November 6, 1984
Before getting to the bad stuff (the bugs), here are some goodies about ACTION! which we would like to pass on to you:
A magazine article titled "Lights, Camera, Action!" (by Dave Plotkin) which appeared in the July 1984 issue of ANTIC featured a set of routines to facilitate writing ACTION!-based interrupt handlers.
The article gave the listings for two routines (more properly, two DEFINEs) named "SaveTemps" and "GetTemps". These routines are adequate only if no math beyond addition and subtraction is performed in the interrupt service routine. The following versions of these two routines will work properly in the more general case:
Make the following DEFINEs in your program before you declare your interrupt routine (comments may be omitted-they exist only for clarification):
DEFINE SaveTemps=[
$A2 $07 ; LDX #7
$B5 $C0 ; LOOP LDA $C0,X
$48 ; PHA
$B5 $A0 ; LDA $A0,X
$48 ; PHA
$B5 $80 ; LDA $80,X
$48 ; PHA
$B5 $A8 ; LDA $A8,X
$48 ; PHA
$CA ; DEX
$10 $F1 ; BPL LOOP
$A5 $D3 ; LDA $D3
$48 ; PHA
]
DEFINE GetTemps=[
$68 ; PLA
$85 $D3 ; STA $D3
$A2 $00 ; LDX #0
$68 ; LOOP PLA
$95 $A8 ; STA $A8,X
$68 ; PLA
$95 $80 ; STA $80,X
$68 ; PLA
$95 $A0 ; STA $A0,X
$68 ; PLA
$95 $C0 ; STA $C0,X
$E8 ; INX
$E0 $08 ; CPX #8
$D0 $EF ; BNE LOOP
]"
Use these routines inside your interrupt routine as follows:
PROC InterruptRoutine()
; Local declarations, if any.
BYTE a, b, c, etc.
; First line of code within
; procedure SaveTemps
... ; Your interrupt
; code goes here.
GetTemps ; Last line of code
; within procedure.
[$6C OldVBI] ; A special way to
; end for VBIs- see
; below.
For example, the following program will set up the routine ChangeColor as a vertical blank interrupt routine (hit the START key to exit the program):
DEFINE SaveTemps=
[ $A2 $07 $B5 $C0 $48
$B5 $A0 $48 $B5 $80
$48 $B5 $A8 $48 $CA
$10 $F1 $A5 $D3 $48 ]
DEFINE GetTemps=
[ $68 $85 $D3 $A2 $00 $68
$95 $A8 $68 $95 $80 $68
$95 $A0 $68 $95 $C0 $E8
$E0 $08 $D0 $EF ]
CARD OldVBI ; Will hold previous
; contents of vertical
; blank interrupt
; vector.
; This procedure will change the background color to random values.
; The main routine will set up this code to operate during the
; deferred vertical blank interrupt.
PROC ChangeColor()
BYTE hue, lum
SaveTemps
hue = Rand( 16 )
lum = Rand( 16 )
SetColor(2,hue,lum)
GetTemps
[ $6C OldVBI ] ; Vertical blank
; interrupts must end
; like this ($6C is a
; 6502 indirect jump
; instruction).
PROC Test() ; Main routine
BYTE critic=$42, ; Critical I/O flag
console=$D01F ; Console key
; hardware location
CARD VBIvec=$224 ; Deferred vertical
; blank interrupt vector
; You must install a VBI routine like this:
critic = 1 OldVBI = VBIvec
VBIvec = ChangeColor
critic = 0
; ChangeColor is now running as the vertical blank interrupt
; routine-- since our mainline code has nothing more to do,
; we just go into a loop waiting for the START key to be
; pressed.
WHILE console&1
DO
OD
; Now turn off the VBI routine.
critic = 1
VBIvec = OldVBI
critic = 0
RETURN
This method of saving and restoring ACTION zero page variables may also be used to write BASIC machine language subroutines in ACTION! Your main ACTION routine should then have SaveTemps as the first executable line, and GetTemps as the last executable line before the RETURN statement.
