XB Game Developers Package

[senior_falcon]

I put this in the manual. Is this accurate? Does more need to be added?

 

"TidBit can run into trouble assigning line numbers for a divided program if one segment refers to a line number in the other segment."

[+Vorticon]

I put this in the manual. Is this accurate? Does more need to be added?

 

"TidBit can run into trouble assigning line numbers for a divided program if one segment refers to a line number in the other segment."

 

See PM

[senior_falcon]

Here is ISABELLA3. There are some tiny improvements to it. The usual small changes to the docs. The only change to the code is this: If you have large programs that need the runtime routines in low memory, you can now pass values to low memory with CALL LOAD and retrieve them with CALL PEEK. They are no longer overwritten by the loader.

Atrax, you can print now!

ISABELLA3.zip

[+Vorticon]

I think Asm99 should be included with the distribution since it needs to be in the same folder as the runtime routines anyway.

[senior_falcon]

I would love to do that, but it is not my program to distribute.

 

By the way, the docs are not accurate about Asm99 having to be in the same folder. I don't know why I thought that, but it is not correct. Asm99 can stay in the BurrSoft folder. If you make a shortcut to it it works fine. The runtime routines do have to be in the same folder as the .TXT file created by the compiler. Can you check that this information is accurate?

Grrr... I will correct the manual to reflect this.

 

Also, from the manual:

"I have tested this with Windows 10 and it works as described above. One person reported that it would not assemble properly, but found that it did work properly when WinAsm99.exe was copied to the working disk with a shortcut made to the new location."

I don't have Windows 10 so I cannot test this.

Edited April 20, 2019 by senior_falcon

[atrax27407]

Printing halted

[HOME AUTOMATION]

This was all done with Classic99. I set up a little routine running from MiniMemory that copies the rom in the speech synthesizer into expansion memory. >0000 in the synthesizer is copied to >A000 in expansion ram. Then you can use the debugger to explore the speech synth's rom. At >0000 is >AA . That is used to determine if the speech synth is attached. Then you can see a table of words that can be spoken. I looked for "ABOUT" and found it at >A09B which is >009B in the synthesizer. At >009B I found this:

5 ABOUT 0 0 0 0 0 17 14 55

That all makes sense: length byte and the string, then some zeros (why?) then >1714 and >55 . >1714 is the address of the code in the synth rom which agrees with the EA manual and the >55 is the length byte

When you CALL SPGET("ABOUT",A$) and then look at the bytes that make up the string you see (dec) 96 0 85 161 8 46 207 74 219 247 98 84 .........

The length byte is 85 which is the same as >55 above.

But when you look at the data at >1714 it is (hex) 85 10 74 F3 52 DB EF 46 ........

 

I just checked on the real TI and the string returned for ABOUT is the same as you get in Classic99.

 

After re-reading your post I took the first 4 decimal numbers, 161,8,46,207, reversed the bits and converted to hex to get >85,10,74,F3. So that's the answer and once again I thank you!

Hi again, Mi Amigo!

 

After many seconds of reconsideration... I believe that the extra zeros are to accommodate the stacking of more ROM chips with higher addresses to increase the vocabulary.

 

I had downloaded and reviewed your files a couple of months ago... I determined that this could for me, be used as a development tool that would allow me the increased productivity necessary for the addition of more advanced features into my plans. Alas! my project is back on hold... were I to complete it, this would be excellent. Bravo!

 

P.S.

Thanks for the ride, this is a great thread!

Edited April 21, 2019 by HOME AUTOMATION

[senior_falcon]

Here is the revised section of the manual that describes how to use Asm994a. This describes how to use it with Windows XP and is correct, at least on my computer. I'd appreciate it if someone could work through this using Windows 7, 8 and 10 and verify that the information is accurate for those operating systems.

Thanks!

UsingAsm994a.pdf

Edited April 21, 2019 by senior_falcon

[+Vorticon]

This works on both Windows 7 and 10, so I assume it should work fine on Windows 8 as well. I just find it easier personally to copy Asm99 to the Isabella folder so it can find what it needs.

[senior_falcon]

I just find it easier personally to copy Asm99 to the Isabella folder so it can find what it needs.

I don't know what that means. The only thing that has to be in the same folder are the runtime routines and the source code. (Unless something is different with Win 7 and 10)

 

I used to think Asm99 had to be in that folder as well, but apparently not. (At least on my system.) There is no harm in having it in the ISABELLA folder, but it's not required.

Edited April 21, 2019 by senior_falcon

[+Vorticon]

It means exactly that: the runtime routines. It's just a personal preference and not a requirement.

[senior_falcon]

OK, just want to be clear on this. Have you found that Asm994a does not need to be in the same folder as the runtime routines and the compiled .TXT file? i.e. are the revised docs in post #658 accurate?

 

I don't want to post this package again and then find out that - oops - the old docs were right after all.

[+Vorticon]

Actually, if I just put a link to Asm99 inside the Isabella folder, the assembler crashes because it cannot find the runtime routines. So it seems to me that the actual program needs to be in the same folder as the runtime routines and not a link to it, at least in Win 7.

[senior_falcon]

I was able to check this out on Windows 7 and found that my original instructions were correct. Asm994a must be in the same folder as the runtime routines and the compiled file. I don't know why it started working for me with Asm994a in the Burrsoft folder, but that seems to have been a false lead. I have cleaned up the docs a little bit and will put back the original instructions. Also, it is helpful to have the file extensions displayed so you can tell the compiled .TXT files from the original XB program.

[+OLD CS1]

Maybe if Asm994a is in your PATH?

[senior_falcon]

I think Asm99 should be included with the distribution since it needs to be in the same folder as the runtime routines anyway.

From About Asm994a assembler:

This software program is considered FREEWARE and may be freely copied and used on multiple computers. However, complete ownership of this software program is retained by Burrsoft. The program may not be sold or offered for sale.

 

I take this as permission to do that. This simplifies the set up considerably and I am reworking the docs to reflect this change.

Edited April 23, 2019 by senior_falcon

[senior_falcon]

Here is ISABELLA4. The only difference is that Asm994a has been added, which simplifies the setup if you want to use that assembler. This version was converted so that it defaults to .TXT files which eliminates one step in the process. The docs have been modified to reflect this change.

 

(edit April 27,2019) If you downloaded ISABELLA4, you should replace it with this version. In the earlier version, I did not include the licensing agreement for Asm994a which Burrsoft says must be included.

ISABELLA4.zip

Edited April 27, 2019 by senior_falcon

[atrax27407]

Printing initiated

[+arcadeshopper]

can't remember, with classic99 I'm trying to assemble and it's failing on "dsr error runtime.txt" probably because that's an illegal ti filename.. right what's the trick to get classic99 to work with that?

[+Vorticon]

Check the allow long filenames option in Classic 99.

[+arcadeshopper]

Check the allow long filenames option in Classic 99.

 

like this?: (also yes running latest version downloaded today)

[+Vorticon]

Yup...

[+arcadeshopper]

not working still.. going to try restarting it

[+arcadeshopper]

not working still.. going to try restarting it

Nope

 

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

[senior_falcon]

 

like this?: (also yes running latest version downloaded today)

Screenshot_2019-04-24_13-33-36.png

There is a picture on page 3 of "Using XBGDP" that show which boxes should be checked. Your screenshot does not match. You have to check "Write DV80 as windows text".