action! Going into Action! - A noob perspective

zbyti · October 2, 2020

Little explanatory of two useful directives:

SET $E = $2000
SET $491 = $2000

$E holds address of our code base (our code start here after compilation)

$491 sets LOMEM. The other words our XEX will be written (monitor W "H1:FILE.XEX") from that address to the end of our compiled code.

In most of the cases above addresses should be the same.

EDIT: Absolutely must to read:

https://atariwiki.org/wiki/Wiki.jsp?page=Getting in on the Action 1

https://atariwiki.org/wiki/Wiki.jsp?page=Getting in on the Action 2

Edited October 3, 2020 by zbyti
must to read

zbyti · October 3, 2020

CMC music in Action!

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; CMC VBLANK ROUTINE
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEFINE
  ADDRMUS="$2000",ADDRPLA="$2696",
  JMP="$4C",XITVBV="$E462"

SET $E=ADDRMUS
SET $491=ADDRMUS

; Andrzej Kidaj - Acces
PROC MUSIC=*()[
  ; DATA
]

SET $E=ADDRPLA
PROC PLAYER=*()[
  ; DATA
]

PROC COMM=ADDRPLA+3(BYTE A, CARD XY)
PROC TRACK=ADDRPLA+6()
PROC SETVBLV=$E45C(BYTE A,X,Y)

PROC VPLAY=*()
  TRACK()
[JMP XITVBV]


PROC SETVPLAY(CARD ADDR)
  BYTE POINTER P=0

  SETVBLV(7,P(@ADDR+1),P(@ADDR))
RETURN

PROC MAIN=*()
  BYTE CH=$2FC

  COMM($70,MUSIC)
  COMM(0,0)
  SETVPLAY(VPLAY)

  WHILE CH=$FF DO OD

  SETVPLAY(XITVBV)    ; STOP
  COMM($40,0)         ; VBLK MUSIC
RETURN

Edited October 3, 2020 by zbyti
template only

zbyti · October 3, 2020

CMC player routine by Marek "Marok" Sasnal

MAROKCMC.ACT MAROKCMC.XEX

Edited October 3, 2020 by zbyti

zbyti · October 3, 2020

MPT in Action! Adam Bienias - Vroom Intro

DEFINE
  ADDRPLA="$2000",ADDRMUS="$3000",
  RBARON="[$A9$E$8D$0A$D4$8D$1A$D0]",RBAROFF="[$A9$0$8D$1A$D0]"

SET $E=ADDRPLA
SET $491=ADDRPLA

PROC PLAYER=*()[
  ; DATA
]

; Adam Bienias - Vroom Intro
SET $E=ADDRMUS
PROC MUSIC=*()[
  ; DATA
]

PROC COMM=ADDRPLA(BYTE A)
PROC TAKT=ADDRPLA+3()

PROC MAIN()
  BYTE CH=$2FC,VCOUNT=$D40B

  COMM(0) ; INIT
  DO
    IF VCOUNT=$10 THEN
      RBARON TAKT() RBAROFF
    FI
    UNTIL CH#255
  OD
  COMM(1) ; STOP
RETURN

MPTMUSIC.ACT MPTMUSIC.XEX

Edited October 3, 2020 by zbyti
MPT Player 2

zbyti · October 4, 2020

Let our Powers Combine!

foxdos-slidemus.atr SLIDEMUS.ACT

pedgarcia · October 9, 2020

I will have a long weekend ahead so I will have time to go over the examples you sent. I tried one so far

Then hopefully I have a theme for the next articles..

Cheers

zbyti · October 10, 2020

Refactored SYSOFF

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; System Off in Action!
; by @zbyti
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
;   STABLE     APPMHI      CODEBASE         CODEOFF
SET $495=8 SET $E=$1000 SET $491=$1000 ;SET $B5=$FA00
;   offset for F0x Dos set CODEBASE to $0A00
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEFINE
  PHR="[$48$8A$48$98$48]",PLR="[$68$A8$68$AA$68]",
  PHA="[$48]",PLA="[$68]",SEI="[$78]",
  RTI="[$40]",RTS="[$60]",OFFJMP="NMI+21"

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROC NMI=*()[
 $2C $0F $D4  ;BIT $D40F   ;NMIST
 $10 $03      ;BPL
 $4C OFFJMP   ;JMP VDSLST
 $E6 $14      ;INC $14     ;RTCLOK+2
 $D0 $06      ;BNE
 $E6 $13      ;INC $13     ;RTCLOK+1
 $D0 $02      ;BNE
 $E6 $12      ;INC $12     ;RTCLOK
 $4C OFFJMP   ;JMP VBIVEC
 $40          ;OFFJMP
]

