Advanced 6502 Assembly Code Examples#

The remainder of this file will be in a format acceptable to TASM for direct assembly. Note there may be errors in the code, it is not intended that it be cut up and included in students files. It is meant only as an example of addressing modes and instructions. The first example is a prime number finder. The second example is a set of subroutines to maintain a multitasking system.

		====================================================================
	DR  6502	 AER 201S Engineering Design 6502 Execution Simulator
		====================================================================

		Supplementary Notes											  By: M.J.Malone


				 Advanced 6502 Assembly Code Examples
				 ====================================

		The remainder of this file will be in a  format  acceptable  to
		TASM  for direct assembly.  Note there may be errors in the code, it
		is not intended that it be cut up and included  in  students  files.
		It	is	meant	only	as  an  example  of  addressing  modes  and
		instructions.  The first example is  a  prime  number  finder.	The
		second  example  is  a set of subroutines to maintain a multitasking
		system.


;==============================================================================
;				 Advanced Coding Examples for the Students of AER201S
;==============================================================================
;
;
.ORG $E000
		SEI				 ; INITIALIZING THE STACK POINTER
		LDX #$FF
		TXS
;
		LDX #$00
		LDY #$00
Delay		DEX
		BNE Delay
		DEY
		BNE Delay
;
;=============================================================================
;	 Prime Number Finder
;=============================================================================
;  This Prime Number Finder uses the sieve method to find the primes up to 255
;  and then uses those primes to find the primes up to 65535.  Note that this
;  is of course not THE most efficient way to find primes but it makes a good
;  demonstration.
;  It would be neat to stack this code up against a casually written/optimized
;  compiled C prime number finder on a raging 386.  I have a feeling there will
;  be less than a factor of ten difference on execution speed.  You may be
;  surprised just how fast the 6502 is on simple problems.
;
Test_num = $00				 ;  Test Number to Eliminate non-primes
Array	 = $00				 ;  Base Address for the array of primes
;
;
		lda #$01
		sta $a003
		lda #$01
		sta $a001		 ;  Turns on an LED on bit zero of port A of VIA 1
				;  to let you know it has started looking for primes
;
 
 
		ldx #$01		  ;  Initialize the array of numbers
Init_Loop  txa
		sta Array,x
		inx
		bne Init_loop
;
		lda #$02		  ; Initialize the Test_num = 2
		sta Test_num
		lda #$04		  ; Put the square of 2 in the accumulator
				;	as the first non-prime
;
;  Start Setting the Multiples of the Test_num to zero
Start_num
Got_Mult	tax
		stz Array,x	  ; Set multiples of Test_num to zero since they
		clc				 ; are not prime.
		adc Test_num	 ; Calculate the next multiple
		bcs Next_num	 ; Until the Multiples are outside the array
		jmp Got_Mult
;
Next_num	inc Test_num	 ; Go on to the next Test_num
		ldx Test_num
		cpx #$10		  ; Until Test_num => sqrt(largest number)
		beq More_Primes
		lda Array,x
		beq Next_num	 ; Don't use Test_num if Test_num is not prime
		txa
;	 Got a valid new Test_num, now find its square because all non-primes
;		 multiples less than its square are eliminated already
		dex
		clc
Square	  adc Test_num
		dex
		bne Square
;	 OK Got the square of Test_num in the accumulator
;		 lets start checking
		jmp Start_num
;
;
More_Primes
;
;	Ok now we have all the primes up to 255 in the memory locations $01-$FF
;	  Lets repack them more neatly into an array with no spaces to make our
;	  life easier
;
		ldx #$00			 ; .X is a pointer into the loose array
		ldy #$01			 ; .Y is a pointer into the packed array
Repack	  inx
		beq Done_packing
		lda Array,x
		beq Repack
		sta Array,y
		iny
		jmp Repack
;
 
Prime_Ptr = $F0				  ; This is a points into the list of primes greater
				  ;  than $FF and less that $10000
;
Poss_Prime = $F2				 ; Possible prime
Temp		 = $F4				 ; A Temporary Number used to find modulus
Shift		= $F6				 ; Number of Places that .A is shifted
TempArg	 = $F7				 ; A temporary number; argument of modulus
 
