[Coco] Learning assembly for the Color Computer

[Bill Pierce]

Salvador, first, start with the manuals to the chosen assembler. Each assembler, no matter if its RSDOS, OS9, or cross-assembler, is different and has different capabilities. 6809 assembly is the same across the board (for the most part), the only difference being the operating system calls (RSDOS, OS9, Flex), and external calls to other hardware varying from machine to machine, but the base 6809 instructions will always be the same.

Now for reference books..
By far the easiest book to start with is Barden's assembly book which deals with 6809 in general and Coco exclusively. This is my "goto" book when I have a question.

http://www.colorcomputerarchive.com/coco/Documents/Books/Color%20Computer%20Assembly%20Language%20Programming%20(1983)%20(William%20Barden%20Jr).pdf

For more advanced topics and more Coco hardware coverage for assembly programming, Tepolt's books will do the trick.

http://www.colorcomputerarchive.com/coco/Documents/Books/Assembly%20Language%20Programming%20for%20the%20Color%20Computer%20(1985)%20(Laurence%20A%20Tepolt).pdf

http://www.colorcomputerarchive.com/coco/Documents/Books/Assembly%20Language%20Programming%20for%20the%20CoCo3%20(1987)%20(Laurence%20A%20Tepolt).pdf

Again, each assembler will use the above info in it's own way no matter what platform it runs under. There are plenty of assemblers for RSDOS, OS9, and cross-assemblers for both under Windows, Linux & Mac. Make sure you download your assembler's manual as well :-)



 

 


Bill Pierce
"Charlie stole the handle, and the train it won't stop going, no way to slow down!" - Ian Anderson - Jethro Tull

 

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-----Original Message-----
From: Salvador Garcia <ssalvadorgarcia at netscape.net>
To: coco <coco at maltedmedia.com>
Sent: Thu, Apr 14, 2016 11:57 am
Subject: [Coco] Learning assembly for the Color Computer

I am following the thread discussing assembly language programming within the RS-DOS environment. What can I do, where can I go and what can I read, to learn assembly programming for RS-DOS? The other discussion brings various tools into the mix, such as lw tools. I kind of begin to see a tool chain to go from writing up the ASM source, to assembling, to implementing the code on the Color Computer, but feel I am still missing a ton. I understand the difference between programming in 6809 assembly and programming in 6809 assembly for the Color Computer. I also know there are numerous books, but unsure which one to start with. Any orientation on the above list (what todo, what to read, where to go) would be of tremendous help. Thanks! Salvador-- Coco mailing listCoco at maltedmedia.comhttps://pairlist5.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/coco