnt[V/R]
bkl cnt[V/R]
Block until there are at least cnt signals on red/green wires or lognet.
btr type[T/R]
btg type[T/R]
bti type[T/R]
btl type[T/R]
Block until signal type found on red/green/both_input wires or lognet.
btrc reg[R]
btgc reg[R]
btic reg[R]
btlc reg[R]
Block while reference register have same type-value as in red/green/both_input wires or lognet.
After red/green/input or lognet value were changed, assign new value to register and continue execution.

Testing operands values

If test succeeded, then the following instruction will be executed.
You may add jmp :label to implement branching. For Example:

clr
:counter
inc r1
tlt r1 10
jmp :counter
; r1 now equal to 10

teq a[V/S/R] b[V/S/R]
Equal.
a == b
tne a[V/S/R] b[V/S/R]
Not equal.
a != b
tgt a[V/S/R] b[V/S/R]
Greater than.
a > b
tlt a[V/S/R] b[V/S/R]
Less than.
a < b
tge a[V/S/R] b[V/S/R]
Greater or equal than.
a >= b
tle a[V/S/R] b[V/S/R]
Less or equal than.
a <= b

Testing operands types

tas a[T/R] b[T/R]
Types are same.
tad a[T/R] b[T/R]
Types are different.

Branching

This is the same as testing and then immediately jump if test succeeded.
The mnemonics same as in testing cases, but with b instead of t and uses extra operand for jump address.

clr
:counter
inc r1
blt r1 10 :counter
; r1 now equal to 10

beq a[V/S/R] b[V/S/R] addr[V/A/L/R] offset?[V/R]
Equal.
If a == b then jmp addr offset
bne a[V/S/R] b[V/S/R] addr[V/A/L/R] offset?[V/R]
Not equal.
If a != b then jmp addr offset
bgt a[V/S/R] b[V/S/R] addr[V/A/L/R] offset?[V/R]
Greater than.
If a > b then jmp addr offset
blt a[V/S/R] b[V/S/R] addr[V/A/L/R] offset?[V/R]
Less than.
If a < b then jmp addr offset
bge a[V/S/R] b[V/S/R] addr[V/A/L/R] offset?[V/R]
Greater or equal than.
If a >= b then jmp addr offset
ble a[V/S/R] b[V/S/R] addr[V/A/L/R] offset?[V/R]
Less or equal than.
If a <= b then jmp addr offset
bas a[T/R] b[T/R] addr[V/A/L/R] offset?[V/R]
Branch if types are same.
bad a[T/R] b[T/R] addr[V/A/L/R] offset?[V/R]
Branch if types are different.

Utility mnemonics

ugpf dst[R] name[T/R] field[S]
Utility Get Prototype Field
Find prototype with name and assign dst to field value (only numbers supported).
This instruction sequentially checks fields in:
1. https://lua-api.factorio.com/latest/LuaItemPrototype.html
2. https://lua-api.factorio.com/latest/LuaEntityPrototype.html
  For example:
ugpf r1 [item=inserter] 'inserter_rotation_speed'
ugpf r2 [item=copper-ore] 'stack_size' (this is a same as uiss r1 [item=copper-ore])
ugpf r3 [item=logistic-chest-buffer] 'get_inventory_size(defines.inventory.item_main)'

You may use dot . for diving inside this prototypes.
To check if the item is a science pack use this example:
- ugpf r1 [item=automation-science-pack] 'subgroup.name'
beq r1 'science-pack' :yeah_science_btch

uiss dst[R] type[T/R]
DEPRECATED: please use ugpf dst type 'stack_size'
Utility Item Stack Size
Assign stack size to dst for specified item type.

SIMD instructions

Until now you can control fCPU with one instructon per game cycle and operate with a couple signals per instruction.
But it is not a limit. fCPU supports Single Instruction Multiple Data mnemonics, which means that you could do much more efficient work per instruction and so per one game tick.
SIMD instructions process several signals in parallel at once, unlike scalar instructions.

When working with SIMD instructions, the following features should be considered:
- SIMD instructions do not costs additional time for handling, so UPS friendly
- Some vector instructions are executed for more than 1 tick (xmov mem1 red takes 3 ticks for populating mem1 channel with data from red wire)
- Retrieving effective data from affected memory is possible only after completion of a vector instruction

Pseudocode legend
- dst(), src(), etc: unordered memory (set)
- dst[], src[], etc: ordered memory (array) NOT IMPLEMENTED YET

