#66: Commander X16 6502 Assembly Language Dev Setup

Setting up a development environment on a Windows PC for creating 65C02 Assembly Language programs for the Commander X16 computer.

0:00 Intro
2:10 Overview
11:54 Emulator installation
27:55 Assembler installation
29:42 dot net installation
31:07 VS Code editor installation
32:20 Software configuration
33:35 Assembler config
49:35 VSCode editor config
57:17 C64 programming book
1:02:30 programming
1:12:25 BASIC header
1:20:26 ROM/Kernal routines
1:22:41 assembling the program
1:25:40 loading the program
1:33:51 Debugger
1:42:24 running the program

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Links
=========
Commander X16 website:

8bitcoding Setup instructions:

Commander X16 Emulator:

Retro Assembler:

dotnet download:

VS Code Editor:

Commander X16 Programmer's Reference Guide:

Perifractic X16 enclosure discussion video:

Sample Program Template:
=======================
.org $0801 ;ORG $0801 (2049 Decimal). The BASIC program is expected to start at $0801

.BYTE $0B,$08,$0A,$01,$9E,$32,$30,$36,$31,$00,$00,$00 ;Header to run from BASIC. MC starts at $080D
;$0B08 = Address where BASIC program would begin.
;$0A01 = Little endian for $010A (266 decimal). Arbitrary line number for the SYS command below.
;$9E = "SYS" command in BASIC.
;$32,$30,$36,$31 = "2","0","6","1" (PETSCII coded) needed for the "SYS2061" BASIC command to run the MC program.
;Note: 2061 (decimal) = $080D which is where the MC bytes begin.

;The MC bytes below will begin at address $080D

lda #$A6 ;Load register A with PETSCII code for checkerboard symbol.
jsr $FFD2 ;Call CHROUT (ROM routine to print character in A to screen).
rts ;Return

[brunch]

This video was exactly what I was looking for. I hope you will do more X16 tutorials.

[-bitcoding]

Great video and thank you for crediting my tutorial about using Retro Assembler with Commander X16. It is great and simple tool for writing assembly programs for many 8 bit platforms. I wrote this tutorial about three years ago and I enjoyed using this configuration, however all my newer tutorials and games are written using cc65 development environment. There are two main reason for why I switched. First one is that Commander X16 Kernel and vast majority of community examples are written in cc65. Second reason is that cc65 tools include C compiler so it is possible to develop and mix assembly with C code which makes development of some types of programs much simpler and faster.

[androth]

retro assembler is written likely in C# or F#, that's why it needs the .NET framework to run.

[mortarmopp]

Lots of detail, love that. My only niggle is that the A register is more accurately called the Accumulator.

[Jody_VESAR]

Yes, something was not normal when you tried the "Try it online" link on the left. That should normally take you to the online/real-time emulator (as it does today). Might have been a short-term glitch just during the period you were making your video. Also note: R43 of the emulator is now available for download, which will be required to do development faithful to the production hardware. Thanks for the video!

[mortarmopp]

The online emulator mustove been down at the time of making this, but it does work now.

[retrorobbins]

cool video as all ways, yes the Commander x16 is looking to be one I like to build

[openmicwestbury]

people are listening, , , so continue please... step by step

[openmicwestbury]

im still watching...get back to coding