Tag Archives: assembly

Some old and some new demo stuff

A dentro (Combination of demo and intro.) from 1995

It using only background colors behind existing text to display the dentro text. There is (somewhere) a version with animations.

New work:

Booting from floppy, showing a flash screen in mode 13h.
Starting a trackloader, which loads a raw adlib file and plays it.
All sectors written to floppy using my new sector writer.
WOOT .. music at boot time!

Sector writer

use16
org 0100h
; 0 0 1
; bootblock with flashcode
	mov cl,1  ; start
	mov al,1  ; # sectors
	mov dh,0  ; head
	mov bx,bootblock
	call wrtsector

; flash image
	mov cl,8
	mov al,4
	mov dh,0
	mov bx,gfx
	call wrtsector

; Music loader
	mov cl,7  ; start
	mov al,1  ; # sectors
	mov dh,0  ; head
	mov bx,nextpart
	call wrtsector

; Music raw
	mov cl,13  ; start
	mov al,4  ; # sectors
	mov dh,0  ; head
	mov bx,musicraw
	call wrtsector

	jmp do_exit

printerror:
	push cs		; make ds same as cs
	pop ds
	MOV DX,TxtErr1	; error
	MOV AH,09h
	INT 21h
	mov ax,4c00h
	int 21h
do_exit:
	mov ax,4c00h
	int 21h
wrtsector:
;       On entry:      AH         03h
;                      AL         Number of sectors to write
;                      CH         Cylinder number (10-bit value; upper 2 bits
;                                 in CL)
;                      CL         Starting sector number
;                      DH         Head number
;                      DL         Drive number
;                      ES:BX      Address of memory buffer
; 
;       Returns:       AH         Status of operation (See Service 01h)
;                      AL         Number of sectors written
;                      CF         Set if error, else cleared

	cld
	mov ah, 3h    ; int13h function 2
	mov ch, 0     ; from cylinder number 0
	mov dl,0
	push cs 
	pop es
	int 13h
	jc printerror
ret

TxtErr1:	 DB "Error!",7,10,13,"$"

bootblock:
	file 'flash_b.bin'
gfx:
	file 'flashgfx.raw'
nextpart:
	file 'nextpart.bin'
musicraw:
	file 'LVLINTRO.RAW' 

I wanted to know how a floppy differs from a floppy.
So i wrote below code to fill each sector on a floppy disk or image with information at the start of each sector.
(Head, Cylinder and Sector)

empty.bin was made using
dd if=/dev/zero of=empty.bin count=1 bs=512

use16
org 0100h

	mov ch,0  ; cyl
	mov cl,1  ; sector
	mov dh,0  ; head
nextsector:
	mov bx,empty
	mov [empty],dh
	mov [empty+1],ch
	mov [empty+2],cl
	push cx
	push ax
	push dx
	call printer
	call wrtsector
	pop dx
	pop ax
	pop ax
	inc cl
	cmp cl,19
	jnz nextsector
	mov cl,1
	inc ch
	cmp ch,79
	jnz nextsector
; other side
	mov dh,1
	mov ch,0
	mov cl,1

nextsector1:
	mov bx,empty
	mov [empty],dh
	mov [empty+1],ch
	mov [empty+2],cl
	push cx
	push ax
	push dx
	call wrtsector
	pop dx
	pop ax
	pop ax
	inc cl
	cmp cl,19
	jnz nextsector1
	mov cl,1
	inc ch
	cmp ch,79
	jnz nextsector1


	jmp do_exit

printerror:
	push cs		; make ds same as cs
	pop ds
	MOV AX,3	; default text mode 3
	INT 10h
	MOV DX,TxtErr1	; error
	MOV AH,09h
	INT 21h
	mov ax,4c00h
	int 21h


do_exit:
	mov ax,3
	int 10h
	mov ax,4c00h
	int 21h

printer:
	push cx
	push dx
	mov dl,dh
	mov ah, 02h
	add dl, 30h
	int 21h
	mov dl,ch
	add dl, 30h
	int 21h
	mov dl,cl 
	add dl, 30h
	int 21h
	mov dx,13
  mov ah,2
  int 21h  
  mov dx,10
  mov ah,2
  int 21h
	pop dx
	pop cx
	ret