The following is a list of all bugs we currently know exist in the ACTION! cartridge. We list these bugs separately from those in the RunTime library and/or the PAD disk or ToolKit, which occur in following pages. Each bug is described in detail and, when possible, bug fixes are given. Many of these bugs deal only with specific versions of ACTION!. To find out which version of ACTION! you own, type the following from the ACTION! monitor:
?$B000 [[RETURN]Below is an actual copy of what printed following that command for one of our cartridges.
45055,$B000 = 0 $0730 48 1840
^
To find out the version number, look at the character to the right of the equals sign (here printed with a caret under it). The "0" in this case implies that the cartridge is version 3.0. If yours has a "6", you own version 3.6, etc. As of the date of this bug sheet, the current cartridge version is 3.6.
Affects: All versions of the cartridge to date. (Presumably only noticed if using RunTime disk, though.)
Fix: Make all TYPE declarations before changing the code offset. Example:
; Beginning of program --
; First, declare TYPEs
TYPE IOCB =
[
BYTE Id, Devnum,
Command, Status
]
; Then, if desired,
; change offset
SET $B5 = $1000
; example: offset=4096
Affects: All versions, especially when used with the RunTime disk.
Fix: No direct fix, but you may use the relocator program described later in this document (which is also usable with assembly language).
Affects: All versions, but only when used with Atari DOS.
Fix: Use DOS XL (or be careful when exiting to DOS).
Affects: All versions
Fix: There is no direct fix at this time. The best way around the problem seems to be to code something like this:
t = a(i) ; t is an INTEGER
...
ELSEIF t=0 THEN ...
This works properly.
Affects: All versions
Fix: If you get an error when writing an ACTION! object file, type the following command to the monitor:
X Close( 1 ) [RETURN]
You can then erase the file which caused the error.
Affects: All versions
Fix: Use decimal array dimensions.
TYPE REC=[...]
...
PROC Test( BYTE x, REC POINTER p )
Affects: All versions
Fix: Omit the comma in the argument list for the PROC/FUNC, as in:
PROC Test( BYTE x
REC POINTER p )
As this is just a temporary fix, it may not work in future versions, but the correct declaration (with the comma) will.
R* [[RETURN]
Affects: All versions
Fix: Don't do it! If you do type that command, hit [RESET]
Affects: Versions 3.0 to 3.5
Fix: Make the following declaration in your program:
BYTE ARRAY Paddle(4) = 624
Affects: Versions 3.0 to 3.5
Fix: Type in and use the following procedure. You should call this before doing any Sound() calls and/or in place of any SndRst() calls:
; Contributed by Michael Ross
PROC SoundOff()
BYTE AudCtl = $D208,
SSKCtl = $232,
SKCtl = $D20F
SSKCtl = 3
SKCtl = 3
AudCtl = 0
SndRst()
RETURN
MoveBlock( rec.addr1,
rec.addr2, length )
Affects: Versions 3.0 to 3.5
Fix: Assign the TYPE field to a temporary variable and pass that as a parameter:
temp1 = rec.addr1
temp2 = rec.addr2
MoveBlock(temp1,temp2,length)
Affects: Versions 3.0 to 3.5
Fix: No fix available at this time.
Affects: Versions 3.0 to 3.2
Fix: No fix available at this time.
Affects: Versions 3.0 to 3.2
Fix: No fix at this time. You could write an ACTION! routine to do the equivalent.
Affects: Versions 3.0 and 3.1
Fix: No fix available, but not a disastrous problem.
Affects: Versions 3.0 and 3.1
Fix: Insert the following code into your program before any of your own PROCedure or FUNCtion declarations (this can be done easily using INCLUDE):
; Copyright (c) 1983 by
; Action Computer Services
;
; Permission is granted to duplicate and/or distribute
; the contents of this file to ACTION! users. Copies of
; this file may not be sold or used for monetary gain.
