Programming the Commodore 64.

Description

The Commodore 64 is an amazing computer. Its price makes it available to the average family. Its power and flexibility allow it to perform sophisticated tasks, from word processing to business calculations. And its sound and graphics capabilities make it the perfect fast-action arcade game machine. Until now, complete information and advice on getting the most out of the 64 have been hard to come by. Programming the Commodore 64: The Definitive Guide, by noted Commodore authority Raeto Collin West, provides that information. It’s the encyclopedic reference guide to the Commodore 64. In the tradition of the renowned Programming the PET/CBM and Programming the VIC, West presents 17 chapters of dictionaries, maps, BASIC and machine language examples, and programming aids. Unlike so many computer books, which are fead only once, then discarded, Programming the Commodore 64 remains an invaluable guide to your learning. You can lose yourself in this book for weeks. It starts with BASIC and probes more deeply with each chapter. Ready-to-type-in programs, available separately on tape or disk, show you how to use the BASIC and Kernal ROMs, the 6502/6510 microprocessor, the CIA, VIC and SID chips, and the hidden RAM beneath the ROM in the 64. And major peripherals—tape and disk drives, printers, plotters, and modems—are discussed as well. You'll discover many amazing things you can do with your 64. Here’s a sample of what you'll find: · Dozens of programming techniques and tricks to experiment with. · A detailed dictionary of every Commodore 64 BASIC keyword, including program examples. · Complete chapters on sound and graphics. · An annotated list of the 6502/6510 machine language instruction set. · A thorough map of. the 64's ROM, listed side-by-side with major VIC ROM differences. · Numerous appendices, including advice on translating programs between the 64, VIC and PET/CBM machines. Programming the Commodore 64 helps you improve your programming by giving you the technical information and advice you need. It answers the questions Commodore's reference guide leaves unanswered. The appendices are packed with useful quick-reference information and programming aids— including “The Automatic Proofreader” and Supermon. No matter what your programming level, Programming the Commodore 64 is one of the most valuable books on the 64 you could own. Foreword vii 1.About This Book l Introduction 3 Programming Your 64 3 Conventional Terms 4 Acknowledgments 6 2.Getting to Know the 64 7 The 64's Connectors 9 The Keyboard 10 Editing BASIC on the 6 4 11 3.BASIC Reference Guide 13 BASIC Syntax 15 BASIC Keyword Dictionary 19 BASIC Error Message Dictionary 69 4.Effective Programming in BASIC 75 How to Become Fluent in BASIC 77 Programs, Systems, and People 77 Program Design 79 System Design 82 Serious and Less Serious Programming 83 Debugging BASIC Programs 87 Examples in BASIC 88 Making BASIC Run Faster 100 5.Commodore 64 Architecture 103 Introductory Hardware Topics 105 The 64's Memory Configurations 114 Commodore 64 Ports 118 Programming the CIAs 121 Program Recovery and Resetting 129 Commercial Software and Hardware 131 6.Advanced BASIC 137 How BASIC Is Stored in Memory 139 Special Locations and Features of BASIC 154 Dictionary of Extensions to BASIC 167 7. 6510 Machine Language 201 Introduction to 6510 ML Programming 203 Description of the 6510 Chip 208 6510 ML Techniques 216 Monitors for the 64 226 Monitor Command Dictionary 229 Assemblers for the 64 233 8. ML Methods Specific to the6 4 239 Kernal Routines 241 BASIC ROM Routines 250 Using RAM Under ROM 256 Modifying BASIC 262 Vectors 266 Interrupts 269 9. Mixing BASIC with Machine Language 275 RAM Available for ML Routines 277 Combining BASIC and ML 278 Relocating ML 280 10.Vocabulary of the 6510 Chip 285 The 6510 Instruction Set 288 11. 6 4 ROM Guide 331 64 Memory Map 333 12.Graphics 357 Graphics with BASIC 359 Graphics with Machine Language 365 The VIC-II Chip 375 User-Defined Characters 383 Bitmapped Graphics 396 Sp rites405 13.Sound 425 Sound Waves: Analysis and Synthesis 427 The SID Chip 437 Music Theory 448 Sound Demonstrations 450 14.TapeS torage 463 Loading and Saving BASIC Programs with Tape 465 Handling Tape Data Files 468 Loading and Saving Machine Language 470 Tape Hardware Notes 471 Advanced Tape Programming 474 Copy Protection for Tape 481 15.Using Disk Storage 485 Introduction to Disk Storage 487 Basic Disk Commands 488 Handling Disk Files with BASIC 494 Summary of Disk Commands and Messages 508 Commodore Utility Programs 511 Hardware Notes 512 Disk Data Storage 516 Machine Language Disk Programming 526 16.The Control Ports 531 Joysticks 533 Paddles and Other Analog Devices 535 17. Major Peripherals 541 Printers 543 Plotters 551 Modems 553 The RS-232 Interface 557 The Serial Port 561 Appendices 563 A.A Beginner's Guide to Typing In Programs 565 B. How to Type In Programs 567 C. The Automatic Proofreader Charles Brannon 569 D. Screen LocationTable 572 E. Screen Color Memory Table 573 F. Screen Color Codes 574 G. ASCII Codes 575 H. Commodore ASCII Codes 576 I. Screen Character Codes 580 J. The VIC-II Chip 582 K. The SIDChip 585 L. Device Numbers 586 M. Decimal-Hexadecimal Conversion Table 587 N. Opcodes in Detail 588 O. Table of 6502/6510 Opcodes 590 P. 6502/6510 Quasi-Opcodes 591 Q. Converting Commodore 64, VIC-20, and CBM Programs 593 R. Supermon 64 596 S. Fast Disk and Tape Loaders 603 Index 605