wrtsector:
;       On entry:      AH         03h
;                      AL         Number of sectors to write
;                      CH         Cylinder number (10-bit value; upper 2 bits
;                                 in CL)
;                      CL         Starting sector number
;                      DH         Head number
;                      DL         Drive number
;                      ES:BX      Address of memory buffer
; 
;       Returns:       AH         Status of operation (See Service 01h)
;                      AL         Number of sectors written
;                      CF         Set if error, else cleared
;

	cld
	mov ah, 3h    ; int13h function 2
	mov al,1
	mov dl,0
	push cs 
	pop es
	int 13h
	jc printerror
ret

TxtErr1:	 DB "Error!",7,10,13,"$"

empty:
	file 'empty.bin'

Viewing the floppy image with ghex

Offset 7000 = Head 1, Cylinder 1 and sector 3

When doing
times 512 – ($-$$) db 0
to fill binaries to 512 bytes, you could cat the sectors to a disk/file with this knowledge.

80×86 boot demo generic work plus code optimalisation and tricks

Writing tools and effects for my new boot demo.

  • Started a generic sector read/writer
  • Some effects
  • A sin/cos data writer to include into your source
  • Working on a library of functions (sector loaders, color palette, vert/hor retrace functions)
  • Laying out a memory map for the demo

Below the output of the sin/cos generator ( see used in video below )
(It also shows a visual plot of the function)

Source code python script

# importing the required module
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np
import math

# Change these
numberofdatapoints = 360
maxamp = 180
howmuchfromwave = 0.5
numberofharmonies = 1
# Number of harmonies are sin/cos additions in the calculation line below

# not here
step = 360/numberofdatapoints*howmuchfromwave
offset = maxamp
maxamp = maxamp / numberofharmonies
offset = 0


x = [ ]

for xv in range(numberofdatapoints):
    xvstep=xv * step
# Calculation line
#    datapoint=np.sin(math.radians(xvstep))
# Double harmony example
    datapoint=np.sin(math.radians(xvstep)) + (np.sin(math.radians(xvstep*3))/2)

    datapoint=datapoint * maxamp
    datapoint=datapoint + offset
    x.append(int(datapoint))

print("    db ", end="")
print(*x, sep = ",") 
  
# plotting the points 
plt.plot(x)
  
# naming the x axis
plt.xlabel('x - axis')
# naming the y axis
plt.ylabel('y - axis')
  
# giving a title to my graph
plt.title('Example')
  
# function to show the plot
plt.show()

Minimalistic very fast boot loader flash screen effect

Graffiti bouncher test (probably ends up bounching a 320×400 image)
This one uses the generated sintab (Using the python script above)

Test code for a text scroller

Code optimalisation/tricks

clear a (double) register?
xor ax,ax
is faster than
mov ax,0h

Want to make ds pointer same as cs?
Instead of
mov ax,cs
mov ds,ax
use
push cs
pop ds

self modifying code
mostly we just move data around, but you also can change the runtime code (instructions)

  • a – increment ax on line 103h
  • b – another part of the code/maybe in a interrupt
    10Fh load al with 48h (thats the opcode for decrement (see c)
    111h place the opcode in address 103h, which had 40h ..
    Now we changed the code to decrement next time

Speedcode

Populair on the C64 where resources are even more limited, you could use speedcode.
Most of the speedcode you generate, due to its repeating lines.
When looking at clock cycles you can save some extra cycles, by using a little more memory but saving on “expensive” loops.

Simple example

Left a funtion with a loop, right is the same but all instuctions sequencial

Left 15 bytes but 284 cycles

Right 39 bytes but only 102 cycles!

