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File Data

This is how the data is stored in files on this type of computer. NOTE: This is a work in progress. I will be updating this post as I think of stuff to put on here. Bytes $20-$7F represent the standard ASCII character set. Character $7F represents the cursor symbol. Bytes $00-$1F are control codes. $00 - ROM Section Header $01 - Palette $02 - Graphics $03 - Mappings $04 - $05 - $06 - $07 - $08 - Set Tab Width $09 - Tab $0A - Line Feed $0B - Comment Tab $0C - $0D - Carriage Return (same

walker7

walker7

Data Structures

Creating data structures is an important part of programming. By pressing a certain key combo (such as CTRL+D), you could enter a screen that will let you make data structures for your program. Take a look at this screen. This is where you enter data structures.   The cursor starts in the prefix field. You might want to type a prefix for all the elements in the structure. Whenever you enter a new element of the structure, the name field will start with this prefix already in it. If you d

walker7

walker7

Code As You Go

This next section is a big one. Wouldn't it be great if you could test code as you programmed it? Well that's where Code-As-You-Go comes into play. The mode can be accessed with a dedicated button on a keyboard. It's labeled "CAYG." Take a look at this: That's the code as you go screen. On the panel at the right, you can enter the data you want to test. On the upper right of the screen is the address that the code will assemble to. In this example, the written code will compile at add

walker7

walker7

Screen Enhancements

When assembling, there are several different screen enhancements that could use to make the experience more enjoyable. One way is to change the background and foreground colors. This is the shot from the previous installment: By pressing a certain key (or key combo) on the keyboard, it will bring up a screen saying what color you want to use. That screen might look something like this: As indicated on the screen, press 0-9 or A-F to choose the appropriate color. When you press one of th

walker7

walker7

Assembly Interface

The interface for a good assembler is just like a text editor, with extra features added to make assembly easier. Take a look at this simulated screenshot, inspired by the Apple ][. This is a multiply routine for the Motorola 68000: There are several things that would make this more of an assembler than a word processor: Under the label "Multiply," there is a blue line stretching across the screen. You could toggle this on or off. Under this line can be shown information about the subrou

walker7

walker7

ROM Section Headers

A good assembler has ROM section headings. These are a way to cleanly divide the source code into settings, so you can definitely figure out at which address each section starts. Think of an assembler as if were like Microsoft Word. Section headings could appear as solid-colored bars with text on them. The user should have control over what color to make the bar. They also might have control over the font. For example, your main program header might look like this (note that all images are

walker7

walker7

The Best Assembly Computer

I have used a lot of assemblers to program games. I have used Learn to Program BASIC, BasiEgaXorz, and EASy68K. I have also used Apple ][ Basic, C++, and others. There are many different assemblers out there, but what if there was a computer (or maybe an application) with a really sophisticated assembler that could be used for programming games, and other things? The goal is to make programming easier, faster, and more enjoyable. First, I'd like to mention all the essential things that a

walker7

walker7

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