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Forums > CSDb Questions > Learning machine code language
2007-05-06 08:46
Datablade

Registered: Jul 2004
Posts: 14
Learning machine code language

I would like to learn coding in ASM and so I'm searching for the right point to start. Could someone give me a few hints for the best Assembler, books, dox etc please? Thx.
 
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2007-05-06 10:08
Oswald

Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 5017
http://wikholm.dyndns.org/~cswiki/

scroll down and check the links at the Tutorials section.

also feel free posting any questions here, they will be answered. Or ask at #c-64 on ircnet. Please Avoid nonsense stuff like "how do I make a phong shaded torus? First learn the basics.

Good luck :)
2007-05-06 11:54
Richard

Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 619
That C64 codebase wiki is a *brilliant* idea. I hope it gets filled up a lot, and not abused. :)
2007-05-06 20:20
markus sinalco
Account closed

Registered: Sep 2005
Posts: 112
Something more basic could maybe useful, too:

http://members.chello.at/wiener.freiheit/ass/ass.htm



2007-05-06 20:32
Mace

Registered: May 2002
Posts: 1799
Do you have any programming skills in whatever language?
It is so much more difficult if you don't know the first thing about the basics of programming.

Also, with ASM on the C64, it is very important you know how the computer is configurated: what area can be used for the program, how are graphics stored in the memory and what registers you need for graphics, sounds, I/O, etc.
2007-05-07 08:11
Datablade

Registered: Jul 2004
Posts: 14
Yes. I've got some advanced skills in Basic but they are a little bit "rusty" becoz I've done nothing since years.
It's enough to understand the way the computer works but I'm realistic. If I won't be able to understand something which I
can read in the posted links it's better to start from scratch and I should expand my skills in Basic first. How ever:
I thought it's worth a try and many thx dudes for the links and stuff ;)
2007-05-07 08:45
Mace

Registered: May 2002
Posts: 1799
Having BASIC skills is very usefull. BASIC is a good reference for the easiest parts of assembly, as you know about variables and memory locations. And the use of memory in general, perhaps.

The first things I learnt were:

LDA #$xx is A=xx
LDX $xxxx is X=PEEK($xxxx), where xxxx is a hexadecimal value, inlike the decimal value in BASIC!

STY $xxxx is POKE $xxxx, Y

INX is X=X+1, where X=0 if X=255+1
DEY is Y=Y-1, where Y=255 if Y=0-1

RTS is RETURN, but also the END of an assembly program you started from BASIC.

So:
$1000   LDA #$00
$1002   STA $D020
$1005   RTS


and then SYS4096 and your border will be black ;-)

2008-01-02 02:52
Tim
Account closed

Registered: Mar 2002
Posts: 467
Starting to learn how to code in machine language on the c64 can be awful task, especially if you do not have someone experienced there to help you out along the way.

I can take myself as an example, I first learnt a few basic instructions such as lda, sta and the usage of x and y variables back somewhere in 1995. However I lacked one important thing: a good information source. And I never explored it further, since what I knew was enough to get me by for the few things I needed it for.

Recently I regained interest in C64 coding again and some friends from #c-64 on ircnet (such as Mace, FMan and Rambones) helped me out getting an assembler from pc working so that I can now use an assembler on pc and export to c64 (emulator).

Having that setup, which is a big help I must admit, they realized I was lacking basic information on commands and the whole basic way of how a c64 generally works, so I was suggested to read Jim Butterfield’s ‘Machine Language for the Commodore 64 and other Commodore computers”, which I am doing now. It does help a lot! Not only do the few commands I know do other things besides that what I thought they did, but it is helping me get a good understanding of the basics of programming.

You can find this book and various other good and important documents on codebase64 on this url : http://codebase64.org/doku.php?id=books:start
2008-01-02 08:12
Smash
Account closed

Registered: Dec 2007
Posts: 9
A book called 'The Commodre Reference Guide' was a neccesary evil for me when it came to learn about the memory and registers.
2008-01-02 20:02
null
Account closed

Registered: Jun 2006
Posts: 645
The Programmers Reference Guide!

Also known as 'PRG' or 'The Bible' :_)

------------------------------------
http://zomgwtfbbq.info
2008-01-03 03:05
Tim
Account closed

Registered: Mar 2002
Posts: 467
which can also be found in the link i posted ;)
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