4
4
; below part 9 times
9
3
4
16 or 4
= 284 cycles

Speedcode
4
2 ; xor is faster
9
3 ; even 2 when you can use BX pair!
9
3
9
3
9
3
9
3
9
3
9
3
9
3
9
= 111 cycles (or 102 BX pair)

Moving memory blocks (No DMA)

;DS:(E)SI to address ES:(E)DI
    push cs          ; example to set es to code segment
    pop es
    mov si,1000      ; offset pointer source
    xor di,di        ; destination offset
    mov cx,320*100   ; number of transfers (See below words)
    mov ax,0a000h    ; Destination
    mov es,ax        ; destination segment 
    cld              ; Clear direction flag set SI and DI to auto-increment
    rep movsw        ; repeat mov words! until number of transfers is 0
;  

Short binary > bcd > dec (ascii) convert for numbers (0-99)

mov ax,01ch ; = 28 
mov bx,0ah ; = 10
div bl ; divide BL by AX
       ; AX = 0802 ; Remainder/Divider
xchg ah,al ; change around (dont use if you want to keep little endian)
add ax,3030h ; offset to ascii 30=0 31=1
             ; ax ends up with 3238 .. 28 

Melting effect in 8086, using only register manipulation

(NOTE, Dosbox can’t cope with the register speed, use real HW or PCem)

Effect using a edited photo I made from fireworks ..

Generating a RAW image and Palette, a in a new way

This bash script to convert BMP to Raw and a compiled colorpalette.
(Note: this converts to 8 bit depth, the assembly code in the final assemby program converts to 6 for VGA mode 13h

So this time, i won´t have to use the standard VGA palette as mentioned in previous posts.
(Gimp colors > indexed (255 colors) ; save as BMP, exclude colorspace information)

I’m using identify to extract the colorpalette, which i’m converting to DB entries for the fasm compiler

#!/bin/bash
if [ $# -lt 1 ] ; then
	echo "$0 filename"
	exit 0
fi
size=$(stat $1 | grep Size | awk '{ print $2 }')
skipsize=$(( $size - 64000))
dd if=$1 of=$1.raw skip=$skipsize bs=1

identify -verbose $1 | awk '/Colormap:/,/Rendering/' | grep -v Colormap | grep -v Rendering | awk '{ print $2 } ' | tr -d '()' | while read ; do echo "db $REPLY" ;done > data.asm
fasm data.asm

Code

use16
org 0x100

; variables
CRTC_INDEX = 0x03D4
CRTC_DATA = 0x03D5
INPUT_STATUS = 0x03DA
HRETRACE = 0x01
VRETRACE = 0x03 ; bit 3 =8 ?
MAXIMUM_SCAN_LINE = 0x09
LINE_OFFSET = 0x13

; bar
upperbar = 1
lowerbar = 399

jmp start
; memory locations for data
updown dw 1
direction DB 0
filename DB "firework.raw",0
oldline db 0


start:
; set mode 320x200 256 colors palette
	mov ah,0x0
	mov al,13h
	int 10h

; clear screen routine, not really needed
clearscreen:
	push ax
	mov ax, 0a000h
	mov es, ax
	pop ax
	xor di, di
	inc ax
	mov cx, 64000 ; 320x200
	rep stosb
; set colors
; call file loader 
	call Loadfile
	call setpalette

; Move loaded file to Screen memory
	mov ax,0a000h
	mov es,ax
	mov ax,6000h
	mov ds,ax
	mov si,0
	mov di,0
	mov cx,320*200/2
	rep movsw

	push cs
	pop ds

;	store org effect2 values
	mov dx, CRTC_INDEX
	mov al,LINE_OFFSET
	out dx,al
	mov dx, CRTC_DATA
	in al,dx
	mov [oldline],al


; after displaying the image or displaying an error, wait for keypress to exit
waitforkeyloop:
	call effect 	; Calling the effect
	MOV AH,1
	INT 16h
	JZ waitforkeyloop
	XOR AH,AH
	INT 16h
Exit:
	MOV AX,3	; default text mode 3
	INT 10h
	MOV AX,4C00h	; exit to dos (terminate process)
	INT 21h
; loop ends here