;
Done_packing
		lda #$00			 ; Store a $00 at the end of the array of short
		sta Array,y		 ; primes so we know when we have reached the end
		lda #$00
		sta Prime_ptr	  ; Set the Prime Pointer (for primes >$FF)
		lda #$02			 ; pointing into $0200. The found primes will be
		sta Prime_ptr+1	; recorded sequentially from there on.
;
		lda #$01			 ; Start with $0101 as the first possible prime
		sta Poss_Prime
		sta Poss_Prime+1
;
Next_PP	 ldy #$02
Next_AP	 lda Array,y
		beq Prime
		jsr Mod
		beq Next_Poss_prime	  ; it was a multiple of Array,y
					; and therefore not prime
		iny
		jmp Next_AP
;
Prime		ldx #$00
		lda Poss_prime		 ; Store prime away in the array of primes
		sta (Prime_ptr,x)
		inx
		lda Poss_prime+1
		sta (Prime_ptr,x)
		clc
		lda Prime_ptr		  ; Increment the pointer in the array of primes
		adc #$02
		sta Prime_ptr
		lda Prime_ptr+1
		adc #$00
		sta Prime_ptr+1
;
Next_Poss_prime
		clc						; Increment Poss_Prime to look at the next
		lda Poss_Prime		 ; number
		adc #$01
		sta Poss_Prime
		lda Poss_Prime+1
		adc #$00
		sta Poss_Prime+1
		bcc Next_PP			 ; Carry will be set when we reach $10000
;
;	Ends when it has found all the primes up to 65535
;
;
 
		lda #$00
		sta $a001		 ; Turns off the LED after the code finishes
;
DONE		 JMP DONE		  ; Endless loop at end to halt execution
;
;
;
; --------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Find the Modulus Remainder of Poss_Prime and number in A
; --------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Input Regs: .A Number being divided into the Possible Prime
;				 Poss_Prime contains the number being tested for primeness
; Output  Regs:  .A  Modulo remainder
;
Mod			  ldx Poss_Prime		; Transfer Poss_Prime to Temp
			stx Temp
			ldx Poss_Prime+1
			stx Temp+1
			ldx #$00				; Set the bit shifting counter to #$00
			stx Shift
;
;  Compare A to the upper byte of Temp
;
Compare		 sec					  ; Compare to see if the .A is greater than
			cmp Temp+1			 ; (equal to) the high byte of Temp
			bcs A_Bigger
;
;  If the accumulator is smaller than the upper byte of Temp then shift it
;  until it is bigger or it overflows the highest bit
;
			clc
			rol a
			bcc Not_off_end
;
;  It has overflowed the highest bit, unroll it by one position
;
			ror a
			sta TempArg
			jmp Start_Mod
;
;  Not overflowed yet, go and compare it to Temp+1 again
;
Not_off_end	inc Shift
			jmp Compare
;
;  If the accumulator is bigger and it has been shifted then unshift by one
;  bit
;
A_Bigger		ldx Shift
			cpx #$00
			sta TempArg
			beq Start_Mod
			clc
			ror a
			dec Shift
			sta TempArg
;
;  If the accumulator was smaller than the highest byte of Temp it now
;	  has been shifted to strip off the high bit at least
;  If the accumulator was larger than the highest byte then proceed with the
;	  regular modulus shift and subtracts
;
Start_Mod	  lda Temp+1
			sec
			cmp TempArg
			bcc Dont_Subt
;
;  Subtract as a stage of division
;
			sbc TempArg
			sta Temp+1
;
Dont_Subt
;
;  We would now like to shift the TempArg relative the Temp
;	 1) Shift is greater than zero - accumulator was shifted - unshift it
;	 2) Shift Temp - if shift reaches -8 then we are out of Temp and
;		 what we have left is the modulus --RTS
;
			lda Shift
			bmi Sh_Temp	  ; Case 2
			beq Sh_Temp
;	Case 1
			clc
			ror TempArg
			dec Shift
			jmp Start_Mod
;
Sh_Temp		 cmp #$f8
			bne Continue
			lda Temp+1		 ;  This is the Modulus
			rts
 
Continue		dec Shift
			clc
			rol Temp
			rol Temp+1
			jmp Start_Mod
;
.ORG $FFFC
.WORD $E000
.END
;
;
;
;==============================================================================
;******************************************************************************
;==============================================================================
;
;
 
