Synapse Assembler 'SynAssembler' by Steve Hales. Copyright (C) 1982 SYNAPSE Software and Steve Hales#
Introduction#
SYNASSEMBLER is a convenient and powerful tool for software development on the Atari computer system. The assembler uses standard 6502 mnemonics and syntax, and includes many useful features for creating, editing, assembling and testing your assembly language programs. Now assembly language programming is almost as easy as programming in BASIC.Here is a summary of the most exciting features:
- Full use of the standard Atari Screen Editor
- Tab stops for opcode, operand, and comment fields
- Fast parameterized renumber and delete command
- Uses BASIC like commands for files (eg. LOAD, SAVE, BLOAD etc.)
- Labels up to 32 characters long (lowercase letters and . accepted)
- English ERROR messages
- Ability to append source programs from tape or disk
- Display of memory usage
- Multiple source files, using .IN directive
- Store object code directly to disk file, using the .TF directive
- Listing to screen option using .LI ON and .LI OFF
- Assembles 6500 lines/minute
- Local labels
- Offending line is listed after an ERROR occurs
- Value of .EQ and address of .BS are printed on listing
- ASSEMBLER, DOS, HARDWARE, and OS locations protected during assembly
- ATASCII literals in address expressions
- Symbol table printed in alphabetical order
Synassembler requires 48K of RAM and one disk drive to operate. Very large programs can now be developed, using the "INCLUDE" and "TARGET FILE" capabilities. These allow the assembly of multiple source files, and direct storage of object code on binary files.
Origin#
SynAssembler is a port of the S-C Assembler II Version 4.0 from the Apple II. Information from Apple Assembly Line V2N12
SYNASSEMBLER: Synapse Software has just started marketing a conversion of the S-C Assembler II Version 4.0 for the Atari 800 or 400. You need 48K RAM and at least one disk drive. The conversion was done by Steve Hales, of Livermore, California. He added global replace and copy commands, so this version falls somewhere between the Apple version 4.0 and the new Macro version. It assembles at about 6500 lines per minute, which is from 50 to over 100 times faster than the Atari ASM/ED program.
Since the Atari does not have nice monitor commands built-in, like the Apple does, Steve added a complete set of monitor commands to SYNASSEMBLER. They look exactly like the Apple monitor commands, except that he added some new ones to allow reading and writing a range of disk sectors, delete the tape I/O commands, and included the old Step and Trace commands which were in Apples before the Autostart ROM.
The price is only $49.95 on disk. A ROM version is available by special order for $89.95. I will carry these, if you want to order from me.
The original sourcecode of S-C Assembler by Bob Sander-Cederlof can be found at
http://www.txbobsc.com/scsc/scdisassembler/index.html
The Apple Assembly line (also by Bob Sander-Cederlof) contains additional information for the S-C Assembler: http://www.txbobsc.com/aal/index.html
Author#
Synapse Assembler has been written by Steve Hales. Steve Hales was and still is an Atari hero and living legend. Describing Steve is quite easy. If you compare Atari to the whole world, then Steve would be a global player. He has done so much for Atari and the community. Steve is already a member in the hall of fame and carrier of the sigma, the highest award possible on the AtariWiki. We owe him so much! In 2015 he has given us the source code for Fort Apocalypse, further he has given us the source code listing from Star Raiders! Without his help they would be lost. Steve, tera-thanks to you, may you live long and prosper.
Manual#
Atari 8bit Equates files#
SynAssembler on Atari XL/XE machines#
The original SynAssembler does not work on XL/XE machines, due to the use of direct jumps into the 400/800 OS.There is a basic program in ANTIC VOL. 3, NO. 2 / JUNE 1984 / PAGE 38 that patches the SynAssembler binary to run on XL/XE type machines.