; Loads raw 64000 bytes image to screen memory
Loadfile:
	push ds
	MOV DX,filename
	MOV AX,3D00h	; open filehandle
	INT 21h
	JC Err1
	MOV BX,AX   	; filehandle
	MOV CX,64000
	mov dx,06000h 	; destination 0000:a000h - Screen memory
	mov ds,dx
	MOV DX,0
	MOV AH,3Fh	; read from file
	INT 21h
	JC  Err1
	MOV AH,3Eh	; close filehandle
	INT 21h
	pop ds
RET

; print error
Err1:
	push cs		; make ds same as cs
	pop ds
	MOV AX,3	; default text mode 3
	INT 10h
	MOV DX,TxtErr1	; error
	MOV AH,09h
	INT 21h
	RET

effect:
	cli		; stop interrupts
	call waitvretrace	; wait for vertical retrace

; gets start scanline and direction
	mov ax,[updown]
	mov cl,[direction]
	cmp cl,0		; 0 move down
	jz	addcounter
	dec ax
	dec ax
	cmp ax,upperbar  	; reached upper bar ?
	jnz gohere ; jnz
	mov cl,0
	mov [direction],cl
	jmp gohere
addcounter:
	inc ax
	inc ax
	cmp ax,lowerbar		; reached bottom bar?
	jnz gohere 	;jnz
	mov cl,1		; change direction
	mov [direction],cl
gohere:
	mov [updown],ax		; store new location

; al = scanline, call wait for scanline
	call longwaithretrace
; other effect
        mov dx, CRTC_INDEX
        mov al, LINE_OFFSET
        out dx,al
        mov dx, CRTC_DATA
        mov al, 0
        out dx,al


; wait scanlines (height of bar)
	mov ax,400
	mov cx,[updown]
	sub ax,cx
	call longwaithretrace

; restore effect2
        mov dx, CRTC_INDEX
        mov al, LINE_OFFSET
        out dx, al
        mov dx, CRTC_DATA
        mov al, [oldline]
        out dx,al
		
	sti	; start interrupts again
	ret

; routine that fixes 8 to 6 bits and sets palette
setpalette:
	; 8 bits to 6 
	mov si,coltab
	mov cx,256*3
	rest:
		mov al,[si]
		shr al,2
		mov [si],al
		dec cx
		inc si
		cmp cx,0
		jnz rest
; now set colors
	mov dx,3c8h
	xor al,al
	out dx,al
	inc dx
	mov si,coltab
	mov cx,256*3
	rep outsb
ret


; this waits for vertical retrace
waitvretrace:
	mov dx,INPUT_STATUS
	waitv1:
		in al,dx
		test al,8
		jnz waitv1
	waitv2:
		in al,dx
		test al,8
		jz waitv2
ret

; routine that waits for horizontal retrace
waithretrace:
	mov cl,al
	mov dx,INPUT_STATUS
	waith1:
		in al,dx
		test al,1
		jnz waith1
	waith2:
		in al,dx
		test al,1
		jz waith2
		dec cl
		cmp cl,0
		jnz waith1
ret

longwaithretrace:
	mov cx,ax
	mov dx,INPUT_STATUS
	lwaith1:
		in al,dx
		test al,1
		jnz lwaith1
	lwaith2:
		in al,dx
		test al,1
		jz lwaith2
		dec cx
		cmp cx,0
		jnz lwaith1
ret
TxtErr1 DB "firework.raw not found!",7,10,13,"$"

coltab: 
include 'data.asm'

Rasterbar Copperbar line short code

Not interesting for most of you, but here is the minimal code to display a line using toggling the background color at a specific retrace.

https://www.henriaanstoot.nl/2023/09/12/copperbar-effect-with-image-on-80×86/

3C8h (R/W):  DAC Address Write Mode
 bit 0-7  The color data register (0..255) to be written to 3C9h.
 Note: After writing the 3 bytes at 3C9h this register will increment, pointing to the next data register.

3C9h (R/W):  DAC Data Register
 bit 0-8?  Color value
 Note:  Each read or write of this register will cycle through first the
        registers for Red, Blue and Green, then increment the appropriate
        address register, thus the entire palette can be loaded by writing 0 to
        the DAC Address Write Mode register 3C8h and then writing all 768 bytes
        of the palette to this register.

