Nullmoves are movements which don't actually move a stepper. For
example because it's a velocity change only or the movement is
shorter than a single motor step.
Not queueing them up removes the necessity to check for them,
which reduces code in critical areas. It also removes the
necessity to run dda_start() twice to get past a nullmove.
Best of this is, it also makes lookahead perform better. Before,
a nullmove just changing speed interrupted the lookahead chain,
now it no longer does. See straight-speeds.gcode and
...-Fsep.gcode, which produced different timings before, now
results are identical.
Also update the function description for dda_create().
Performance increase is impressive: another 75 clock cycles off
the slowest step, only 36 bytes binary size increase:
ATmega sizes '168 '328(P) '644(P) '1280
Program: 19652 bytes 138% 64% 31% 16%
Data: 2175 bytes 213% 107% 54% 27%
EEPROM: 32 bytes 4% 2% 2% 1%
short-moves.gcode statistics:
LED on occurences: 888.
LED on time minimum: 280 clock cycles.
LED on time maximum: 458 clock cycles.
LED on time average: 284.653 clock cycles.
smooth-curves.gcode statistics:
LED on occurences: 23648.
LED on time minimum: 272 clock cycles.
LED on time maximum: 501 clock cycles.
LED on time average: 307.275 clock cycles.
triangle-odd.gcode statistics:
LED on occurences: 1636.
LED on time minimum: 272 clock cycles.
LED on time maximum: 458 clock cycles.
LED on time average: 297.625 clock cycles.
Performance of straight-speeds{-Fsep}.gcode before:
straight-speeds.gcode statistics:
LED on occurences: 32000.
LED on time minimum: 272 clock cycles.
LED on time maximum: 586 clock cycles.
LED on time average: 298.75 clock cycles.
straight-speeds-Fsep.gcode statistics:
LED on occurences: 32000.
LED on time minimum: 272 clock cycles.
LED on time maximum: 672 clock cycles.
LED on time average: 298.79 clock cycles.
Now:
straight-speeds.gcode statistics:
LED on occurences: 32000.
LED on time minimum: 272 clock cycles.
LED on time maximum: 501 clock cycles.
LED on time average: 298.703 clock cycles.
straight-speeds-Fsep.gcode statistics:
LED on occurences: 32000.
LED on time minimum: 272 clock cycles.
LED on time maximum: 501 clock cycles.
LED on time average: 298.703 clock cycles.
There we save even 171 clock cycles :-)
##############################################################################
# #
# Teacup - lean and efficient firmware for RepRap printers #
# #
# by Triffid Hunter, Traumflug, jakepoz, many others. #
# #
##############################################################################
For installation instructions, see
http://reprap.org/wiki/Teacup_Firmware#Simple_Installation and/or
http://reprap.org/wiki/Teacup_Firmware#Developer_Installation
For documentation, see
http://reprap.org/wiki/Teacup_Firmware
##############################################################################
# #
# This firmware is Copyright (c) ... #
# 2009 - 2010 Michael Moon aka Triffid_Hunter #
# 2010 - 2013 Markus "Traumflug" Hitter <mah@jump-ing.de> #
# #
# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify #
# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by #
# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or #
# (at your option) any later version. #
# #
# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, #
# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of #
# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the #
# GNU General Public License for more details. #
# #
# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License #
# along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software #
# Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA #
# #
##############################################################################
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