Overview
You will
learn the steps to assembling Asm programs using TASM.
Backround
Information
TASM
stands for Telemark Cross Assembler. The TASM assembler assembles
for the Intel 8080 processor. What!? But we're assembling for
Zilog's Z80 processor! Don't worry =) When the Z80 was developed
by Zilog (A renegade group of Intel engineers), it was highly
based off of the Intel 8080. In fact. they are cross compatible!
That's why we're using TASM to assemble our programs.
Checklist for
Assembling
- Is the program written in
z80 Asm?
- Does the program have a .z80 file extension?
- Have you self checked it for errors?
- Have you had a friend (or me) check it?
- Have you properly installed all the software?
- Have you backed up your calculator?
Once this checklist is completed, continue on.
Assembling
Programs
Now, copy
the program you've written from the "MyPrgms" folder to
the "TASMassembler" folder. Next, in the "TASMassembler"
folder, make sure if you used any include files that they're in
the folder along with the written program. In the "TASMassembler"
folder, create a new text file called "Start.bat". You
may edit this file later by right clicking on it and clicking on
edit. In the "start.bat" file type in asm progname.
Where progname is the name of the program you've written. Do not
include the .z80 extension when typing in the name. Now save it
and close the file. Now, to start assembling the program, click
on the "start.bat" file. If all goes well, the
assembler should have outputted a .hex file. If it did go on. If
the assembler gave you an error message, click
here to try to debug it.
Sending and
Running
Open the
progname.hex file in the "TASMassembler" folder. Select
the entire contents of the file and copy it. Then open the TI-Graph
Link program and type in AsmPrgm in the new program editing area
on the right. Paste the contents of the .hex file there. Give it
a name and send it to RAM. Make sure if you're using a Graph
Link, that the link is securely connected to one of the computers
COM ports. Then, on the calculator, press [2nd] +
[Catalog] . Then scroll down to Asm (. Hit enter to paste it to
the home screen. Then hit [Prgm] then select your program. Hit
Enter. The home screen should look like this:
Asm ( prgmprogname
Hit enter to execute the command.
Your Asm program is now running!
What if it Crashes?
If you don't have a Graph Link, create a new
program on the TI-83 Plus. Paste the AsmPrgm token in the program.
Then you'll have to hand copy each charater from the .hex file to
the calculator.
Compiling
To compile
your program, paste the AsmComp( token from the catalog. Then
paste the program you want to complile to the screen, then hit
the , button. Then, from the catalog, paste the Prgm token to the
screen. Then type in a name up to 8 characters long. It cannot be
the same as the program you are compiling. Your calc screen
should look like this:
AsmComp(prgmprogname, prgmprogname2
Hit enter and your program has now been compiled. You can run the program the same way as the program before you compiled it.
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