3DAh
Input Status #1 Register (Read at 3BAh (mono) or 3DAh (color))
7	6	5	4	3	2	1	0
                            VRetrace			DD
 
VRetrace -- Vertical Retrace
"When set to 1, this bit indicates that the display is in a vertical retrace interval.This bit can be programmed, through the Vertical Retrace End register, to generate an interrupt at the start of the vertical retrace."
DD -- Display Disabled
"When set to 1, this bit indicates a horizontal or vertical retrace interval. This bit is the real-time status of the inverted 'display enable' signal. Programs have used this status bit to restrict screen updates to the inactive display intervals in order to reduce screen flicker. The video subsystem is designed to eliminate this software requirement; screen updates may be made at any time without screen degradation."

Code (fasm)

use16
org 0x100

INPUT_STATUS = 0x03DA

start:

; set mode 320x200 256 colors palette
	mov ah,0x0
	mov al,13h
	int 10h

; press key to exit
waitforkeyloop:
	call effect 	; Calling the effect
	MOV AH,1
	INT 16h
	JZ waitforkeyloop
	XOR AH,AH
	INT 16h
Exit:
	MOV AX,3	; default text mode 3
	INT 10h
	MOV AX,4C00h	; exit to dos (terminate process)
	INT 21h

effect:
	cli		; stop interrupts
	call waitvretrace	; wait for vertical retrace
	mov al, 0    ; set color index 0 to black (needs to be converted to a function
	mov dx, 3c8h
	out dx, al
	inc dx       ; now 3c9h
	mov al, 0h
	out dx, al   ; set R = 0
	mov al, 0h
	out dx, al   ; set G = 0
	mov al, 0h
	out dx, al   ; set B = 0

	mov al,30h

; al = scanline, call wait for scanline
	call waithretrace
	mov al, 0    ; set color index 0 to white
	mov dx, 3c8h
	out dx, al
	inc dx       
	mov al, 255
	out dx, al   
	mov al, 255
	out dx, al   
	mov al, 255
	out dx, al   

; wait 1 scanlines (height of bar)
	mov al,1h
	call waithretrace

; draw black again
	mov al, 0    ; set color index 0's rgb value
	mov dx, 3c8h
	out dx, al
	inc dx       ; now 3c9h
	mov al, 0
	out dx, al   
	out dx, al   
	out dx, al   
		
	sti	; start interrupts again
	ret

; this waits for vertical retrace
waitvretrace:
	mov dx,INPUT_STATUS
waitv1:
	in al,dx
	test al,8
	jnz waitv1
waitv2:
	in al,dx
	test al,8
	jz waitv2
	ret

; routine that waits for horizontal retrace
; al sets number of retraces
waithretrace:
	mov cl,al
	mov dx,INPUT_STATUS
waith1:
	in al,dx
	test al,1
	jnz waith1
waith2:
	in al,dx
	test al,1
	jz waith2
	dec cl
	cmp cl,0
	jnz waith1
	ret

My bash file to copy com file to floppy image to use in PCem.

PCem right button disk change drive A:

fasm one-line.asm
# disk.img is een msdos boot floppy image
sudo mount -o loop disk.img mountpoint
sudo cp *com mountpoint/
sudo cp *bmp mountpoint/
sudo umount mountpoint

Micro Adlib player in Assembly

Plays RAW adlib songs in 100 lines of code … kindda

Using information from here:
https://moddingwiki.shikadi.net/wiki/RAW_Format_(Adlib)

And using fasm to compile I can play captured raw songs.

But something is still off ?!?

It sounds a little different, and I need to implement a better timer routine. (Below my version and opencubicplayer)

This is a test for my bootloader, playing music from my bootblock!

