Sinclair User


Assembler

Author: John Gilbert
Publisher: Roybot
Machine: Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Sinclair User #40

Assembler and Machine Code Debugger

Assembly code is entered from Basic using REM instructions which can make things easier, if you don't mind entering all those extra instructions. One reason for using Basic is that you can MERGE lines of code together. While that is true most good assemblers these days are able to MERGE routines easily.

The package is a two-pass assembler which normally sends code to RAM above STKEND.

The power of this utility is in its test facilities which include all the usual system diagnostics such as breakpoint insertion, single step through instructions and Trace. Also included are two powerful facilities, input instruction and History.

Assembler and Machine Code Debugger

Input instruction allows the programmer to enter new mnemonic instructions into the code before it is tested.

The History facility provides a dis- play of the changes which the machine code program has made within the last 10 instructions.

It is not the sort of assembler which is a joy to use. The Test facilities mentioned are useful but do not make it worth the expense when there are other, better, products on the market.

John Gilbert

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