;=============================================================================
;  The Multitasking 6502  -  See you 6502 do several things at once
;=============================================================================
;  This relies on the assumption that there is a source of IRQ's out there
;  that is repetitive and each task is allotted time between each IRQ.
;  Process 1 is started automatically by the RESET signal.
;  Any process can extend its life for a while (if it is doing something
;  important) by setting the SEI and then CLI after the important section.
;
;
;
.ORG $E000
		SEI				 ; INITIALIZING THE STACK POINTER
		LDX #$FF
		TXS
;
		LDX #$00
		LDY #$00
Delay		DEX
		BNE Delay
		DEY
		BNE Delay
;
;  Each Process has a reserved space in memory starting with process 1 at
;  $0200-$03FF, process 2 at $0400-$05FF.  With this model, an 8K RAM can
;  support 15 such processes provided none of the RAM outside zero page and
;  stack is used during the execution of a particular process.
;
M_box	 = $F0	 ; A Mailbox used to communicate between processes
Com1	  = $F8	 ; User Communications Channel to other processes
Com2	  = $F9
Temp	  = $FA	 ; A temporary variable used during SWAPS and SPAWNS
Proc_Ptr = $FB	 ; Pointer to the reserved space of the current process
Proc	  = $FC	 ; Current process number
Proc_N	= $FE	 ; Actual Number for active Processes
Proc_M	= $FF	 ; Maximum Number of Processes that have been concurrent
;
; A Process Record Consists of:
;	 Offset		  Purpose
;	 ------		  -------
;		00			 Priority
;		01			 Priority Counter
;		02			 Accumulator
;		03			 X Register
;		04			 Y Register
;		05			 Stack Pointer
;
;		10-FF		 Zero Page Memory from $00-$EF
;	  100-1FF		System Stack Space
;
		lda #$01			  ; Initialize the start up process as 1
		sta Proc
		sta Proc_N			; Set the number of processes to 1
		sta $0200			 ; Set the priority of process 1 to 1
		lda #$00
		sta $0201			 ; Set the priority counter of process 1 to 0
		lda #$00
		sta Proc_Ptr		 ; Initialize the process pointer to point to
		lda #$02			  ; Process 1 reserved space $0200-$03FF
		sta Proc_Ptr+1
		JMP Start_Code
;
;===========================================================================
;  IRQ Subroutine to Swap Tasks
;===========================================================================
;
IRQ_VECT	sta Temp			  ; Store .A Temporarily
;
;  If there is only one active process currently then just return
;
		lda Proc_N
		cmp #$01
		bne Cont_Swap1
		lda Temp
		rti
;
;  Continue there is more than one Process
;
Cont_Swap1 tya
		pha
;
;	Check process priority counter.  If it equals the priority of the process
;	  then attempt to swap in another process
;
		ldy #$00
		lda (Proc_Ptr),y	; Load Priority Number
		beq Swap_In		  ; If 'killed' process then just swap in another
		iny
		inc (Proc_Ptr),y	; Increment Priority Counter
		cmp (Proc_Ptr),y
		beq Cont_Swap2
;
;	Not done this Process, Return
;
		pla
		tay
		lda Temp
		rti
;
;	Other Processes available and this one is done:  S W A P	O U T
;
Cont_Swap2 pla
		ldy #$04
		sta (Proc_Ptr),y	; Save .Y
		dey
		txa
		sta (Proc_Ptr),y	; Save .X
		dey
		lda Temp
		sta (Proc_Ptr),y	; Save .A
		ldy #$05
		tsx
		txa
		sta (Proc_Ptr),y	; Save .SP
;
;	Swap Zero Page ($00-$EF) to (Proc_Ptr + $10-$FF)
;
		ldy #$00
		lda #$10
		sta Proc_Ptr
Out_Zero	lda $00,y
		sta (Proc_Ptr),y
		iny
		cpy #$f0
		bne Out_Zero
;
;	Swap System Stack
;
		lda #$00
		sta Proc_Ptr
		inc Proc_Ptr+1
		tsx
		txa
		tay
Out_Stack  iny
		beq Swap_In
		lda $0100,y
		sta (Proc_Ptr),y
		jmp Out_Stack
;
;
;	Look for the next process to swap in
;
Swap_In
Another	 lda Proc			; Looking for another process to Swap in
		cmp Proc_M
		bne Not_End
;
;  Go back to Process #1
;
		lda #$01
		sta Proc
		lda #$02
		sta Proc_Ptr+1
		jmp Check_Proc
;
;  Go to the next Process
;
Not_End	 clc
		lda Proc_Ptr+1
		adc #$02
		sta Proc_Ptr+1
		inc Proc
;
;  Check this Process if Non-Active, go try another
;
		ldy #$00
		lda (Proc_Ptr),y
		beq Another
;
;  Found an Acceptable Process:  S W A P	I N
;
;
;	Get the Stack Pointer
;
		ldy #$05
		lda (Proc_Ptr),y  ; Restore .SP
		tax
		txs
;
;	Swap In Zero Page ($00-$EF) to (Proc_Ptr + $10-$FF)
;
		ldy #$00
		lda #$10
		sta Proc_Ptr
In_Zero	 lda (Proc_Ptr),y
		sta $00,y
		iny
		cpy #$f0
		bne In_Zero
;
;	Swap System Stack
;
		lda #$00
		sta Proc_Ptr
		inc Proc_Ptr+1
		tsx
		txa
		tay
In_Stack	iny
		beq Restore_Regs
		lda (Proc_Ptr),y
		sta $0100,y
		jmp In_Stack
;
;	 Restore all of the system registers
;
Restore_Regs
		lda #$00
		sta Proc_Ptr
		dec Proc_Ptr+1