CODE

use16
org 0x100

ctrlreg=0388h
datareg=0389h


mainloop:
	; set speed (Byte 8,9 from the raw file)
	mov ax,[tune+8]
	mov [clockspeed],ax
	; call player
	call rawreg
	; wait 0.5 sec for exit
	mov bx,6
	call waitmore
	jmp exit

rawreg:
	mov bx,tune+0ah		; start of song at offset ah

; order registerdata, register!
; Are there more control codes? ???

lraw:
	mov cx,[bx]
; reg = 2 - check data
	cmp ch,2
	je checkreg2
; reg = 0 - cyclewait
	cmp ch,0
	je cyclewait
; data = FFFF - end song - end play routine
	cmp cx,0ffffh
	jne skipr
	ret

cyclewait:		; waits cl times waitroutine
cylloop:	
	call waitlong
	dec cl
	jnz cylloop
	inc bx
	inc bx
	jmp lraw

checkreg2:
; check low opl
	cmp cl,1
	jne checkh
	mov ch,0
	mov [highlow],ch
	jmp incandret
checkh:
; check high opl
	cmp cl,2
	jne check00
	mov ch,1
	mov [highlow],ch
	jmp incandret
check00:
; set new speed
	cmp cl,0
	jne incandret
	inc bx
	inc bx
	mov ax,[bx]
	mov [clockspeed],ax
	
incandret:
; next double byte in the song please
	inc bx     
	inc bx     
	jmp lraw

skipr:
; sends data to the control and data registers
	mov dx,ctrlreg
	mov al,[highlow]
	cmp al,0
	je regokay
	inc dx
	inc dx
regokay:
	mov al,ch
	out dx,al
;	call waitshort ; not needed for newer adlib cards
	mov dx,datareg
	mov al,[highlow]
	cmp al,0
	je regokay2
	inc dx
	inc dx
regokay2:
	mov al,cl
	out dx,al
	call waitlong
	inc bx
	inc bx
	jmp lraw

waitshort:
	push ax
	push cx
	push dx
	mov cx, 0      ;HIGH WORD.
	mov dx, 010h ;LOW WORD.
	mov ah, 86h    ;WAIT.
	int 15h
	pop dx
	pop cx
	pop ax
	ret

waitlong:
	push bx
	push ax
	push cx
	push dx
	mov cx, 0      ;HIGH WORD.
	mov dx, [clockspeed]
	shr dx,1
	mov ah, 86h    ;WAIT.
	int 15h
	pop dx
	pop cx
	pop ax
	pop bx
	ret

waitmore:
; in bx == 12h is 1 sec
; destroys ax,bx,cx,dx
	push ax
	push bx
	push cx
	push dx
	mov ax,0h
	int 1ah
	add dx, bx
	mov bx,dx
waitloop:
	mov ax,0h
	int 1ah
	cmp bx,dx
	jnz waitloop
	pop dx
	pop cx
	pop bx
	pop ax
	ret

exit:
	mov dx,0388h
	mov al,0b0h
	out dx,al
	inc dx
	xor al,al
	out dx,al
	mov ax,04c00h
	int 21h

clockspeed: dw 0

highlow:	db 0

tune:
	file 'RAWSONG.RAW'

Rewrote 8086 bootblock trackloader

Loading a 320×200 image from 14 cilinders. There is no msdos on the floppy!

9 sectors, 14 cilinders, 1 head * sector size (512 bytes) = 64512 bytes

Mode 13h (320×200 265 colors)

Cuting the raw part from a BMP (see previous post)

root@battlestation:/mnt/# ls -la MAD.bmp
-rw-rw-r-- 1 fash fash 65078 Sep 14 15:57 MAD.bmp

I need 64000 bytes (320x200)
65078-64000 = 1078

root@battlestation:/mnt/# dd if=MAD.bmp of=mad.raw skip=1078 bs=1
64000+0 records in
64000+0 records out
64000 bytes (64 kB, 62 KiB) copied, 0.441618 s, 145 kB/s

I use debug to write to the sectors

debug mad.raw
-w100 0 9 7f
(write from address 100 drive=0 startsector=9 (cylinder 1) and 7f sectors long

Wrote a little sector viewer to debug/view data written.

