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80s assembler choice

usernameusername
edited March 2015 in Development
Hi

These emulators have great little assemblers built into them but I was wondering what people used to use on their physical spectrums to program with assembly language?

I have heard of people cross compiling; if so what would have been used in that case?

But if people where using their spectrum, what would the tool of choice be?

Thanks
Post edited by username on

Comments

  • rich_chandlerrich_chandler
    edited March 2015
    No. 1 choice for the bedroom room coder was Devpac.

    For the professional it was PDS.
    I wanna tell you a story 'bout a woman I know...
  • usernameusername
    edited March 2015
    Thanks

    So Zeus wasn't used much?
  • usernameusername
    edited March 2015
    I presume it was the cost that made the bedroom programmer use Devpac over PDS?
  • RalfRalf
    edited March 2015
    I presume it was the cost that made the bedroom programmer use Devpac over PDS?

    You say that :)

    PDS was a cross development system. You didn't work on Spectrum (or Amstrad CPC or other 8 bit machine) but on PC:

    http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/PDS_development_system

    http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Apricot_PC

    According to then link above the PC cost much over ?1000, 15 times or so as much as Spectrum.
  • rich_chandlerrich_chandler
    edited March 2015
    username wrote: »
    Thanks

    So Zeus wasn't used much?
    Zeus was used as was the Picturesque assembler, Steve Turner used the OCP Editor/Assembler before he turned to cross-assembling.

    Another good one was Laser Genius.
    I wanna tell you a story 'bout a woman I know...
  • spectrumlinuxspectrumlinux
    edited March 2015
    Another vote for the Zeus Assembler.
  • Dr BEEPDr BEEP
    edited March 2015
    Until '90 I used DEVPAC, after that Tornado.
  • ewgfewgf
    edited March 2015
    I used Zeus. I don't think I've ever used Devpac.

    In the mid-late 90s I used Doctor Kode.
  • RudyRudy
    edited March 2015
    Dr BEEP wrote: »
    Until '90 I used DEVPAC, after that Tornado.

    Me too, started using Tornado as soon as it was working. Adapted it for DISCiPLE/+D.

    Rudy
  • RetroTechieRetroTechie
    edited March 2015
    On the ZX Spectrum, I was still young and inexperienced enough that assembly coding was limited to sample programs, and small snippets of code that were easily done with pen / paper / text editor / calculator and a few POKEs.

    From there moved onto MSX, where my assembler of choice was Gen80. Oh right, that's another vote for Devpac, then? :grin:
  • woollymammothwoollymammoth
    edited March 2015
    I used to use OCP Editor/Assembler
  • Mr MillsideMr Millside
    edited March 2015
    I taught myself to code using Zeus and produced a couple of simple games. I used Devpac to write VAC by using its compile to Microdrive option. Lots of chewed tape cartridges and sleepless nights doing it that way :)
  • MetalbrainMetalbrain
    edited March 2015
    I started using Devpac until I got the Ensamblador para Plus3 in a MicroHobby tape. Back then I wasn't aware of any other options such as Zeus, OCP, Tornado...
  • BaggersBaggers
    edited March 2015
    I used Zeus, and Machine Lightning, but preferred Zeus, second company I worked at we used Amstrad CPW 8512s and transferred to speccy, until at Special FX where we did our own system, serial comms from Einstein to custom Speccy board to which I still have source for the ROM. We then moved to ST and kept the Speccy board.
  • mr.spivmr.spiv
    I used paper and pen ;) and later migrated to Zeus.

    Now that I think about it I have no idea anymore how I generated the hex listings for magazines I sent my programs (hoping them to be published - one succeeded ;)
  • Alone CoderAlone Coder
    It is said that TASM by Rst7 (the predecessor of MASM and ALASM) was based on Zeus.
  • mel the bellmel the bell
    i fiddled with devpac on the atari st a lil bit, not much :P
    Professional Mel-the-Bell Simulator................"So realistic, I found myself reaching for the Kleenex King-Size!" - Richard Darling
  • MatGubbinsMatGubbins
    I had a few tries with the Picturesque assembler for all the headerless code routines to save a few inches of tape when compiling the saves from an Interface III device. 
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  • Andy SchraepelAndy Schraepel
    During the 80's, i startet with Pen & Paper, Zeus for 1 or 2 years, bought an Oasis-pack, changed to "Spectre-Mac" which i prefer until today. ArtStudio for Grafix, and all within Fuse-Emulator. Spectre-Mac has some nice features, and simply works as needed. It has Macros, even the whole assembly behaviour is defined in one file and can be modified.

    In fact, by altering a copy of this file, it is possible to change / add opcodes, directives, or change the assembler to a yellow submarine.
  • zPasizPasi
    I used Picturesque Editor/Assembler. It worked very well. Writing the code was a little bit slow though, when I had a Dk'tronics keyboard I could have typed in faster if the key scanning wasn't so slow.

    Later on I purchased some 'Machine Lightning' package, there was assembler, monitor and some other sfuff in it. I didn't really like the package, but used the monitor/disassembler part a little.

    At the time I hadn't even heard of cross-assembling or cross-compiling :)
  • jamorskijamorski
    My preferred Monitor was the one on the 16/48 tape (can't recall the issue number, possibly 25). Its relocatable and does the basics well. I used to write stuff out, then look up and calculate every jump etc by hand, then use the Monitor to enter the code and debug. Used the ESD assembler that came on a cover tape a few times, but never got to grips with assemblers generally.

    I use z80 PC assembler now, but it doesn't assemble conditionals working on the Carry flag (jr c,xx / Ret c etc)

    Still looking for other options....
  • ArjunArjun
    I've only ever used Zerus as an assembler. Before that it was mainly typing in hex codes in a hex editor and praying I didn't punch in something wrong from the book listing :)
    Zero - A modern Spectrum emulator for Windows.
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  • GReWGReW
    Started off with an old school exercise book, a five line BASIC octal/binary loader and a sort-of flow chart to find the correct op-code (hence the use of octal, the Z80 instruction-set maps to octal surprisingly neatly).

    Then moved onto BugByte's ZXAS on the ZX81, where you put the source code in REM statements, and embedded the machinecode in another REM lines - which got around the lack of CODE files on the ZX81.
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  • KiwiKiwi
    Like Arjun, I only used Zeus and before that made a hex editor in basic. Wow that was slow and heart breaking when it crashed.
  • GeorgeoGeorgeo
    Anyone use Laser Genius? This was the assembler/ monitor that I settled on, and seemed pretty good to me.
  • rich_chandlerrich_chandler
    I used to use it, it was quite excellent. The only problem was it was so big it didn't give you much room for your executable code.
    I made much more use out the monitor/disassembler which was quite simply the best ever released.
    I wanna tell you a story 'bout a woman I know...
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