		ldy #$01			 ; Set Priority Counter to 0
		sta (Proc_Ptr),y
		iny
		lda (Proc_Ptr),y  ; Temporarily store .A
		sta Temp
		iny
		lda (Proc_Ptr),y  ; Restore .X
		tax
		iny
		lda (Proc_Ptr),y  ; Restore .Y
		tay
		lda Temp			 ; Restore .A
		rti
;--------------------- Done the Swap ----------------------
;
;
;
;==========================================================
; Spawn a New Process
;==========================================================
; PHA	 Process PCH
; PHA	 Process PCL
; PHA	 Process Priority
; JSR	 Spawn High
;		  Spawn Low
;
;
Spawn	 lda Proc_Ptr+1	; Store Current Process Pointer
	 sta Temp
	 lda Proc			; Store Current Process Number
	 pha
	 lda #$01			; Set Process Pointer and Number to 1
	 sta Proc
	 lda #$02
	 sta Proc_Ptr+1
;
Free_Check					  ;	See if there is an old process number no longer
	 ldy #$00			 ;	in use
	 lda (Proc_Ptr),y
	 beq Got_Free
	 inc Proc
	 clc
	 lda Proc_Ptr+1
	 adc #$02
	 sta Proc_Ptr+1
	 lda Proc_M
	 sec
	 cmp Proc
	 bcs Free_Check
	 inc Proc_M		 ; Have to create an extra Process
	 inc Proc_N
;
;  Ok we are clear, Create this Process
;
Got_Free tsx				  ; Get the current stack pointer
	 txa
	 clc
	 adc #$05
	 tax				  ; Set x to point at Priority
;
	 ldy #$00
	 lda $0100,x		; Transfer Priority to Process Space
	 sta (Proc_Ptr),y
;
	 ldy #$05			; Set .sp = #$FC
	 lda #$FC
	 sta (Proc_Ptr),y
;
	 ldy #$02			; Set the accumulator to 1 to indicate: START
	 lda #$01			; to the new process
	 sta (Proc_Ptr),y
;
	 inc Proc_Ptr+1	; To point into stack swap space for this process
;
	 lda #$00			; Processor Status Register, for this process
	 ldy #$FD
	 sta (Proc_Ptr),y
;
	 inx
	 lda $0100,x		; Load PCL
	 iny
	 sta (Proc_Ptr),y ; Put into (swapped) Stack
;
	 inx
	 lda $0100,x		; Load PCH
	 iny
	 sta (Proc_Ptr),y ; Put into (swapped) Stack
;
	 lda Temp			; Set Pointer back to original (Spawner) process
	 sta Proc_Ptr+1
;
	 lda Proc			; Take Spawned Process number and put in Temp
	 sta Temp
;
	 pla				  ; Restore Spawned Process number
	 sta Proc
;
	 pla				  ; Pull 'Spawn' return address from stack
	 tax
	 pla
	 tay
;
	 pla				  ; Pull Spawn data out of the stack
	 pla
	 pla
;
	 tya				  ; Push the Return Address back to the stack
	 pha
	 txa
	 pha
	 lda Temp			; Return Spawned Process Number
	 rts
;-------------- Done Spawn -----------------
;
;
;
;=============================================================
;  Kill a Process
;=============================================================
;
; Input Registers : NONE
; Output Registers: NEVER RETURNS IF KILL IS SUCCESSFUL
;
Kill	  lda Proc_N
	 cmp #$01			 ; Can't Clear Last Process
	 bne Ok_More
	 rts
Ok_More  ldy #$00			 ; OK Kill the Process, put a 0 in Priority
	 tya
	 sta (Proc_Ptr)
;
	 dec Proc_N		  ; One Less Process
;
	 lda Proc			 ; If we are clearing 'Maximum' Process then
	 cmp Proc_M		  ; then reduce maximum
	 beq Reduce_Max
	 jmp Swap_In		 ; Otherwise Go swap another in
;
Reduce_Max
	 dec Proc
	 dec Proc_M
	 dec Proc_Ptr+1
	 dec Proc_Ptr+1
	 lda (Proc_ptr),y
	 beq Reduce_Max
	 jmp Swap_In
;---------------------- Done Clear a Process ---------------------------
;
;
;
;
;=======================================================================
; An Example Spawnable Process
;=======================================================================
; Input Registers:  .A  =  #$00	Means that we just want the address of
;	(JSR Child)						 this process so that the process swapper
;											will know where to start.
;
; (RTI to CHILD1)	.A  =  #$01	Means that the process swapper has signalled
;											this process to actually start
;
Child	 jsr Child1
Child1	cmp #$00
	 bne Go_For_It
;
;  Process was called to get its start up address
;
	 pla				;  Grab Child1 start up address
	 clc
	 adc #$01		 ;  Remember that an RTS return address points at the
	 tax				;  last byte of the JSR statement.
	 pla				;  RTI return addresses point to the first byte of the
	 adc #$00		 ;  next instruction to be executed
	 tay
;
	 pla				;  Save Return Address to program calling Child
	 sta Temp
	 pla
	 sta Proc_Ptr
;
	 tya				;  Push Child1  RTI  address
	 pha
	 txa
	 pha
;
	 lda Proc_Ptr	;  This Pushes the calling program's return address
	 pha				;  back into the stack
	 lda Temp
	 pha
;
	 lda #$00		 ; Returns Proc_Ptr(low) to #$00 after its use as a
	 sta Proc_Ptr	; Temporary variable
	 rts
;
;  Spawned Process actually starts:
;	Note that PLA's are not required to get rid of the JSR Child1 start up
;	address since the RTI address pushed in points to Child1  NOT  Child
Go_For_It
 
