At 12:09 21.08.99 -0700, you wrote:
>Oh, boy...a text editor. I need real help here.
I guess you'll have a very long way to go then ...
> By taking a text file, does that mean that I type out my program
>on my word processor, save it as a text file, and then use DASM to
>convert it to code? If so, what format do I use? Do I just type the
>command, what if anything comes after the command, hit return, and the
>assembler will know what to do?
If your word processor is the text editor, that you know best, then
you can use it for VCS programming. Just don't use any text formating
tools on your program code. You would want to save your program code
as ASCII/DOS text (.txt) or something similar.
As for how VCS code should look like: That's why I suggested to go to
http://www.primenet.com/~nickb/atariprg.htm and download the 'how to
draw a playfield' demo and it's accompanying VCS.H file. This is a
simple and very well commented example source code. With it you can
practice to use DASM and to edit text files. Also you get a basic
impression on how VCS code should look like and you can try out your
assembler and VCS knowledge by making small changes to the code
and then see how that affects the outcomming binary.
> Also, how would I handle zero page addressing? If I put, say, LDA
>$80 instead of LDA $0080, how would the computer know they mean the
>same? I'm worried about the computer following its pattern, I screw up
>mine, and sending my program in the gloaming. I do remember this much
>from programming years ago: Precision is the key.
LDA $80 and LDA $0080 are not the same. One is zero page addressing
(2 bytes, 3 processor cycles) the other is absolute adressing (3 bytes,
4 processor cycles).
DASM wouldn't ruin your source code file. If your code doesn't make
sense, DASM will give you an error message. The worst thing that
could happen is that DASM creates a binary that won't run on the
emulator.
And of course you can make backup copies, if you have created something
that you want to keep. ;-)
Ciao, Eckhard Stolberg
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