store2@ihlpf.ATT.COM (452is-Wilcox) (08/30/88)
Six Forks Assembler and Linker
I bought this package back in January from Six Forks Software for
$39.00. There is an excellent review of the package in the March 1987
issue of Analog and in addition to this review here are a more few
words.
The package comes with two programs the assembler, linker, and a sample
program.The assembler generates a relocatable code that is used as input
to the linker and the linker combines all relocatable files into an Atari
loadable object file. The assembler expects a text file as input,
this file can be generated using a word processor like ATARIWRITER and
Textpro.
The assembler and linker are intended to be used as AUTORUN.SYS files
on separate disks. Also they only used D1:, there is no ability for
the user to specify a different disk drive. I use them under SPARTA DOS,
I put them on my ramdisk for fast access and keep all my files on D1:.
One problem I have with this is that the assembler and linker do not
have a return to DOS you must hit reset to return which works fine and
does not cause a reboot. You do lose your place if you were in a
subdirectory on D1:, which is a nuisance.
The assembler does not support macros, it does support local labels and
global labels. There is also a bug, if you use the LSR instruction and
leave the A operand off, "LSR A", the program will hang.
It has excellent documentation, 52 page spiral bound instruction manual.
The manual does not address programming in 6502 assembly code only the
operation and use of the assembler and linker.
Six Forks Software
11009 Harness Circle
Raleigh, NC 27614
(919) 847-2740
Wayne Wilcox