Commodore Free Magazine Issue #59 (PDF)

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Paging and logic – Part 8If you recall, from part five of the series, I introduced you tohow the 6502 processor indirectly indexes 16-bit memoryaddresses in the zero-page, as well as introducing (at least inthe code) AND and OR gates last week. You may have been putoff by the terminology that I've been using, but don't be as it'sall very simple. But just in case you're lost, I'll explain furtherthis week, starting off with memory paging.On 6502-based micro computer systems (any 8-bit<strong>Commodore</strong>, the BBC Micro, Oric-1 or Atari XE/XL, forinstance), a 'page' of memory is 256 bytes long from zero (or00 in hexadecimal) to 255 inclusive (or FF hex). So, 'zero page'simply means the first 'page' of memory from 0 to 255, whichin hex can be expressed as either 00 to FF or 0000 to 00FF.Therefore page one is 256 to 511 in decimal, or 0100 to 01FF inhex, and page two is from 512 to 767, or 0200 to 02FF hex etcetera. So each page number related to the first two hexnumbers in hexadecimal address (00xx to FFxx), with thespecific memory location being the latter two (xx00 to xxFF).When you use indexed indirect addressing though, the 6502processor will read the memory location in reverse order,which is low-byte, high-byte. So, if the zero-page address FB inhex has 10 stored there, and FC has hex 20, the processor willread 2010 hex (and not 1020), or 8208 in decimal. This is page32, as 20 in hex is 32 is decimal. See part two for how toconvert hexadecimal to decimal, or simply use an onlineconverter or your calculator if you get stuck.So, indirectly indexing a memory address simply means a 16-bit memory pointer stored in the zero page, which may not bereadable in the code, i.e., sta ($fb),y rather than sta $2010,y -this is why comments are important as you may not be able torevisit your program you for some weeks or months.From last week's example, you will have seen in the code theuse of simple Boolean logic, using 'or' and 'and' gates. An 'or'gate will return 'true' when one or the other or both are true.As we're dealing with binary, this sets the bit to 1 when one orthe other or both are true. For example:*=$1000 ; Code assembles to 4096 decimal in memoryldy #%10101010sty $c000 ; Stores bit-pattern in Y at memory locationC000 (49152 decimal)lda $c000 ; Get value of 49152ora #%01010101 ; Logical 'OR' with alternative bit patternsetssta $c001 ; all bits (11111111) to memory location49153We can test this by reading the byte stored at 49152 and 49153in BASIC by 'peeking' their values: PRINT PEEK (49152), PEEKwww.commodorefree.comASSEMBLER TUTORIAL PART 2FROM MICROMART BY SHAUN BEBBINGTON(49153) - the number will be returned as decimal, but you caneasily convert each to hex or binary with a little help. 'And'gates work only when both are true, so continuing theprogram:lda $c001 ; Passes value of 49153 to Aand #%11110000 ; Any bits set as 1 at 49153 will remain as1 where; 1 is already set in both; binary octetssta $c002 ; Stores new value at 49154rtsAgain, peek at the relevant value (and do the necessaryconversion) to see how the bits have changed.The other handy logic command in 6502 is 'exclusive or' (eor),which will set one or the other, but not both. To give you anexample of what this means, if you eor a binary octet of01111110 with 11111111, will set all bits to zero that are oneand vice versa (answer will be 10000001). You could use this tocreate a reversed pattern of the smiley face from last week'sexample (part 7). Happy coding!Page 22
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Page 1 and 2: Issue 59 2012Free Commodore Compute
Page 3: EDITORIALwww.commodorefree.comThe S
Page 6 and 7: www.commodorefree.comPage 6
Page 8: CBM-COMMAND UPDATEDWhat is it?CBM-C
Page 12 and 13: A-EON Updates "Boing Ball" re-visit
Page 14 and 15: AmiDARK Engine Rel0.5 is Now Availa
Page 16 and 17: FREESCAPE GAME NEW ISHFrom the webs
Page 18 and 19: The original version of this progra
Page 20 and 21: We're using the Y register for this
Page 24 and 25: www.commodorefree.comhttp://www.cmd
Page 26 and 27: In this situation, the reading proc
Page 28 and 29: www.commodorefree.comAnd the pulse
Page 30 and 31: www.commodorefree.comOn the Way to
Page 32: Issue 592012EditorNigel ParkerSpell

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