win994a help

[samishal]

Hey all,

 

After a long hiatus from ti development due to work , I am back!

 

I've been trying to get the win994a emulator working (because of the cross assembler) but I've been getting I/O errors when trying to run the programs or writing source code in the emulator. I've downloaded the ROM file for the E/A cartridge and assembled the program and copied it to the TIDisk (created it before hand) but when I go through the E/A menus I get I/O Error 7.

 

Anyone had this with win994a?

 

Sam

[Asmusr]

I don't recall having I/O errors, but there are many issues with win994a and the cross assembler.

 

Have you considered using these tools instead?

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/233677-xdt99-new-ti-99-cross-development-tools-available/

 

And perhaps Classic99 as emulator?

[samishal]

I'll give them a go, how do I get the assembled binary into classic 99 though?

[Asmusr]

1. Create a disk image:

xdm99.py mydisk.dsk --initialize DSSD -n MYDISK

 

2. Assemble your code to an E/A#5 file:

xas99.py -R -i myprog.a99 -o myprog

 

3. Copy E/A#5 file to disk:
xdm99.py mydisk.dsk -a myprog -n MYPROG

 

Then insert mydisk.dsk in DSK1 in Classic99 and run E/A#5 DSK.MYPROG

 

Just repeat 2 and 3 to reassemble - put them in a bat file. No need to reinsert the disk in Classic99.

[matthew180]

The asm994a assembler runs independently from the win994a simulator. However, as Rasmus mentioned, there are known problems with asm994a and the author is no longer updating or maintaining the code AFAIK. Better to use Classic99 or js99er for emulation, and use the xdt99 tools (again, as Rasmus mentioned).

[+Lee Stewart]

I still use the Asm994a Assembler v3.010 for fbForth 2.0 development. The only problems I have had with it were easy to work around:

• I have to avoid certain labels that conflict with the undocumented (I think) conditional assembly functionality: IF, THEN ELSE, ...
• There is an RORG problem I do not quite remember.
• I ran into a maximum number of labels at somewhere around 2600 – 2800 labels that I am well below now.

As I have said somewhere before, I fully intend to try out xdt99 tools soon.

 

...lee

[matthew180]

Lee, thanks for the summary, I can never remember the list of problems. I *do* remember being bitten by the label offset bugs, and I know there was a large discussion about it somewhere here on the forum.

 

Also, asm004a v3.010 was a bug fix that was not originally part of the Win994a simulator. I don't remember how I came to have the v3.010 version, or if it is now available with the simulator proper. But that reason alone is worth not bothering with it any more.

[+Lee Stewart]

Lee, thanks for the summary, I can never remember the list of problems. I *do* remember being bitten by the label offset bugs, and I know there was a large discussion about it somewhere here on the forum.

 

Also, asm004a v3.010 was a bug fix that was not originally part of the Win994a simulator. I don't remember how I came to have the v3.010 version, or if it is now available with the simulator proper. But that reason alone is worth not bothering with it any more.

 

V3.010 is now the current version of Cory Burr's Win994a Simulator and Asm994a Assembler available here: www.99er.net/win994a.shtml

 

...lee

[samishal]

Thanks all, I'll give the python tool set a go, woudl be nice not to have to install wine to use a cross compiler

[Asmusr]

Thanks all, I'll give the python tool set a go, woudl be nice not to have to install wine to use a cross compiler

 

You don't need to install wine - just python.

[Tursi]

I still need to convert my own workflow to the xtd99 tools - after working with them on the Megademo I am very sold on their quality. Plus command-line assembles are nice.

[samishal]

I still need to convert my own workflow to the xtd99 tools - after working with them on the Megademo I am very sold on their quality. Plus command-line assembles are nice.

Agreed, my current setup is using tmux with vim in the main pane and smaller one to run the assembler, then switch workspaces over to one where classic99 is running. Works quite well for me as I can assemble a program and quickly find out where I spelled everything wrong