Re: To all Assembler coders!!
Maarten, So, if there are Z80 cross-assemblers for PC that are better than TASM, I'm really interested. I don't care much about editors and stuff, the last years I have become a fan of command-line compiling. I am even thinking of installing Linux on my PC... ;) You can find in my page a pack with M80/L80 for PC (with 22NICE). It's fast, it compiles Z80 code, it has well-known syntax, and includes M80 manual (sorry, no subdirectories - nothing is perfect). Adriano Camargo Rodrigues da Cunha ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Engenharia de Computacao - UNICAMP http://www.adrpage.cjb.net MSX-TR:I have one.And you? *** NEW URL! AdrianPage now is at http://www.adrpage.cjb.net *** * Earth is 98% full. Delete who you can. * MSX Mailinglist. To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put in the body (not subject) "unsubscribe msx [EMAIL PROTECTED]" (without the quotes :-) Problems? contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] (www.stack.nl/~wiebe/mailinglist/)
Re: To all Assembler coders!!
At 09:37 PM 4/20/99 +0200, you wrote: We think we have something interesting for you.. You probably make your sources with GEN80 or COMPASS as they are the most used assemblers on MSX.. Well.. Also you probably think that it's slow, especially the time to compile files to disk.. No, not really. Assembling my SA-sources (which are quite large) only takes about 30 seconds on my 7MHz MSX. And I can immediately try it out (I can't when working on PC... ok, I can use an emulator...). You can use a JoyNet cable and the JoyDsk ROM. Slower than floppy, but you can run from your PC harddisk. If you don't reload data that isn't modified (level data, GFX), just code, loading can happen in much less than 30 seconds. Or you can modify the JoyDsk to cache sectors in MSX RAM and make a "sector change" flag instead of a "disk change" flag. Where you can use things as: xor a vdp(9) Ok, you can't do that in Compass. But you can make i.e. Vdp 9 as a Compass/Gen80 macro... There is no essential difference between "vdp(9)" and "vdp 9", is there? Well it can't harm to have this program, but I at least won't use it. There are already some cross-assemblers like TASM and another 2 MSX-specific assemblers (of which I forgot the names, one was of MSX-Engine, I believe). I don't know if it's worth the effort. I am using TASM, but looking for something better. TASM is really fast (I've never seen it compile for more than a second), but has some problems too: - You can't specify the hex prefix/postfix, only specific prefixes are supported. "$nn", "0xnn" and "0nnh" if I remember correctly, I always use "#nn", so I made a pre-processor that changes "#nn" to "$nn". - Macro's are C-style, not user-friendly in my opinion (having to put "\ " for "next line" between every command and #DEFCONT on every line beyond first. Also, if you put empty lines between #DEFCONTs, TASM hangs! - Arithmetic has no priorities, so if you want to do something like BASE + 12 * 3, you'll have to write it as BASE + (12 * 3) or you might get the wrong result. - Can't handle long file names (logical, as TASM is from the DOS age). - There is a very silly limit on the number of arguments you can put after ".db". Using quoted strings, you'll reach this limit often. - Assembling occurs to "fake RAM": if you put ".org $D000" at a point where #9000..#9400 are filled with code, all bytes between #9400 and #D000 will also be in the output file. There is no "phasing" command (Compass has one, but only for relocatables). So, if there are Z80 cross-assemblers for PC that are better than TASM, I'm really interested. I don't care much about editors and stuff, the last years I have become a fan of command-line compiling. I am even thinking of installing Linux on my PC... ;) Bye, Maarten MSX Mailinglist. To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put in the body (not subject) "unsubscribe msx [EMAIL PROTECTED]" (without the quotes :-) Problems? contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] (www.stack.nl/~wiebe/mailinglist/)
Re: To all Assembler coders!!
At 02:19 PM 4/20/99 -0400, you wrote: TeddyWareZ will add some more extensions, such as a serious number of those macro's (which *won't* effect the number of clock cycles) Also all BIOS and BDOS routines will be there, a serious number of addresses and documents about the BIOS, BDOS, VDP, etc.. I don't really need MSX extensions, I already have for example include files for all labels in the BIOS (automatically generated from Compass docs ;). Maybe it's easier to make a web page where users of Chaos Assembler can send their own MSX extensions. That will save you a lot of effort and you might get useful extensions you would never have thought of. - Multiple files open at once. But can it compile from command line as well? - A sprite editor GFX editors and such are also not needed, Paint Shop Pro works very well most of the time. Other people will have other favourite editors. Anyway, I don't see why everything should be combined in a single program, I prefer separate programs which you can glue together using the command line. For example, if I want compressed GFX in a BIN file, I can convert BMP to SR7, crunch the SR7 and add it to the BIN file using just 3 lines in a batch file. An assembler with built-in GFX editor won't support my crunch format, command line will. - Speed (16000 lines in 8 different source files, in about 20 seconds to disk!) That's actually not that impressive. I had no really big files to test, but I saw TASM do 1500 lines in about half a second (P166). Larger files would probably be faster because init overhead of TASM would only occur once. Or do you mean "disk" as "floppy"? In that case, the time it takes to write to floppy will make the statement useless as a measure of speed of Chaos Assembler. We really want you to answer this mail, because this is a great opportunity for all MSX coders to use a very cool program!!! I am interested, but I have some questions: - Does it run from command line? - Is it reliable (low bug count)? When I write assembly, I have enough worries fixing bugs I create myself. I really hate bugs in assemblers, those can waste hours and create a lot of frustration. (example of frustration: I think the guy responsible for Microsoft's Java virtual machine deserves a pie in his face even more than Bill Gates does) - Under what conditions is it distributed? Is it free? Is the source available? Bye, Maarten MSX Mailinglist. To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put in the body (not subject) "unsubscribe msx [EMAIL PROTECTED]" (without the quotes :-) Problems? contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] (www.stack.nl/~wiebe/mailinglist/)
To all Assembler coders!!