PROC WAIT=*(BYTE F)[$18$65$14$C5$14$D0$FC$60]

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MODULE

BYTE
  COLPF2=$D018,PORTB=$D301,
  WSYNC=$D40A,NMIEN=$D40E,
  CARTOFF=$D508,RTCLOK2=$14

CARD
  DLIST=$D402,NMIVEC=$FFFA,LMS=$E000,
  VDSLST=NMI+6,VBIVEC=NMI+19

PROC SYSTEMOFF=*()
  SEI
  NMIEN=0 PORTB=$FE
  NMIVEC=NMI NMIEN=$40
RTS

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; some example of display list and interrupts
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROC DL=*()[
  $70 $70 $70
  $42 LMS
  2 2 $F0 2 2 2 $F0 2 2 2
  $41 DL
]

PROC DLI2=*()
  PHA
  COLPF2=RTCLOK2
  PLA
RTI

PROC DLI1=*()
  PHA
  COLPF2=$DE
  WSYNC=$DE
  VDSLST=DLI2
  PLA
RTI

PROC VBI=*()
  PHR
  COLPF2=RTCLOK2
  VDSLST=DLI1
  PLR
RTI

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROC MAIN=*()
  ; CARTOFF=1 disable Action! 3.6 cartridge
  SYSTEMOFF()
  WAIT(50) DLIST=DL
  WAIT(100) VBIVEC=VBI
  WAIT(100) VDSLST=DLI1
  NMIEN=$C0
  WAIT(255)
  VBIVEC=OFFJMP
  VDSLST=OFFJMP
  DO OD
RTS

Edited October 10, 2020 by zbyti
typo

zbyti · October 10, 2020

My SYSOFF project template.

Action_SYSOFF_Template.zip

funkheld · October 11, 2020

can you please do that in source asm?
I do not understand what you are writing.

greeting

---------------------------

BYTE FUNC Peek=*(CARD a)
[$85$A2$86$A3$A0$00$B1$A2$85$A0$60]

CARD FUNC PeekC=*(CARD a)
[$85$A2$86$A3$A0$00$B1$A2$85$A0$C8$B1
$A2$85$A1$60]

PROC Poke=*(CARD a BYTE v)
[$85$A0$86$A1$98$A0$00$91$A0$60]

PROC PokeC=*(CARD a, v)
[$20 Poke $C8$A5$A3$91$A0$60]

PROC MoveBlock=*(BYTE POINTER d,s CARD l)
[$A085$A186$A284$A0$0$A5A5$16F0$A2B1$A091$C8$F9D0
$A1E6$A3E6$A5C6$F1D0$5F0$A2B1$A091$C8$A4C4$F7D0$60]

PROC SetBlock=*(BYTE POINTER a CARD s BYTE v)
[$A085$A186$A284$A0$0$A4A5$A3A6$10F0$A091$C8$FBD0
$A1E6$A3C6$F5D0$3F0$A091$C8$A2C4$F9D0$60]
--------------------------------

funkheld · October 11, 2020

please implement this too:

----------------------------

PROC PAUSE=*()[$A5$14$C5$14$F0$FC$60]
PROC WAIT=*(BYTE F)[$18$65$14$C5$14$D0$FC$60]
PROC RSYNC=*(BYTE L)[$CD$0B$D4$D0$FB$60]
---------------------------

greeting

zbyti · October 11, 2020

Compile program and use ? PROCNAME in monitor then read the address of the procedure and check memory:

Edited October 11, 2020 by zbyti
add video - go to fullscreen

pedgarcia · October 16, 2020

On 10/11/2020 at 7:20 AM, zbyti said:

Compile program and use ? PROCNAME in monitor then read the address of the procedure and check memory:

@zbyti I was looking at the video . When you launch the atari800 emulator, the command "C H:program.act" is injected automatically or you are typing it? If the first, how are you doing that. I couldn't find a way to do that with Atari800...

Thanks

zbyti · October 16, 2020

@pedgarcia I'm using the emulator save state with typed C "H6:MAIN.ACT".

In Sublime syntax highlighting package I have action.sublime-build:

{
	"shell_cmd": "xfce4-terminal -x atari800 -H1 . -state /home/zbyti/Retro/Atari/a8s/action-compile.a8s",
	"selector": "source.action"
}

I can compile only MAIN.ACT from given folder, in other case I run (custom key binding) Action! and type in filename by hand.