  • r – read sector again
  • s – next sector (shift previous)
  • c – next cylinder (shift previous)
  • h – toggle head 0 – 1
  • p – load palette from current 2 sectors
  • l – clear screen
  • 1 – goto graphic mode
  • 2 – goto text mode and show sector,head and cylinder info
  • q – quit
  • -/+ tweak palette offset ( was needed for debugging

I will post the code after some code cleaning and adding some comments

Copperbar effect with image on 80×86

I’m still having problems getting a working floppy drive in my machine.
(Broken FDD card, drive errors etc)

The raster bar (also referred to as rasterbar or copperbar) is an effect used in demos and older video games that displays animated bars of colour, usually horizontal, which additionally might extend into the border, a.k.a. the otherwise unalterable area (assuming no overscan) of the display

When you look at the left side of the screen you see the color bar in the border (outside the normal pixel screen)

I first tried to get it working in DosBOX, but thats a mess.
Good for simple emulation but not hardcore register manipulation.

Below dosbox

Three examples below are in PCem

Not waiting for vsync, gives some idea how much timing is left when doing bars
Other effect added
Effect as on the real hardware except emulated using PCeM
use16
org 0x100

CRTC_INDEX = 0x03D4
CRTC_DATA = 0x03D5
INPUT_STATUS = 0x03DA
MAXIMUM_SCAN_LINE = 0x09
LINE_OFFSET = 0x13

jmp start

updown DB 30
direction DB 0
filename DB "shoes.bmp",0

start:
; set mode 320x200 256 colors palette
        mov ah,0x0
        mov al,13h
        int 10h

; clear screen routine, not really needed
clearscreen:
        push ax
        mov ax, 0a000h
        mov es, ax
        pop ax
        xor di, di
        inc ax
        mov cx, 64000 ; 320x200
        rep stosb

; call file loader
        call Loadfile

        push cs
        pop ds

; after displaying the image or displaying an error, wait for keypress to exit
waitforkeyloop:
        call effect     ; Calling the effect
        MOV AH,1
        INT 16h
        JZ waitforkeyloop
        XOR AH,AH
        INT 16h
Exit:
        MOV AX,3        ; default text mode 3
        INT 10h
        MOV AX,4C00h    ; exit to dos (terminate process)
        INT 21h

Loadfile:
        MOV DX,filename
        MOV AX,3D00h    ; open filehandle
        INT 21h
        JC Err1
        MOV BX,AX       ; filehandle
        MOV CX,0FFFFh   ; size
        mov dx,0a000h   ; destination 0000:a000h - Screen memory
        mov ds,dx

        MOV DX,0
        MOV AH,3Fh      ; read from file
        INT 21h
        JC  Err1
        MOV AH,3Eh      ; close filehandle
        INT 21h

        RET
; print error
Err1:
        push cs         ; make ds same as cs
        pop ds
        MOV DX,TxtErr1  ; error
        MOV AH,09h
        INT 21h
        RET

effect:
        cli             ; stop interrupts
        call waitvretrace       ; wait for vertical retrace
        mov al, 0    ; set color index 0 to black (needs to be converted to a function
        mov dx, 3c8h
        out dx, al
        inc dx       ; now 3c9h
        mov al, 0h
        out dx, al   ; set R = 0
        mov al, 0h
        out dx, al   ; set G = 0
        mov al, 0h
        out dx, al   ; set B = 0

; gets start scanline and direction
        mov al,[updown]
        mov ah,[direction]
        cmp ah,0
        jz      addcounter
        dec al
        cmp al,30
        jnz gohere
        mov ah,0
        mov [direction],ah
        jmp gohere
addcounter:
        inc al
        cmp al,100
        jnz gohere
        mov ah,1
        mov [direction],ah
gohere:
        mov [updown],al

; al = scanline, call wait for scanline
        call waithretrace
        mov al, 0    ; set color index 0 to blueish
        mov dx, 3c8h
        out dx, al
        inc dx
        mov al, 11h
        out dx, al
        mov al, 22h
        out dx, al
        mov al, 33h
        out dx, al
; wait 10 scanlines (height of bar)
        mov al,10
        call waithretrace