Hey.. We think we have something interesting for you.. You probably make your sources with GEN80 or COMPASS as they are the most used assemblers on MSX.. Well.. Also you probably think that it's slow, especially the time to compile files to disk.. Wouldn't it all be easier to use a fully qualified Assembler on PC for MSX?? Which fully supports macro's and that kind of stuph?? Where you can use things as: xor a vdp(9) in stead of: xor a out ($99),a ld a,9+128 out($99),a Or something as set_palette(pointer) etc., etc.. Well as a matter o' fact, TeddyWareZ has contacts with a person who has made Chaos Assembler.. Chaos Assembler is an Assembler for the TI82 and TI83 calculators (which also have an Z80 processor..). The person who made Chaos Assembler will add MSX extensions to Chaos Assembler if there is enough interest.. TeddyWareZ will add some more extensions, such as a serious number of those macro's (which *won't* effect the number of clock cycles) Also all BIOS and BDOS routines will be there, a serious number of addresses and documents about the BIOS, BDOS, VDP, etc.. Chaos Assembler is a fully qualified Windows '95 based program.. Think of the features it has what MSX doesn't have: - Multiple files open at once. - A sprite editor - Speed (16000 lines in 8 different source files, in about 20 seconds to disk!) - All docs readable by a couple of clicks. - The ASCII table in one click. - etc., etc.. We really want you to answer this mail, because this is a great opportunity for all MSX coders to use a very cool program!!! grtx. d-fader and HeXx. TeddyWareZ. PS. If you have your thoughts about it, and you're coming to Tilburg, then visit to our stand, and we'll show you Chaos Assembler, as we already made SCC-BLAFFER and Ultra SonicWaves with it (which will be released at Tilburg 1999) Also if you just want to see Chaos Assembler, visit us at our stand, and we'll show you... --- Get free personalized email at http://www.iname.com MSX Mailinglist. To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put in the body (not subject) "unsubscribe msx [EMAIL PROTECTED]" (without the quotes :-) Problems? contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] (www.stack.nl/~wiebe/mailinglist/)
Re: To all Assembler coders!!
Hey.. We think we have something interesting for you.. You probably make your sources with GEN80 or COMPASS as they are the most used assemblers on MSX.. Well.. Also you probably think that it's slow, especially the time to compile files to disk.. No, not really. Assembling my SA-sources (which are quite large) only takes about 30 seconds on my 7MHz MSX. And I can immediately try it out (I can't when working on PC... ok, I can use an emulator...). Wouldn't it all be easier to use a fully qualified Assembler on PC for MSX?? Which fully supports macro's and that kind of stuph?? Since I have no PC next to my MSX... And by the way, Gen80 and Compass also support macros. Where you can use things as: xor a vdp(9) Ok, you can't do that in Compass. But you can make i.e. Vdp 9 as a Compass/Gen80 macro... Or something as set_palette(pointer) etc., etc.. These are just macros in another form (C-like), but again, the same can be done in Compass or Gen80: set_palette pointer... Well as a matter o' fact, TeddyWareZ has contacts with a person who has made Chaos Assembler.. Chaos Assembler is an Assembler for the TI82 and TI83 calculators (which also have an Z80 Hey Hey, I have one! Yes, a real TI-83 (although I never heard of this assembler before). I need a program to recieve/send files from/to my MSX from my calculator. Then I can program for it... Hmmm, I don't really feel like writing it myself, but if I must... Can you provide me with information about the protocol of a serial link, parallel link and a Graphlink??? Also, I need some info about the .83g and .83p fileformat, but I think I can find that myself. processor..). The person who made Chaos Assembler will add MSX extensions to Chaos Assembler if there is enough interest.. TeddyWareZ will add some more extensions, such as a serious number of those macro's (which *won't* effect the number of clock cycles) Also all BIOS and BDOS routines will be there, a serious number of addresses and documents about the BIOS, BDOS, VDP, etc.. Chaos Assembler is a fully qualified Windows '95 based program.. Think of the features it has what MSX doesn't have: - Multiple files open at once. - A sprite editor - Speed (16000 lines in 8 different source files, in about 20 seconds to disk!) - All docs readable by a couple of clicks. - The ASCII table in one click. - etc., etc.. We really want you to answer this mail, because this is a great opportunity for all MSX coders to use a very cool program!!! Well it can't harm to have this program, but I at least won't use it. There are already some cross-assemblers like TASM and another 2 MSX-specific assemblers (of which I forgot the names, one was of MSX-Engine, I believe). I don't know if it's worth the effort. grtx. d-fader and HeXx. TeddyWareZ. PS. If you have your thoughts about it, and you're coming to Tilburg, then visit to our stand, and we'll show you Chaos Assembler, as we already made SCC-BLAFFER and Ultra SonicWaves with it (which will be released at Tilburg 1999) Also if you just want to see Chaos Assembler, visit us at our stand, and we'll show you... Ok, I'll check it out. ~Grauw MSX Mailinglist. To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put in the body (not subject) "unsubscribe msx [EMAIL PROTECTED]" (without the quotes :-) Problems? contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] (www.stack.nl/~wiebe/mailinglist/)
