MAC can replace the labels with line numbers for use with Atari BASIC. If code exceeds 250 or so bytes, many assemblers produce compound files which cannot be used in a string. An easy way around this is to assemble to RAM (somewhere around $6000) and use BSAVE. This has the added advantage of allowing you to work on the file with a monitor. Check the last few lines of both examples. The percent sign in the BSAVE line is used to indicate a line delete character [ESC] [SHIFT] [DELETE]. This causes the line to appear on screen as a command after assembly so all you have to do is overtype -LAST- with the address which appears above it. TWO EXAMPLES The best way to demonstrate technique is with short programs that serve real and useful functions. The first sample listing obtains a key press from a list of allowable keyboard codes. To avoid a series of IF-THEN statements or conversions, the routine returns the position in the list of the key pressed. This means a calling program can use ON-GOTO(SUB) or variable line numbers; for example: ON USR(ADR(K$),k1,k2,k3) GOTO 100,200,300 or GOTO 100*USR(ADR(K$),k1,k2,k3) The second routine is a flexible and powerful disk access tool. It can form the basis for any number of programs since it includes some functions normally found in DOS. The program I wrote it for, uses it to (among other things) read SpartaDOS directories from BASIC while working under any FMS. This routine is an example of what I call -one bit programming-. This means making use of individual bits, several flags, and every possible known condition to save bytes. FR0 is used to find the routine's address, loops are started so as to leave an index register set for subsequent operations, etc. BIT is used for the trick mentionned above as well as for its true purpose and, in conjunction with that, both the N and V flags are used. THE FAT LADY SINGS The sample routines are complex but worth working through. You'll discover numerous byte saving tricks, especially in the second. Of course you don't start by writing anything so difficult. Consider, for example, a routine to set your system defaults. For screen color and keyboard defaults, all you need to use are load and store instructions though this is an excellent spot for loop(s). Setting things up this way is considerably faster (and more satisfying) than using SETCOLOR and POKE and, if you skip the PLA, the same code can be used as a SpartaDOS COM. Like any other language, you learn assembler by doing; and the best way to start doing is with short USR routines. BASIC programmers who don't want to -do- assembler can still use the two example routines; I've included both in the form of LISTed BASIC lines in the file USRTUTOR.ARC for your intrepid editor to stick on a BBS. (You'll still have to look at the source code for the -DOC's-.) Up here, in The Great White North, the file is on The Pothole BBS at 604-642-6795. EXAMPLE 1 .TITLE -Get Key- ; Programmed by John Picken ; last revision: 20 Sep 89 ; Syntax ;K=USR(ADR(KEY$)[,k1,k2,...,kn]) ; k1,.., etc. are Keyboard codes ; ; Gets a key press and compares ; its keyboard code with a list ; of target codes. When matched, ; the key's position in the list ; is returned. Maximum allowable ; keys is 26 in Atari Basic, 27 ; with Turbo. Keys are checked ; in the order passed so, if a ; code is passed twice, the 1st ; match is reported. ; ; If called with no parameters, ; the routine supplies defaults ; as if called for RETURN only. ; ESC always exits and returns 0 ; BREAK is disabled until the ; routine exits to Basic. ; ; Equates and macros CH = $02FC Last key pressed POKMSK = $10 IRQEN = $D20E MASK = $3F ; Mask values for use with AND ; $3F = All converted to ; upper case ; $7F = Ctrl and Shft Ctrl ; converted to Shft ; $BF = Shft Ctrl ; converted to Ctrl ; $FF = No conversion ; .MACRO SKIPW .BYTE $2C .ENDM ; *= $CB POKSAV *= *+1 COUNT *= *+1 UNUSED *= *+7 FR0 *= *+2 ; D4 TABLE ; *= $6000 Relocatable ENTRY LDA POKMSK Save STA POKSAV key status. AND #$7F Kill STA IRQEN STA POKMSK LDX #0 x for later but STX FR0+1 clear msb now. ; PLA Get parameter TAY count and branch BNE BUILD if any. Else set ; INY up a default of LDA #12 one key SKIPW and skip 2 PLA's ; BUILD PLA msb Key codes PLA lsb from Basic ; STA TABLE,X Build key table INX using x as index DEY and y as param BNE BUILD count. ; STX COUNT x=table length. DEY Keep $FF in y to ; CLEAR STY CH clear key press. ; KEY? LDA CH Loop til some CMP #$FF key pressed. BEQ KEY? ; AND #MASK Upper case only. LDX #0 Table index. CMP #28 ESC pressed? BEQ REPORT If so, exit. ; MATCH? INX Next entry. CMP TABLE-1,X Match found? BEQ REPORT If so, exit. ; CPX COUNT At table end? BNE MATCH? No, try next. ; BEQ CLEAR Yes, refuse key. ; REPORT STX FR0 Report match. STY CH Leave CH clear LDA POKSAV and restore STA POKMSK original status STA IRQEN of . ; RTS That's it ; .OPT LIST CODELEN = *-ENTRY LAST = *-1 ;%BSAVE #D1:GETKEY.OBJ <6000,LAST ; .OPT NO LIST .END EXAMPLE 2 .TITLE -SIO Utility- ; Programmed by John Picken ; last revision: 05 Oct 89 ; ; A USR routine to access SIO. ; Syntax ;Status only ; S=USR(rtn) ; ;Status or Format ; S=USR(rtn,cmd) ; ;Read or Put/Write ops ; single sector ; S=USR(rtn,cmd,sec,buf) ; consecutive sectors ; S=USR(rtn,cmd,sec,buf,lim) ; trace file links ; S=USR(rtn,cmd+$80,sec,buf,lim) ; follow list of sectors ; S=USR(rtn,cmd,adr,buf) ; follow offset list of sectors ; S=USR(rtn,cmd,adr,buf,off) ; _____________________________ ; 1st param is command: !-PRSW ; ; No other parameter is needed ; or accepted for Format. Since ; the routine checks status when ; called, the Status command is ; not needed but will execute ; correctly if used. ; ; If cmd is passed with the high ; bit set (inverse P, R, or W), ; the routine reads or writes ; sectors by tracing Dos 2 type ; file links until a forward ; pointer less than 3 is found ; or until the limit in param 4. ; The trace assumes bits 2-7 of ; the forward pointer msb are a ; file number and ignores them ; (MyDos/TopDos style). This ; limits it to sectors 4-1023. ; ; The high bit of cmd is simply ; ignored on format or status. ; _____________________________ ; 2nd param is sector number of ; the starting (or only) sector. ; or ; If greater than 1279 (msb 5+), ; this param is taken to be the ; address of a string of sector ; numbers in 6502 order. This ; string must end with two zero ; bytes. This is the format used ; by SpartaDos in map sectors ; from byte 4 on (bytes 0-3 are ; previous & next map pointers). ; _____________________________ ; 3rd param is buffer address. ; _____________________________ ; The msb of the 4th param is ; always ignored. ; ; This param is total number of ; consecutive sectors or maximum ; traced sectors to do. Since ; the longest possible buffer ; string is 32767, the routine ; will not allow more than 127 ; double density sectors. ; or ; If operating on listed sectors ; this is the offset in sectors ; counting from 1. eg. to start ; with the ninth sector in the ; list, this param would be 9. ; The routine uses 2*(offset-1) ; for indexing so it is limited ; to 128 sectors. For greater ; offsets, adjust the string ; address in param 2. ; _____________________________ ; Default parameters ; Drive and timeout may be ; altered by string assignment: ; Sio$(8,8)=CHR$(DUnit) ; Sio$(13,13)=CHR$(DTimlo) ; ; The routine sets DBytlo/hi ; based on the status call but ; always uses single density ; with boot sectors. ; _____________________________ ; Returns ; The routine reports SIO status ; via FR0. Error 168 