PROC DivI=*()
[$20 $A06C $85 $86 $A2 $10
$26 $82 $26 $83 $26 $86 $26
$87 $38 $A5 $86 $E5 $84 $A8
$A5 $87 $E5 $85 $90 $04 $85
$87 $84 $86 $CA $D0 $E5 $A5
$82 $2A $26 $83 $A6 $83
$4C $A032]
PROC RemI=*()
[$20 DivI $86A5 $87A6 $60]
SET $4EA=DivI
SET $4EC=RemI
Affects: Versions 3.0 and 3.1
Fix: Make sure to restore the original Error vector upon exiting a program, if you changed it.
DO
...
UNTIL a>0 AND b=3
OD
Affects: Versions 3.0 and 3.1
Fix: Assign the expression to a temporary variable and test that variable, instead:
DO
...
temp = a>0 AND b=3
UNTIL temp
OD
Affects: Version 3.0 only
Fix: Put the following program lines at the VERY BEGINNING of your main procedure (i.e., the last procedure in your program):
BYTE bank = $D500
; This declares the variable
; 'bank' to reside at $D500.
bank = 0 ; This must be the
; first executable statement.
Affects: All versions, but only when using a version of OS/A+. DOS XL is not affected.
Fix: Insert the following as the first global variable you declare:
BYTE RTS=[$60]
; This MUST be the first line in your program,
; aside from comments and SET commands.
Affects: Versions 3.1 and 3.4
Fix: Insert an empty code block after the declaration of a procedure whose address is specified. For example:
PROC CIO = $E456() []
; An empty code block!
Affects: All versions
Fix: Do not go to the editor until you type the following line to the monitor. This command resets the ACTION! memory pointer.
SET $E=$491^
Affects: All versions
Fix: Adjust your declaration appropriately.
We have found a few bugs in the original version(s) of the RunTime Library Disk. Fortunately, they are all easy to fix. (The RunTime library is independent of the cartridge, so bugs affect all versions.)
In the fixes given below, the portion to be changed (to implement the fix) is underlined. The rest of the line remains the same. To make the fixes, simply load the library file containing the affected PROCedure, edit, and save it back to disk.
Fix: Change second line of CCIO:
PROC CCIO=*()
[$A386$A0A$A0A$AA$A3A5$9D$342 ...
--- ---
Fix: Change first line of PrintBDE:
PROC PrintBDE =*(BYTE d,n)[$A0$0]
--
Fix: Change second line of ChkErr:
PROC ChkErr=*(BYTE r,b,eC)
[$1610$88C0$8F0
$98$80C0$12F0 ...
---
We will list the problems (and solutions) regarding the Programmer's Aid Disk here in reasonably compact form.
;********************************
;Burst (Block) I/O routines to do
;quick disk I/O, utilizing a call
;to CIO
;********************************
PROC CIO=$E456( BYTE areg, xreg )
;********************************
CARD FUNC Burst( BYTE chan, mode,
CARD addr, buflen )
TYPE IOCB=[BYTE id,num,cmd,stat
CARD badr,padr,blen
BYTE a1,a2,a3,
a4,a5,a6]
IOCB POINTER iptr
chan ==& $07
iptr = $340+(chan LSH 4)
iptr.cmd = mode
iptr.blen = buflen
iptr.badr = addr
CIO( 0, chan LSH 4 )
RETURN( iptr.blen )
;********************************
CARD FUNC BGet( BYTE chan,
CARD addr, len )
CARD temp
temp = Burst(chan,7,addr,len)
RETURN( temp )
;********************************
PROC BPut(BYTE chan,
CARD addr,len)
Burst( chan, 11, addr, len )
RETURN
args ==+ s
and change it to
args ==+ 2
PM_BaseAdr=(HiMem-
PM_MemSize(mode))
&PM_AdrMask(mode)
and change it to
PM_BaseAdr=(HiMem-
PM_MemSize(mode)-$80)
&PM_AdrMask(mode)
IF deltay=0 THEN
RETURN ; do nothing
FI
to the following:
IF deltay=0 THEN
; do horizontal anyway
PMHpos(n)=x
RETURN
FI
| Name in .DOC | Name in .ACT |
|---|---|
| StrR | RealToStr |
| ValR | StrToReal |
ptr=InBuff
In the PROCedure Free, after the line reading:
last.size==+nBytes
insert the line:
target=last
Also, in the same procedure, change the line reading:
IF target+nBytes=current THEN
to read:
IF target+target.size
=current THEN
In the PROCedure AllocInit, replace the line reading:
FreeList.next=p
with the following lines:
FreeList=p
p==+4
FreeList.next=p
| Name in .DOC | Name in .ACT |
|---|---|
| StrR | RealToStr |
| ValR | StrToReal |
| Name in .DOC | Name in .ACT |
|---|---|
| SortB | BSort |
| SortC | CSort |
| SortI | ISort |
| SortS | SSort |
args ==+ s
and change it to
args ==+ 2
SET EndProg=*
after compiling), the parameter to AllocInit is not really needed and so has been eliminated. (AllocInit uses EndProg just as Alloc does.) If you pass a parameter to AllocInit, it will be ignored.
In the PROCedure Free, after the line reading:
last.size==+nBytes
insert the line:
target=last
Also, in the same procedure, change the line reading:
IF target+nBytes=current THEN
to read:
IF target+target.size
=current THEN
In the PROCedure AllocInit, replace the line reading:
p=EndProg
with the following lines:
FreeList=EndProg
p=EndProg+4
First of all, you need to know which version of the manual you have. If Part III is the Language, then you have the first version of the manual. Otherwise, you have the second (newest) version. Unfortunately, both manuals contain content as well as typographical errors. We'll skip the typos and concentrate on the content errors, since typos don't impair your understanding of the language (although you may wonder where we learned to spell).
PAGE ERROR
2 In the last paragraph, it says that the library is on the disk. This is not true. It's in your cartridge.
23 Under the description of <BACK-S>, the comparison with the Atari screen editor is exactly reversed. If you are in REPLACE mode, this key works as in the Atari editor.
26 Under <CTRL><SHIFT>T, it says you may not use lower-case characters as tags. This is untrue.
48 In the NOTE preceeding 4.3, you should add "The *, /, and MOD operators result in an implied INT type. For this reason, multiplication, division, and modulus of large CARD numbers does not always work properly."
49 Section 4.4 says that you may only have one special operator in a complex relational expression. This is untrue. For example, the following is perfectly legal: (x=7 AND y#10) OR z<100
82 Section 6.2.3 implies that you may not use a function as a procedure. This is not true. You may call a function as though it were a procedure, but the value returned from the function is ignored.
97 Section 8.1.1 states that you may either initialize a POINTER to an address or give it a value. Only the second is possible, and you should use this form: BYTE POINTER x=<value> Not this: BYTE POINTER x=[<value>]
99 In example #1 there are two PrintF statements which have "ptr" as one parameter. These should be "bptr", not "ptr".
101 In the last example of ARRAY declaration (BYTE ARRAY tests(5)...), the dimension is overruled by the initialization options, and so its dimension is only three. To fill only the first 3 of 5 elements, do the following: BYTE ARRAY tests(5)=[4 7 18 0 0]
104 In example #3 you see the program line "PrintE(b)". This should read "PrintE(barray)".
108 Section 8.3.1.2 states that you can initialize the fields of a record when you declare it. This is untrue; you may only initialize its address.
110 The program line "rec.level = InputB()" should read "rec.level = GetD(7)".
112 Same as previous error.
115 Same as previous error.
112 The program line "continue=InputB()" should read "continue=GetD(7)"
120 The program line "mode=InputB()" should read "mode=GetD(7)", and the program line "PrintE(name)" should read "PrintE(nameptr)".
