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Building from sources in VICE

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Martin Vindahl Olsen edited this page Mar 5, 2018 · 4 revisions

This recipe worked for me on my MacBook. YMMV on other systems and keyboard layouts.

Creating an image disk

  • Install DiskImagery64 and launch it.
  • File > New Image
  • For convenience, I dragged Turbo Assembler as the first item. I got this from another disk image but you should be able to get it from here. I'm using v 4.1.
  • Next, add all files from the tasm folder.
  • File > Save Image

Installing VICE and TFC3

  • Install VICE. Unzip it and copy to /Applications
  • Download The Final Cartridge 3 and unzip it.
  • Run x64
  • File > Attach Cartridge Image. Pick the unzipped .crt file.
  • To exit the TFC3 desktop: Press "F7" until pointing to SYSTEM menu, hold "alt+F3" to pick BASIC.
  • File > Attach Disk Image. Pick the one that you created above.
  • To list contents: Press F7
  • Point cursor to turbo assembler and press F5
  • RUN

Compiling code

On my my MacBook, the top left "$" sign maps to the Turbo Assembler command key.

  • In Turbo Assembler, press "$", then "L". On the "boot file:" prompt, write "iw" and press enter.
  • Once the source code has loaded, press "$", then "5" to save compiled file. Name this "iw.bin"
  • Repeat these steps for the remaining source files: "lib", "xl", and "men", using similar naming conventions.
  • Once done, press "$", then "1", to exit turbo assembler.

Loading binaries

  • Press "F7" to list the contents of the disk. You should see your binary files alongside the original files.
  • You need to load all binary files and the font file, that is "iw.bin", "lib.bin", "xl.bin", "men.bin", and "chars". For each of these, do the following:
    • F7 to list files
    • move cursor to file and press F5
    • if you get "out of memory error" then go to a blank line, type NEW, press enter, and try again.

Launching Interword

Once all files are loaded, start Interword by going to a blank line, typing SYS $1800, and pressing enter. To type the dollar sign, press SHIFT+4.

Exit Interword

One thing that seemed to work for me was Machine > Cartridge Freeze > Exit > Run > F7.

There may be easier ways.

Compiling to memory

Within Turbo Assembler, you can compile to memory using "$", then "3". This will work for some of the sources but not for all of them (as they seem to overwrite Turbo Asm's storage area). I'll have to investigate this. It would be fun if I could actually develop on the source files. Obviously that's what I did back in the day.

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