is used for ; a parameter error. Error 255 ; indicates an attempt to access ; more than 127 DD sectors. ; ; Following sector operations, ; the number of successful ops ; is PEEK(208) and the final, or ; abort, sector number is left ; in Daux1/2 (778-779) ; ; The status frame is left in ; Dvstat (746-749). ; .MACRO SKIPW .BYTE $2C .ENDM ; ; System equates DVSTAT = $02EA DDEVIC = $0300 DUNIT = $0301 DBYTLO = $0308 DBYTHI = $0309 SIOV = $E459 ; ; Program variables. *= $CB LIMIT *= *+1 Not OFFSET *= *+1 cleared STRPTR *= *+2 on *= *+1 entry ; COUNT *= *+1 Bytes TYPFLG *= *+1 cleared *= *+1 on *= *+1 entry FR0 *= *+2 ; D4 ; *= $E0 ZDEVIC *= *+1 Shadow DCB cuts ZUNIT *= *+1 3-byte ops to 8 ZCOMND *= *+1 total. Aside ZSTATS *= *+1 from speed and ZBUFLO *= *+1 length benefits, ZBUFHI *= *+1 this simplifies ZTIMLO *= *+2 setting defaults ZBYTLO *= *+1 and lessens the ZBYTHI *= *+1 chance of a 155 ZAUX1 *= *+1 or 34 character ZAUX2 *= *+1 in a string. ; *= $6000 START LDX #INIT-DATA ; x=count LDY #INIT-1-START ; y=index BNE INIT Go always ; DATA .BYTE '1 Dcb defaults .BYTE 1 DUnit .BYTE 'S DComnd .BYTE $40 DStats .WORD DVSTAT DBuflo/hi .WORD 3 DTimlo/hi .WORD 4 DBytlo/hi ; INIT LDA (FR0),Y STA DDEVIC-1,X Set up DCB STA ZDEVIC-1,X and shadow DEY DEX BNE INIT On exit x=0 y=5 ; ZLOOP STX COUNT,Y Clear FR0 DEY down to COUNT BPL ZLOOP inclusive ; JSR SIOV Execute and STY FR0 save status ; PLA Done if no BEQ EXIT parameters ; TAX Else keep count ; PLA Msb Command PLA Lsb - DEX Stack count ; ASL A Bit 7 to carry. ROR TYPFLG To bit 7 of flag LSR A Restore Cmd with STA ZCOMND bit 7 stripped ; CPX #1 Params left? BEQ CLRSTK Error if only 1 BCS SETZST Branch if more ; CMP #'S Status already BEQ EXIT done ; CMP #'! BCC/BCS avoids BCC ERR168 quote in string ; CMP #'# when checking BCS ERR168 for format cmd ; STX ZSTATS Use 0 for format STA ZTIMLO Allow 33- or 34- BCC GOTALL Go always ; CLRSTK PLA Error handler PLA to clear stack DEX BNE CLRSTK ; ERR168 LDY #168 Syntax error ; YEXIT STY FR0 Final report EXIT RTS to Basic ; SETZST CMP #'R BEQ GETSEC If not read ; ASL ZSTATS make Zstats=$80 CMP #'P BEQ GETSEC ; CMP #'W If not Write, an BNE CLRSTK invalid command ; GETSEC PLA Msb of start TAY sector number PLA Lsb DEX Stack count ; CPY #5 For carry only ROR TYPFLG B7=Str B6=Trc ; STA STRPTR Strptr ignored STY STRPTR+1 by consec/trc. STA ZAUX1 If string, zaux STY ZAUX2 is re-set later ; PLA Msb STA ZBUFHI Buffer address PLA Lsb STA ZBUFLO DEX Stack count BEQ GOTALL Go if got last ; PLA Limit: keep lsb PLA only (max DIM) DEX Last param? BNE CLRSTK If not, too many ; TAX Error if Limit=0 BEQ ERR168 Else, DEX now to ; offset default; DEX or, if a string, ; to index from 0. GOTALL LDY FR0 Check status JMIYEX BMI YEXIT Abort if bad ; DEY Else STY ZBYTLO clear ZBytlo SEC LDA #$20 Check DD bit in AND DVSTAT drive status BEQ SINGLE ; ROL ZBYTHI Carry to bit 0 SKIPW ; SINGLE ROR ZBYTLO Carry to bit 7 ; BIT TYPFLG Doing string? BMI STRING ; INX Else add default STX LIMIT Any limit less BPL EXEC than $80 is OK ; TAX If no DD bit BEQ EXEC max limit OK ; DEY Else error #255 BMI YEXIT Go always JVS168 STRING BVS ERR168 No trace if str. ; STX OFFSET Two bytes per ASL OFFSET sector number ; NEXT LDY OFFSET Get next sector LDA (STRPTR),Y ; number lsb STA ZAUX1 from string INY LDA (STRPTR),Y ; and msb INY Adjust offset STY OFFSET for next pass ; DOAUX2 STA ZAUX2 ORA ZAUX1 Next sector=0? JEQEXI BEQ EXIT ; EXEC LDX #11 EXLOOP LDA ZUNIT-1,X Copy shadow STA DUNIT-1,X to real DCB DEX BNE EXLOOP ; LDA ZAUX2 Boot sector? BNE GOSIO No, got an msb ; LDY #3 Check lsb. Leave CPY ZAUX1 set carry for BCC GOSIO Force SD below ; BIT TYPFLG Can't trace BVS JVS168 without links ; STA DBYTHI Force SD for one ROR A sector but don't STA DBYTLO alter shadow DCB ; GOSIO JSR