UltimateBasic 64 1.5.2

Ultimate Basic v1.5.2 – Release Notes

2026-08-15 – Readable assembly codegen listings

• Added the --asm build option:
  ub build demo.ub --asm
  A successful build writes demo.asm next to the selected .prg output.
• The listing is generated from compiler metadata rather than being only a bare
  disassembly of the completed PRG.
• UB statement boundaries are retained as comments alongside their emitted code.
• Zero-page variables, arrays, subroutines, BASIC labels, relative branches, and
  in-program JMP/JSR targets receive readable symbols or generated labels.
• Each instruction includes its final C64 address and exact machine-code bytes.
• Compiler-generated helpers are included in final memory order, while unknown
  opcodes are preserved as .byte directives.
• Helper entry points now use descriptive ub_helper_* labels.
• Known data regions (DATA, maps, sprite/character definitions, lookup tables,
  incbins, SID and Koala payloads) are emitted as named .byte blocks instead of
  being disassembled as instructions; long zero gaps use .fill.
• Output uses reassemblable KickAssembler syntax, including .label constants and
  a valid * = origin program counter directive.
• Added automated listing tests and full README.md, MANUAL.md, CLI-help, and
  developer-guide documentation.

Ultimate Basic v1.5.1 – Release Notes

2026-08-15 – Koala Painter image import

• Added compile-time loading of standard and raw Koala Painter images:
  koala load "picture.kla"
  koala show
  koala hide
• Added file, memory-layout, and SID-conflict diagnostics plus emulation-backed
  tests and full manual documentation.

2026-08-15 – Character tile maps

• Added compile-time loading and validation of self-describing .ubmap files:
  map load "level.ubmap"
  VisualAssembler me-map .bin exports are also accepted directly, without an
  .ubmap conversion step.
• Added 40x25 viewport rendering from arbitrary map origins:
  map draw map_x, map_y
  Character codes go to $0400 and optional per-cell colors go to $D800.
• Added writable runtime access with map_tile(), map_color(), map set, and
  map color, allowing game logic and destructible maps without reloading data.
• Added normal and multicolor character-map modes. Multicolor maps configure
  $D016 MCM and the three shared colors in $D021-$D023.
• Documented the byte-exact UBMP v1 format, flags, row-major arrays, viewport
  constraints, and charset relationship in MANUAL.md and CLAUDE.md.
• Added emulation-backed tests for normal/multicolor setup, screen and color-RAM
  rendering, tile/color mutation and queries, and invalid-file diagnostics.

2026-08-12 – Debug symbol exports

• Added side-effect-free software bounding-box collision detection:
  var hit = box_hit(l1, t1, r1, b1, l2, t2, r2, b2)
  It returns 1 for overlapping or edge-touching inclusive AABBs and 0 otherwise,
  without reading or clearing the VIC-II $D01E/$D01F collision registers.
• Extended sprite_frame with an optional animation frame expression:
  sprite_frame id, base_addr, frame
  Consecutive frames occupy 64-byte slots; the original two-argument syntax is
  unchanged and remains backward compatible.
• Added emulation-backed integration tests for overlap, separation, touching edges,
  and runtime animation-frame pointer selection.
• Added the --debug build option:
  ub build demo.ub --debug
  A successful build now writes three debugger files next to the .prg, using
  the output file's stem.
• Added KickAssembler-compatible .sym export. It can be imported by assembler
  source and contains resolved symbols in .label name = $address form.
• Added C64Debugger/RetroDebugger .dbg export in KickAssembler debug-dump XML
  format. It contains the UltimateBasic program segment, source filename, and
  resolved address labels.
• Added VICE .vs monitor-command export. It contains al C:address .label
  commands and can be loaded with VICE's -moncommands option or ll command.
• Debug exports include program_start, program_end, zero-page variables,
  arrays, subroutines, and BASIC labels.
• BASIC labels are now retained with their final machine-code addresses in the
  compiler memory map, making them available to all debug exporters.
• Symbol names are sanitized for debugger compatibility, and source paths are
  XML-escaped in .dbg output.
• Added unit coverage for all three symbol syntaxes and documented the new CLI
  option and file formats in README.md, MANUAL.md, and CLAUDE.md.
• Current limitation: .dbg provides segments and address symbols, but does not
  yet contain instruction-to-source-line mappings for source-level stepping.