115 Same as previous error.
122 The program line "incctr=chgclr" should read "incclr=chgclr".
142 Section 5.3 states that you should not use channel 7. ACTION! uses this channel to get characters from the keyboard, and you may use it to do this also. However, don't close this channel or alter its configuration in any way.
153 The example of declaring an ACTION! procedure at an address is wrong! If you do this, the internal pointer to the procedure will point to the specified address, but the code generated by the procedure will not be there. Instead, it will be in with your main code. Use procedure and function addressing ONLY to call machine language routines.
161 Where the table of contents lists the routines in section 2.3, it should read: PrintBD NOT PrintDB PrintCD NOT PrintDC PrintID NOT PrintDI
162 Where the table of contents lists the routines in sections 6.7 and 6.8, it should read: PeekC NOT CPeek PokeC NOT CPoke
165 Error in section 2.3. See changes for pg. 161 and make similar corrections.
179 Section 6.4 states some information concerning the results of misusing the SCopy routine, detailing that the routine does string trucation, etc., to make the procedure work. This is not true. You must make sure that the strings are compatible in size.
181 Section 6.8 states that the parameters to Poke and PokeC consist only of an address. Instead, they consist of an address and a value, as follows: Poke(<address>,<BYTE value>) PokeC(<address>,<CARD value>)
182 Section 6.11. MoveBlock will move a maximum block of 256 bytes in versions 3.0 to 3.4 of ACTION! Versions 3.5 and up will move any number of bytes.
191 Some error numbers are wrong. The corrections are: 14 Out of Space 15 Missing DO 19 Missing OD 24 Illegal FOR statement 26 Nesting Too Deep 27 Illegal TYPE reference 28 Illegal RETURN 128 BREAK key abort Also, error 62 is error 61, and 54 & 56 do not exist.
197 In the PrintF statement, %D should be changed to %U.
PAGE ERROR
38 Section 2.7, paragraph 3. The last sentence states that you can RUN compiled ACTION! programs from disk. This is untrue. The RUN command will only compile and run ACTION! source files. Use DOS to run compiled object files.
39 The last RUN example (RUN PrintE()) will not work, since RUN expects a file name. Use the "Xecute" command instead.
63 In the TECHNICAL NOTE preceeding section 4.3, "*" should be changed to "*, /, or MOD".
126 The last assignment on the page makes newrecord point to the current record in the array, not the end of the array.
132 The program line "mode=InputB()" should be changed to "mode=GetD(7)".
138 The program line "IF sub(1)=str(ctr)" should read "IF sub(1)=str(ctrl)".
163 The PutDE procedure requires only a channel as a parameter, and does not put out both a character and a <RETURN>. Rather, it puts out a <RETURN> only.
172 In graphics mode 0 and all text windows, color 1 is the character luminance, color 2 is the background color, and color 3 is unused.
174 In section 5.6, references to the "lower right corner" should instead be "lower left corner".
180 Section 6.1.2 states some information concerning the results of misusing the SCopy routine, detailing that the routine does string truncating, etc. This is not true. You must make sure that the strings are compatible in size.
182 Section 6.11. MoveBlock will move a maximum block of 256 bytes in versions 3.0 to 3.4 of ACTION! Versions 3.5 and up will move any number of bytes.
The program takes two object files as input and produces a third file which will load and run at a desired address. The relocating program prompts the user for the two input files, which must have been compiled one page (256 bytes) apart. It then prompts for an output file name (the relocated file), the page number of the starting address of the first file, and the page number of the desired destination address. Both page numbers must be decimal values. For example, specifying 32 as the destination page will cause the output file to load at address 32*256 ($2000), not $3200. See part V, "The ACTION! Compiler", chapter 2, page 144, for information on compiling programs to a specified address (Used to compile the two object files one page apart).
In order to use the relocating program, download SIMPLEREL.ACT and read the instructions therein.