  Body of the spawned process
 
;
;
;=======================================================================
;  An Example of a Kill of the present Process
;=======================================================================
;
	  { User Code  }
;
	 sei
	 jsr Kill	  ;  This should kill the process unless it is the
				;  only process
	 cli
;
;	This is the only process
;
	  { More user code }
;
;
;
;=======================================================================
; Start of User Code
;=======================================================================
Start_Code
{ Your first process goes here }
;
;
;  Example Spawn of Process	'Child'
;
	 sei				 ;  Prevent swap attempts during process creation
	 lda #$00
	 jsr Child		 ;  Request Address for Child1
;
	 lda #Priority
	 pha				 ;  Push Priority into the stack
;
	 jsr Spawn		 ;  Ask the Process Swapper to set 'Child1' up in
			 ;  the swap schedule
	 rol a
	 sta Ptr+1		 ;  Set pointer to the Child process zero page
	 lda #$10		  ;  reserved area
	 sta Ptr
;
;  The  Spawn  call returns the process number.  If there is some initial data
;  or a pointer that this process would like to pass to 'Child1' then the
;  address of its ZERO PAGE reserved data space is pointed to by  '(Ptr),y'.
;  Once the data has been transferred:
;
	 cli				 ;  Re-enable swap attempts
;
;
;
;============================================================================
;  Example of Taking full control of execution temporarily
;============================================================================
;
	 sei				 ; Disable swaps
  { User Code }
	 cli				 ; Re-enable swaps
;
;
;
;============================================================================
;  Example of taking full control by Killing all other processes
;============================================================================
;
Ptr	 = $00
K_Proc = $02
;
	 sei					; Disable swaps
;
	 lda #$00			 ; Set Pointer to $0200
	 sta Ptr
	 lda #$02
	 sta Ptr+1
;
	 lda #$01			 ; Set Kill Process counter to 1
	 sta K_Proc
;
Top		lda Proc
	 cmp K_Proc
	 beq Don_t_Kill
	 ldy #$00
	 tya
	 sta (Ptr),y
;
Don_t_Kill
	 cmp Proc_M
	 beq Done_Kill
	 inc Ptr+1
	 inc Ptr+1
	 inc K_Proc
	 jmp Top
;
Done_Kill
	 lda #$01
	 sta Proc_N
	 lda Proc
	 sta Proc_M
	 cli			; Note that this is optional, if we know that there
			  ; are no other processes we could prevent swap decisions
			  ; by not clearing the IRQ mask.
;
	{ More code that will not be swapped out }
;
;
;
.ORG $FFFC
.WORD $E000
.WORD IRQ_VECT
.END
;
; -------------------- Done Multitasking example -------------------------