Edited October 16, 2020 by zbyti
action.sublime-build

pedgarcia · October 16, 2020

Save state!? That's ingenious! I haven't thought of that at all. Thanks!

zbyti · October 17, 2020

I started using Action! (April this year) due to one of his last evangelists. He claimed that Action! in many cases it is as fast as ML. My many tests shows that the single-pass Action! compiler reaches at most half the speed of the ML.

Here is an example of code (fire effect) that should be executed in one frame. Frame synchronization turned off.

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Fire by koalka/bbsl/karzelki
; Action! version by zbyti
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
;   APPMHI       CODEBASE
SET $E=$2000 SET $491=$2000
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEFINE
  CHARSET="$6000",CHARSETH="$60",SCREEN="$6400",
  LDA="$A5",STA="$85",LSR="$4A",RTS="[$60]"

BYTE
  SDMCTL=$22F,GPRIOR=$26F,COLOR4=$2C8,
  COLBK=$D01A,RANDOM=$D20A

BYTE
  B0I=$CA,B1I=$CB,TMP=$CC

BYTE POINTER
  P=0,PCHARSET=CHARSET


CARD
  VDSLST=$200,SDLSTL=$230,CHBAS=$2F4

PROC DL=*()[
  $42 SCREEN
  2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
  $41 DL
]

PROC PAUSE=*()[$A5$14$C5$14$F0$FC$60]

PROC MAIN=*()

  COLOR4=$20 TMP=0
  SDLSTL=DL CHBAS=CHARSETH
  GPRIOR=$40 SDMCTL=$21


  B0I=0 DO
    P(SCREEN+B0I)=0
    P(SCREEN+$100+B0I)=0
    P(SCREEN+$200+B0I)=0
    P(SCREEN+$300+B0I)=0
    B0I==+1 UNTIL B0I=0
  OD



  B0I=0 DO
    B1I=0 DO
      PCHARSET(B1I)=TMP
      B1I==+1 UNTIL B1I=8
    OD
    PCHARSET==+8 TMP==+$11
    B0I==+1 UNTIL B0I=$10
  OD

  DO
    B0I=0 DO
      TMP=P(SCREEN-1+B0I)
      TMP==+P(SCREEN+B0I)
      TMP==+P(SCREEN+1+B0I)
      TMP==+P(SCREEN+32+B0I)
      [LDA TMP LSR LSR STA TMP]
      P(SCREEN-31+B0I)=TMP

      TMP=P(SCREEN-1+$100+B0I)
      TMP==+P(SCREEN+$100+B0I)
      TMP==+P(SCREEN+1+$100+B0I)
      TMP==+P(SCREEN+32+$100+B0I)
      [LDA TMP LSR LSR STA TMP]
      P(SCREEN-31+$100+B0I)=TMP

      TMP=P(SCREEN-1+$200+B0I)
      TMP==+P(SCREEN+$200+B0I)
      TMP==+P(SCREEN+1+$200+B0I)
      TMP==+P(SCREEN+32+$200+B0I)
      [LDA TMP LSR LSR STA TMP]
      P(SCREEN-31+$200+B0I)=TMP

      B0I==+1 UNTIL B0I=0
    OD

    ;COLBK=10
    ;PAUSE()

    B0I=$1F DO
      P(SCREEN+$2E0+B0I)=RANDOM&15
      B0I==-1 UNTIL B0I=$FF
    OD
  OD

RTS

Even after replacing the body of extensively used loops by ML it is still insufficient and whole loop would have to be replaced with branch jump - DIY

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Fire by koalka/bbsl/karzelki
; Action! version by zbyti
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
;   APPMHI       CODEBASE
SET $E=$2000 SET $491=$2000
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEFINE
  CHARSET="$6000",CHARSETH="$60",SCREEN="$6400",RTS="[$60]",
  LDA="$AD",LDAX="$BD",STAX="$9D",LSR="$4A",CLC="$18",ANDI="$29",
  ADCX="$7D",LDX="$A6",INC="$E6",DEC="$C6"

BYTE
  SDMCTL=$22F,GPRIOR=$26F,COLOR4=$2C8,
  COLBK=$D01A,RANDOM=$D20A

BYTE
  B0I=$CA,B1I=$CB,TMP=$CC

BYTE POINTER
  P=0,PCHARSET=CHARSET


CARD
  VDSLST=$200,SDLSTL=$230,CHBAS=$2F4

PROC DL=*()[
  $42 SCREEN
  2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
  $41 DL
]

