Denial

Hullo,

I'm sure this is a dumb question, but I just wanted to ask if there's a decent, fairly straightforward, assembler any of you can recommend? I'm poking at ca65 but it's slow going and it seems to be one of those tools that can do everything and is perfect as long as you can read the developers' minds

(I'd like to get to grips with ca65 as it does seem like a powerful package; unfortunately, at present it's making my head spin.)

I run on a Windows machine.

Thank you,

~M

Hi Merytsetesh,

In this post you can find some options:

http://sleepingelephant.com/ipw-web/bul ... hp?t=10862

I use CBM prg Studio

Cheers

I recommend ACME as a simple straightforward assembler. While CA65 is really great, its mostly aimed at experienced users and huge projects. ACME or 64tass are more like traditional assemblers, and probably easier to get started with.

groepaz wrote: ↑Thu Mar 07, 2024 3:35 pm I recommend ACME as a simple straightforward assembler. While CA65 is really great, its mostly aimed at experienced users and huge projects. ACME or 64tass are more like traditional assemblers, and probably easier to get started with.

Thank you: I shall go and look it up. It's a long time since I did much down-on-the-metal coding, so I'm very out of practice. I should be more gentle with my brain than I am

I use the Kingwood Consulting cross-assemblers, they're pretty straightforward to use, plus they have Linux and Windows versions:

https://www.kingswood-consulting.co.uk/assemblers/

As you had some exposure to the Acorn Archimedes series, and if you're adventurous, you might consider using the inline assembler of BBC BASIC, the one contained in HI BASIC (part of the !65tube emulation) in particular.

Otherwise, quite some people here use either dasm or ACME, so there ...

I forgot the most valuable advice for this kind of question: use whatever the people you can ask use. It doesn't really really matter if you use dasm or 64tass or acme or any other of the popular ones (their feature set is very similar) - but it helps a lot if you can throw some quick questions at someone you know.

groepaz wrote:use whatever the people you can ask use.

+1

Mike wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 2:37 am As you had some exposure to the Acorn Archimedes series, and if you're adventurous, you might consider using the inline assembler of BBC BASIC, the one contained in HI BASIC (part of the !65tube emulation) in particular.

For a while I was tempted to use my own assembler... *looks sheepish* It lacks so many features, the others have, however. At least with that I could get it to write the two-byte header for PRG files when it saved the bytecode...

At the same time, I'd rather use an assembler I know to be 100% reliable and not have to debug my assembler as well as the code I'm trying to write with it...

Mike wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 2:37 am Otherwise, quite some people here use either dasm or ACME, so there ...

I am having a look at them. I am still tempted by ca65, though, because I have found a plugin for VSCode that provides syntax highlighting. I think some of the developers for the Commander X16 use this plugin and have VSCode set up to assemble through ca65.

So much to think about. Grr. I do wish the VIC had an inline assembler. The MegaVIC will, if ever it's finished

Merytsetesh wrote:I do wish the VIC had an inline assembler.

wAx2?

Mike wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 12:30 pm

Merytsetesh wrote:I do wish the VIC had an inline assembler.

wAx2?

... just so much I don't know, isn't there!

Thank you, Mike. Ich vermute, daß ich dir eines Tages viele Biere schulden werde!

Merytsetesh wrote: ↑Thu Mar 07, 2024 3:03 pm I'm sure this is a dumb question, but I just wanted to ask if there's a decent, fairly straightforward, assembler any of you can recommend? I'm poking at ca65 but it's slow going and it seems to be one of those tools that can do everything and is perfect as long as you can read the developers' minds

cc65 has strong roots in the culture that brought us the success stories Unix and Internet. It's an excellent tool you can learn from for life. Patience, young Jedi! :p

pixel wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 1:45 pm cc65 has strong roots in the culture that brought us the success stories Unix and Internet. It's an excellent tool you can learn from for life. Patience, young Jedi! :p

*laughs* I'm not young any more, but thank you for the thought!

Also, this will probably be my last code project as I'm finding it increasingly difficult to manage to think 'in code' any more. So I'm trying to find as simple and straightforward a solution as I can

Hi,
It looks to me like you are beginning to learn assembler, or perhaps returning to it after a long break. The strikes a chord with me as I came back to the VIC-20 after a nearly 40 year break while I scratched a living.

For what it's worth, if you are using Windows to host a development environment I think you should take a look at CBM Prg Studio. It is what I use. It has everything you need to create BASIC or assembly programs for CBM machines.

If you are learning 6502, there are tutorials built into the integrated Help System. The assembler is about as easy to use as it comes. You can debug bits of code without leaving the IDE: particularly useful while you are finding your way through some of the fundamental coding techniques you will need to master. There are also tools to redefine characters, build screens and autogenerate bits of code like a BASIC launcher for your assembly code.

Like everything else that's worthwhile in this world you need to take your time and learn the tool well. I assure you it won't let you down.

Good luck with your coding adventure.

thegg

thegg wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 3:00 pm Hi,
It looks to me like you are beginning to learn assembler, or perhaps returning to it after a long break. The strikes a chord with me as I came back to the VIC-20 after a nearly 40 year break while I scratched a living.

I learned assembler back in the 80s, from the VIC-20 PRG and INPUT magazine, but it's been a long time.

thegg wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 3:00 pm For what it's worth, if you are using Windows to host a development environment I think you should take a look at CBM Prg Studio. It is what I use. It has everything you need to create BASIC or assembly programs for CBM machines.

I shall take a look at that. I think I looked at it back when I was trying to write a VIC Sudoku program. I can't remember why I didn't use it then, or remember it now. Thank you.

thegg wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 3:00 pm Like everything else that's worthwhile in this world you need to take your time and learn the tool well. I assure you it won't let you down.

Good luck with your coding adventure.

thegg

You're right, of course. I get frustrated by my own, new, inability to figure things out and work as quickly as I used to. A good tool will go a long way.

Thank you for your kind words.

M