[Coco] CoCo programming

[Aaron Banerjee]

Glad to see you're using your coco!  To be honest with you, I've had a bit
of bad luck with disk drives (e.g. finding one that actually works).  For
most of my cocos, I do without -- use the cassette, it's easier to build a
cable, and with a null-modem cable (instructions provided upon request),
you can use a PC or something for your file storage.  With cassette, you 
only need a walkman, stereo, etc for hardware if you want to use a real
cassette tape (can you even buy blank cassettes any more?).  If you can
find a decent disk drive, get it by all means; disk is better than
cassette.
   As for joysticks, I had really good luck getting them from people on
this list -- much more reliable than e-bay.  I got a pair of Coco3
joysticks a few years ago from someone on this list but I can't remember
who at the moment.
   My first assembly was 6809.  Although 8088/286/386/486/etc assembly is
a little different, I've found it sort of like trying to use Microsoft
Word when you learned on WordPerfect -- not that big of a deal.  You'll
want EDTASM, although you can survive without it (I started by using a
BASIC program that allows you to write in assembly).  I can't think of a
better Assembly book than William Barden's "TRS-80 Color Computer Assembly
Language Programming".  It's very easy to read and understand.  I've
never used Disk EDTASM, so I can't say which EDTASM is better.
   As for developing on an emulator, I've had good luck with them,
including doing some weird stuff, like writing a BASIC program to solve
the "8 Queens" program (using quirks in the way BASIC handles FOR/NEXT) --
works identically. I've never tried writing a program that "used a lot of
peeks and pokes".  Someone else may have more insight on this.
   Hope this helps. 
                       - Aaron


On Sat, 4 Mar 2006, doctorx0079 wrote:

> Hi all, I am just getting into CoCo programming again, as a lark and a
> hobby. My main goal at this point is to make a simple version of Tetris for
> a CoCo 2 in a week, or as fast as I can. I have the original books that came
> with it and some experience with (Intel) assembly language programming. My
> main questions are:
> 
> What's the best way to get files into my CoCo? How can I get a floppy drive
> and disks for it?
> 
> Is it better to write my program in an emulator and then transfer it over,
> or try to do it on the CoCo itself? I'm thinking the former.
> 
> How hard is it to get CoCo joysticks these days?
> 
> Do I really need EDTASM? Should I get the EDTASM+ cartridge or Disk EDTASM??
> 
> Are there any other books I really need?
> 
> Anybody done anything like this lately??
> 
> 
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