PROC PAUSE=*()[$A5$14$C5$14$F0$FC$60]

PROC MAIN=*()

  COLOR4=$20 TMP=0
  SDLSTL=DL CHBAS=CHARSETH
  GPRIOR=$40 SDMCTL=$21


  B0I=0 DO
    P(SCREEN+B0I)=0
    P(SCREEN+$100+B0I)=0
    P(SCREEN+$200+B0I)=0
    P(SCREEN+$300+B0I)=0
    B0I==+1 UNTIL B0I=0
  OD



  B0I=0 DO
    B1I=0 DO
      PCHARSET(B1I)=TMP
      B1I==+1 UNTIL B1I=8
    OD
    PCHARSET==+8 TMP==+$11
    B0I==+1 UNTIL B0I=$10
  OD

  DO
    B0I=0 DO
      [
        LDX B0I
        LDAX $63FF CLC
        ADCX SCREEN ADCX $6401 ADCX $6420
        LSR LSR STAX $63E1

        LDAX $64FF CLC
        ADCX SCREEN+$100 ADCX $6501 ADCX $6520
        LSR LSR STAX $64E1

        LDAX $65FF CLC
        ADCX SCREEN+$200 ADCX $6601 ADCX $6620
        LSR LSR STAX $65E1

        INC B0I
      ]
      UNTIL B0I=0
    OD

    ;COLBK=10
    ;PAUSE()

    B0I=$1F DO
      [
        LDX B0I
        LDA RANDOM ANDI $F STAX $66E0
        DEC B0I
      ]
      UNTIL B0I=$FF
    OD
  OD

RTS

FIREFAST.XEX FIRESLOW.XEX

Edited October 17, 2020 by zbyti
add xex

Alfred · October 17, 2020

All those pointer references (P(Screen)) are killing you.

zbyti · October 17, 2020

4 hours ago, Alfred said:

All those pointer references (P(Screen)) are killing you.

Do you know a faster way? Pointer produce huge code but peek&poke as subroutines are not a solution in speed department.

I know what's killing me but do you have the cure?

If you can write a faster code, I'd love to see it

Edited October 17, 2020 by zbyti
faster code

8bit-Dude · October 18, 2020

On 12/3/2019 at 1:14 PM, pedgarcia said:

Today, I decided to start looking into it again with the objective to write some articles for my website about it and also finally learn something about Atari 8-bit programming in general.

Since your aim is to write some articles, how about something new, that has not been covered yet?

If you are familiar with C, then I invite you to try 8bit-unity. Not only does it contain a super simple API, but also all the tools you need to create and package your assets (bitmaps, sprite, music). It also has some advantages, like ability to display 10 sprites (by VBI flicker), without requiring you to do anything.

I posted some info here today:

funkheld · October 18, 2020

hmmmm .... it's not that easy with the program for atarixl: 8bit-unity

greeting

8bit-Dude · October 18, 2020

2 hours ago, funkheld said:

hmmmm .... it's not that easy with the program for atarixl: 8bit-unity

Hey Funk! Can you please explain what is the problem? (I am interested to understand which areas of the SDK need improvement).

pedgarcia · October 18, 2020

This looks fantastic @8bit-Dude! I will take a serious look, and also if you want to use Vintage Is The New Old yourself to write about it, let me know.

Cheers

8bit-Dude · October 18, 2020

1 hour ago, pedgarcia said:

if you want to use Vintage Is The New Old yourself to write about it, let me know.

Thanks for the offer Paulo! How would we go about organizing it?

pedgarcia · October 18, 2020

6 hours ago, 8bit-Dude said:

Thanks for the offer Paulo! How would we go about organizing it?

@8bit-Dude We can talk via email. I sent you a PM with my contact.

pedgarcia · October 19, 2020

On 10/16/2020 at 3:29 AM, zbyti said:
@pedgarcia I'm using the emulator save state with typed C "H6:MAIN.ACT".

In Sublime syntax highlighting package I have action.sublime-build:
{
	"shell_cmd": "xfce4-terminal -x atari800 -H1 . -state /home/zbyti/Retro/Atari/a8s/action-compile.a8s",
	"selector": "source.action"
}
I can compile only MAIN.ACT from given folder, in other case I run (custom key binding) Action! and type in filename by hand.

I am curious. Do you save the file like a regular text file? Doesn't Action! complain about the format?

pedgarcia · October 19, 2020

Never mind. I realized you are using H6: which forces the use of \n instead of the ATASCII equivalent to new line.

action! Going into Action! - A noob perspective

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