SIMD Common

xmov dst[M/O] src[I/M/N]
dst(each) = src(each)
emit dst[M] val...[V/T/VT/R]
Append values to dst memory (with random ordering until v0.5.0).
xuni dst[M/O] a[I/M/N] b[I/M/N]
Merge two memory channels into unite one.
dst(each) = a(each) + b(each)
xflt dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] mask[I/M/N]
Copy all the signals from src to dst having mask as whitelist.
*Internal design by https://www.reddit.com/user/Halke1986/*
xadd dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
dst(each) = dst + val
dst(each) = src + val (if src specified)
xsub dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
dst(each) = dst - val
dst(each) = src - val (if src specified)
xmul dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
dst(each) = dst * val
dst(each) = src * val (if src specified)
xdiv dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
dst(each) = dst / val
dst(each) = src / val (if src specified)
xmod dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
dst(each) = dst % val
dst(each) = src % val (if src specified)
xpow dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
dst(each) = dst ^ val
dst(each) = src ^ val (if src specified)

SIMD Comparision

Compares each signal value in memory with operand specified and pass it to destination if condition met.
In two operand version src is the same as a dst.

xceq dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
Equal.
dst(each) = src(each), if src(each) == val
xcne dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
Not equal.
dst(each) = src(each), if src(each) != val
xcgt dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
Greater than.
dst(each) = src(each), if src(each) > val
xclt dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
Less than.
dst(each) = src(each), if src(each) < val
xcge dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
Greater or equal than.
dst(each) = src(each), if src(each) >= val
xcle dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
Less or equal than.
dst(each) = src(each), if src(each) <= val

SIMD Bitwise

xand dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
AND.
dst(each) = dst & val
dst(each) = src & val (if src specified)
xor dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
OR.
dst(each) = dst | val
dst(each) = src | val (if src specified)
xxor dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
XOR.
dst(each) = dst ^ val
dst(each) = src ^ val (if src specified)
xsl dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
Shift left.
dst(each) = dst << val
dst(each) = src << val (if src specified)
xsr dst[M/O] src?[I/M/N] val[V/R]
Shift right.
dst(each) = dst >> val
dst(each) = src >> val (if src specified)

SIMD Statistics

xmin dst[R/O] src[I/M/N]
Searches minimum signal in src and copy it to dst.
xmax dst[R/O] src[I/M/N]
Searches maximum signal in src and copy it to dst.
xavg dst[R/O] src[I/M/N]
Compute average value in src and assign dst to it.
xmini dst[R/O] src[I/M/N]
Searches minimum signal in src and assing its index into dst.
xmaxi dst[R/O] src[I/M/N]
Searches maximum signal in src and assing its index into dst.

SIMD Memory (Explanation)

I'll try to explain how the mod works with memory and why it's done this way.

Each Factorio wire can contain a huge number of signals simultaneously (hundreds). These signals are not sorted in any way and in fact have a random indices. To make everything look more beautiful, GUI panels sort signals in descending order (power poles and ⓘ tooltips).

To process a large number of signals in the game, vanilla combinators optimized inside the game itself in C++. If you try to process a similar number of signals in the LUA mod, there will be significant overhead and performance degradation. This applies to any Factorio mod.

To get around this, fCPU uses a trick - it partially compiles the written program (SIMD mnemonics x*) into invisible circuits with vanilla combinators and coordinates their execution line-by-line. This part of fCPU called coprocessor. It provides better performance than similar calculations on the LUA.

Unlike registers, which are implemented as ordinary variables and always retain their indices, the memory for SIMD commands is also implemented using vanilla combinators.

Here comes the most important thing:
To modify the memory, you need to subtract old value and add a new one for same signal type.
Like any other vanilla combinator operation, this breaks the signal indices.

User Interface

Hotkeys

F5 = Run/Continue
Shift + F5 = Stop
Ctrl + Shift + F5 = Restart
F6 = Pause
F7, F11 = Step into
F8, F10 = Step over

Examples

See: https://mods.factorio.com/mod/fcpu/faq and Discord channel

Community

Discord for general discussion
Factorio Mod portal for bug reports
Factorio Forum for technical details and mod integration
Reddit

Roadmap & TODOs

See here

Dear supporters

masterkrovel (v0.4.14 update)
Spencer Nelson (v0.4.14 update)
@Baughnie (v0.4.14 update)
@orangedude27 (v0.4.14 update)
msipos2117 (v0.4.10 update)
Chiko (v0.4.0 update)
cid0rz (v0.4.0 update)
Quorzar (v0.4.0 update)
kKdH (v0.3.0 update)
Blu2403 (v0.2.12 update)
Lukáš Venhoda (v0.2.0 update)

Thanks for supporting fCPU!

fCPU

fCPU

Specs

Description

Program

Registers

Memory

Logistic network (LogNet)

Arrays\indirect addressing

Control signals, interruptions

Mnemonics

Common

Swap

Arithmetic

Trigonometry

Bitwise

Flow control

Block execution until condition met

Testing operands values

Testing operands types

Branching

Utility mnemonics

SIMD instructions

SIMD Common

SIMD Comparision

SIMD Bitwise

SIMD Statistics

SIMD Memory (Explanation)

User Interface

Hotkeys

Examples

Community

Roadmap & TODOs

Dear supporters

Support fCPU