keithe@tektronix.UUCP (Keith Ericson) (08/02/84)
I've purchased both of the following books: "Anatomy of a Commodore 64"
and "Anatomy of a 1541". My reaction? BUY THEM!!! No serious Commodore
64 user should be without these little gems! We mortals finally get to
find out some of the secrets that only the gurus can normally discern.
I've spent more time with the C64 book, so I'll discuss it this time.
The table of contents for the 64 anatomy includes
Machine language programming
Includes list and description of useful kernel functions
Performing screen & keyboard I/O
Details of how data is saved on cassette and disk
Programming the RS-232 interface
A short section on the serial bus
Assembler programming
(essentially how to use an assembler)
A close-up look at the C64
Special features of the 6510
Memory multiplexing, and resulting system configurations
The expansion port
The SID
(somewhat abbreviated)
Graphics programming
(one of the books best chapters)
Basic from a different viewpoint
How the BASIC Interpreter works
and how to extend it
Vic-20 - C64 - Pet
Comparison of ROM locations for VIC and C64
Changing VIC programs to run on C64
Changing PET programs to run on C64
I/O Control - the CIA
ROM Listing (KERNAL and BASIC ROMs)
Well annotated; reason alone to buy the book
(other misc. stuff)
The book includes many sample programs - assembly and BASIC - to
illustrate the points; and equivalent BASIC and assembler programs are
occasionally presented. With the exception of the translation problem
mentioned below the book is quite readable.
Problems with the book: It was originally written in German (I think)
and the translation is not at all perfect. (You'll get used to reading
about "floating-comma" instead of "floating-point", I 'spose) and I've
found a few places where (apparently) several lines of text have gotten
lost. And there is (at least) one block of the BASIC ROM that is
missing from the listing ($B4A9 thru $B7AC). I can't figure out what
happened here. I'd say that the publisher (Abacus Software) did pretty
much the minimal job on this one. (But it is still worth the price
which is $19.95.) They even included is a very thinly veiled
advertisement for the Abacus Software SYNTHY-64 program in the SID
chapter: I could have done without that!
Later on I'll try to review the 1541 book...
keith ericson at teklabs
(decvax|ucbvax)!tektronix!teklabs!keitherwh@aesat.UUCP (Russell Herman) (08/05/84)
I second the recommendation, with the following caveats re _...1541.
1) There are obscure errors in the text and programs.
2) There are a few blocks of uncommented ROM, some of which, if you
don't know what's going on, you'll never be able to
understand. If you do realize what's going on, you'll
realize why you don't have to understand them. They have
to do with GCR encoding-decoding. These are the blocks with
lots of shift/rotate instructions. Other uncommented blocks
are more serious, like common return from interrupt.
The main thing is, as far as the 1541, it's the only game in town, and well
worth the publication price. Be prepared to do a lot more digging, though,
if you really want to understand how it works.
--
______ Russ Herman
/ \ {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!aesat!rwh
@( ? ? )@
( || ) The opinions above are strictly personal, and
( \__/ ) do not reflect those of my employer (or even
\____/ possibly myself an hour from now.)keithe@teklabs.UUCP (Keith Ericson) (08/07/84)
I've had some inquiries about where to get the "Anatomy..." books. I had to order mine from the publisher; none were available locally. They are Abacus Software P.O.Box 7211 Grand Rapids MI 49510 (616) 241-5510 They don't have an 800 number; they do accept VISA and Mastercharge. keith ericson at teklabs
patrick@ism780.UUCP (08/22/84)
#R:tektroni:-325900:ism780:14900012:000:799
ism780!patrick Aug 8 09:31:00 1984
I had intended to review this book myself, but didn't get around to it.
The `Anatomy of the Commodore 64' is indispensible for anyone who, as I
do, likes to produce truly un-portable code which takes advantage of the
built-in ROM routines in the 64.
I'd like to put in a small plug for Compute's `Mapping the 64', which I
also have, and which makes a useful companion volume. This doesn't
contain a disassembly, but does contain brief (and apparaently accurate)
descriptions of the majority of ROM routines. This helps in
disentangling the atrociously-convoluted ROM code, and also fills in some
of the gaps in Abacus's commentary.
Patrick Curran
Interactive Systems Corp.
1212 Seventh St.
Santa Monica, CA 90401.
...{uscvax|ucla-vax|vortex}!ism780!patrick
...decvax!yale-co!ima!ism780!patrick