; draw black again
        mov al, 0    ; set color index 0's rgb value
        mov dx, 3c8h
        out dx, al
        inc dx       ; now 3c9h
        mov al, 0
        out dx, al   ; set R = 11h
        mov al, 0h
        out dx, al   ; set G = 22h
        mov al, 0h
        out dx, al   ; set B = 33h

        sti     ; start interrupts again
        ret

; this waits for vertical retrace
waitvretrace:
        mov dx,INPUT_STATUS
waitv1:
        in al,dx
        test al,8
        jnz waitv1
waitv2:
        in al,dx
        test al,8
        jz waitv2
        ret

; routine that waits for horizontal retrace
waithretrace:
        mov cl,al
        mov dx,INPUT_STATUS
waith1:
        in al,dx
        test al,1
        jnz waith1
waith2:
        in al,dx
        test al,1
        jz waith2
        dec cl
        cmp cl,0
        jnz waith1
        ret

TxtErr1 DB "shoes.bmp not found!",7,10,13,"$"

Writing C64 machinecode using Linux With Visual Studio, Kickass and C64Debugger

While still having a love-hate relationship with Visual Studio (I’m a Vim guy), here is my C64 coding setup. (for now)

Needed:
Vice (C64 emulator (and more))
C64 Debugger (embeds above in an awesome debugger)
Visual Studio
Kickass C64 assembler (you need java for this)
(http://theweb.dk/KickAssembler/Main.html)

Visual Studio click extensions and add kickass by Captain Jinx

https://sourceforge.net/projects/c64-debugger/
This is Commodore 64, Atari XL/XE and NES code and memory debugger that works in real time. It is quick prototyping tool where you can play with Commodore 64 machine and its internals.

I’ve got mostly installed in /data
Change accordingly

Create new file, press ctrl-shift-p and invoke kickass debug!

My dosbox assembly directory

Below you can find the files in a zip for writing assemby machine code in dosbox.

I’ve got mine extracted in ~/projects/dos

To automount this i’ve edited

~/.dosbox/dosbox-*.conf
;-------- bottom part
[autoexec]
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.
# You can put your MOUNT lines here.

mount c: /home/myusername/projects/dos
c:

The files

  • A.BAT – Runs editor, masm,linker (start with a<space>progname
  • DEBUG.COM – msdos debugger
  • EXE2BIN.EXE – exe to com (if segments allow)
  • GFX.ASM – example template (see below)
  • LINK.EXE – masm linker
  • MASM.EXE – masm compiler
  • Q* – editor stuff
  • Q.EXE – editor
  • SR.EXE – sourcer
  • SYMDEB.EXE
  • TASM.EXE – turbo assembler
  • TD.EXE – turbo debugger
  • TLINK.EXE – turbo linker

Template

; everything in 64k CS, DS, and SS are the same
.model small
; start pointer
.stack 100h
.code
start:
	; set mode 13 (320x200 * 265 colors palette)
    mov ah,0	
    mov al,13h
    int 10h

    ; set pixel in the middle color 2 (cyan)
    mov ah,0ch
    mov al,2
    mov cx,160
    mov dx,100
    int 10h

	; wait key input
    mov ah,0
    int 16h

	; set mode back to text
    mov ah,0
    mov al,3
    int 10h

	; exit to dos
    mov ax,4c00h
    int 21h
end start

Usage

start dosbox
a gfx (edit gfx.asm example)
esc, q, e
gfx (run program)

8086 sideway scroller ‘n stuff

Today I was working on my own brew ISA card (wirewrapping).
Did some mini modeling stuff.
Sorted some pipetunes.
And played around with my 8086.

Got it on a desk now, and replaced the harddisk with the CF card.
Also got an old SoundBlaster working, so i wanted to see what of my old code could still run.
Apparanty most code was compiled for 386/486 🙁
So i recompiled some stuff.
Below a horizontal scroller example.

Meanwhile i got my new fans in for my NUC (Kodi player, it was making a hell of a noise due to bad ball bearings.