Pictures#
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Help File#
00010 * 00020 * SYNASSEMBLER DIRECTIVES 00030 * 00040 .AS ASCII STRING 00050 .AS "TEST" 00060 .AT ATASCII STRING 00070 .AT "SCORE:" 00080 .BS BLOCK STORAGE 00090 .BS 5 SKIPS 5 BYTES 00100 .DA WORD 00110 .DA HELLO 00120 .EN END OF SOURCE (OPTIONAL) 00130 .EN 00140 .EQ EQUATE 00150 TEST .EQ 5 00160 .HS HEX STRING 00170 .HS 0001AA5500339944344 00180 .IN INCLUDE FILE WITH ASM 00190 .IN "D:FILE NAME" 00200 .LI LIST ON OR OFF 00210 .LI OFF 00220 .OR SET ORG 00230 .OR $6000 00240 .TA SET TARGET FOR OBJECT 00250 .TA $9000 00260 .TF SEND OBJECT TO DISK 00270 .TF "D:FILE NAME" 00280 * 00290 * SYNASSEMBLER COMMAND 00300 * 00310 LOAD "D:FILE NAME" 00320 SAVE "D:FILE NAME" 00330 BLOAD "D:FILE NAME",<START> 00340 BSAVE "D:FILE NAME",<START>,<END> 00350 ENTER "D:FILE NAME" 00360 DIR DIRECTORY DRIVE 1 00370 DIR "D4:*.* DIRECTORY DRIVE 4 00380 DOS 00390 MEM MEMORY STATUS 00400 LIST L1,L2 00410 NEW 00420 REN L1,L2 00430 RENUMBER L1 USING INC OF L2 00440 REN L1,L2,L3 00450 RENUMBER L1 USING INC OF L2 00460 STARTING AT L3 00470 COPY L1,L2 00480 COPY L1 AT L2 00490 COPY L1,L2,L3 00500 COPY L1 TO L2 AT L3 00510 MOVE L1,L2 00520 MOVE L1 TO L2 00530 MOVE L1,L2,L3 00540 MOVE L1 TO L2 AT L3 00550 FIND STRING 00560 ASM 00570 DEL L1,L2 00580 HID 00590 HID CURRENT SOURCE PROGRAM 00600 MER 00610 COMBINE HIDDEN SOURCE WITH 00620 CURRENT SOURCE 00630 RUN EXPRESSION 00640 RESTORE 00650 RETURN FROM AN INCLUDE FILE 00660 OR TO UN-HIDE A HIDDEN FILE 00670 SYM 00680 PRINT SYMBOL TABLE 00690 VAL EXPRESSION 00700 REP /.BYTE/.HS/,P 00710 REPLACE WITH PROMPT 00720 PRESS 'Y' TO CHANGE 00730 PRESS 'N' FOR NO CHANGE 00740 PRESS 'X' TO CANCEL REPLACE 00750 REP /.BYTE/.HS/ 00760 REPLACE ALL 00770 OUT "P:" 00780 PRINT OUTPUT TO DEVICE 00790 TYPE "P:" 00800 LIST TO DEVICE 00810 LOMEM $4000 OR LOM $4000 00820 LOMEM OF SYMBOL TABLE 00830 HIMEM $8000 OR HIM $8000 00840 HIMEM OF SOURCE CAUTION 00850 DESTROYS SOURCE 00860 MON 00870 JUMP TO MONITOR 00880 Q 00890 JUMP BACK TO ASSEMBLER 00900 ************************ 00910 * MONITOR INSTRUCTIONS * 00920 ************************ 00930 EXAMINE MEMORY 00940 * 00950 adrs C0F2 00960 adrs1.adrs2 1024.1048 00970 (RETURN) DISPLAY NEXT 8 LOC 00980 .adrs .4096 00990 * 01000 CHANGE MEMORY 01010 * 01020 adrs;data data A256;EF 20 43 01030 ;data data data ;F0 A2 12 01040 * 01050 MOVE MEMORY 01060 * 01070 adrs1<adrs2.adrs3M 100<B010.B410M 01080 FROM adrs2 TO adrs3 STARTING AT adrs1 01090 * 01100 VERIFY MEMORY 01110 * 01120 adrs1<adrs2.adrs3V 100<B010.B410V 01130 * 01140 * READ SECTOR(S) 01150 * 01160 adrs<sec1.sec2r 2000<1.AFr 01170 READ SECTORS 1 TO AF 01180 AND PUT THEM INTO BUFFER 01190 AT 2000 01200 * 01210 * WRITE SECTOR(S) 01220 adrs<sec1.sec2w 2000<1.AFw 01230 WRITE SECTORS 1 TO AF 01240 AND GET THEM FROM BUFFER 01250 AT 2000 01260 * 01270 * 01280 adrsL C080L 01290 L NEXT 20 INSTRUCTIONS 01300 * 01310 DEBUGGING 01320 * 01330 adrsG 300G RUN 01340 adrsT 800T TRACE 01350 adrsS C050S SINGLE STEP 01360 R DISPLAY REGISTERS 01370 TO CHANGE REGISTERS 01380 TYPE ; THEN DATA 01390 FOR EACH ONE