SIOV Execute BMI JMIYEX Oops ; INC COUNT Good one! BIT TYPFLG If trace, get FP BVC BUFADJ before Bufadj ; LDY ZBYTLO Set Y to index DEY forward pointer DEY lsb in last sec LDA (ZBUFLO),Y Get lsb of STA ZAUX1 next sector DEY LDA (ZBUFLO),Y Filenum+msb AND #$07 Ignore filenum TAX Save msb ; BUFADJ LDA DBYTLO Add real sector BEQ DOBUFH length to bufptr ; CLC ADC ZBUFLO STA ZBUFLO BCC BFDONE ; DOBUFH INC ZBUFHI ; BFDONE BIT TYPFLG If string go BMI NEXT get next secnum ; DEC LIMIT Else count BEQ JEQEXI down to 0 ; TXA Recover fwd ptr BVS DOAUX2 Go if tracing ; INC ZAUX1 Else point to BNE EXEC next sector ; INC ZAUX2 Bump high byte BNE EXEC Go always ; .OPT LIST CODELEN = *-START LAST = *-1 ;%BSAVE #D1:SIOUSR.OBJ<6000,LAST .OPT NO LIST .END FILENAME EXTENSIONS =================== .1ST Text file, read this first .ACT Action file .ACC ST accessory .AMS Advanced Music System file .AMP Antic Music Processor .ARC ARC compressed file .ASC Ascii text file .BAK Back-up data file .BAS Saved BASIC file .BAT Batch file .BIN Binary file .BXL BASIC XL program .BXE BASIC XE program .C C language data file .COM SpartaDos Command file .COM Compiled Object code file .CZ Casio MIDI data file .DAT Data file .DCM Diskcomm compressed file .DIS Diskcomm compressed file .DOC Wordprocessor, text file .EXE Executable file .FNT Font .GIF Graphics Interchangeable Format picture .GRx Graphic screen mode x .H ST resource data file .HAM Amiga picture format .IFF Amiga picture format .INF Information file .KOA Koala format picture .LGO Logo data file .LST Listed BASIC .LZH LHarc compressed file .M ST Michtron BBS data file .ME Read me extention, text file .M65 MAC-65 source code .MAC MacIntosh picture file .MPT Micropainter picture file .OBJ Object file .PAS Pascal data file .PC1 ST Degas Low resolution picture (compressed) .PC2 ST Degas Med resolution picture (compressed) .PC3 ST Degas Hi resolution picture (compressed) .PCX IBM picture format .PI1 ST Degas Low resolution picture (uncompressed) .PI2 ST Degas Med resolution picture (umcompressed) .PI3 ST Degas Hi resolution picture (umcompressed) .PIC Koala, Micropainter picture file .PIT MacIntosh Pit compressed file .PRG ST executable file .RSC ST resource file .SCR Scrunch compressed file .SHR Shrink compressed file .SPB Superboot compressed file .SPC ST Spectrum compressed picture .SPU ST Spectrum uncompressed picture .SRC Source code .SUP SuperArc compressed file .SYN Synassembler source code .SYS System file .TOS Executable ST program .TTP ST application program .TXT Text file .V Pokey player music file .WP ST WordPerfect data file .ZIP Zip compressed file ======================================================================= Z*MAGAZINE Atari 8-Bit Online Magazine is a bi-weekly magazine covering the Atari and related computer community. Material contained in this edition may be reprinted without permission, except where otherwise noted, unedited, with the issue number, name and author included at the top of each reprinted article. Commentary and opinions presented are those of the individual author and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Z*MAGAZINE or the staff. Z*Magazine Atari 8-Bit Online Magazine, Z*Net Atari Online Magazine, Z*Net are copyright (c)1990 by Rovac Industries Inc, a registered corporation. Post Office Box 59, Middlesex, New Jersey 08846. (908) 968-2024. Z*Net Online BBS 24 Hours, 1200/2400 Baud, (908) 968-8148. We can be reached on CompuServe at 71777,2140 and on GEnie at Z-NET. ======================================================================= Z*Magazine Atari 8-Bit Online Magazine Copyright (c)1990, Rovac Industries, Inc.. ======================================================================= 

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