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|
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/strict.dtd">
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1" >
<title>Pasmo documentation.</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Pasmo documentation.</h1>
<p>
(C) 2004-2005 Julián Albo.
</p>
<p>
Use and distribution allowed under the terms of the GPL license.
</p>
<p>
Last revision date: 19-apr-2005
</p>
<p>
Current Pasmo version: 0.5.2
</p>
<h2>Index.</h2>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="#intro">Introduction.</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#install">Installation.</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#command">Command line use.</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#codegen">Code generation modes.</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#codegendefault">Default mode.</a></li>
<li><a href="#codegenbin">--bin mode.</a></li>
<li><a href="#codegenhex">--hex mode.</a></li>
<li><a href="#codegenprl">--prl mode.</a></li>
<li><a href="#codegencmd">--cmd mode.</a></li>
<li><a href="#codegentap">--tap mode.</a></li>
<li><a href="#codegentzx">--tzx mode.</a></li>
<li><a href="#codegencdt">--cdt mode.</a></li>
<li><a href="#codegentapbas">--tapbas mode.</a></li>
<li><a href="#codegentzxbas">--tzxbas mode.</a></li>
<li><a href="#codegencdtbas">--cdtbas mode.</a></li>
<li><a href="#codegenplus3dos">--plus3dos mode.</a></li>
<li><a href="#codegenamsdos">--amsdos mode.</a></li>
<li><a href="#codegenmsx">--msx mode.</a></li>
<li><a href="#codegensymbol">Symbol table.</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#source">Source code format.</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#sourcegeneral">Generalities.</a>
<li><a href="#sourcelit">Literals.</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#sourcelitnum">Numeric literals.</a></li>
<li><a href="#sourcelitstr">String literals.</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="#sourceident">Identifiers.</a>
<li><a href="#sourcefilename">File names.</a>
<li><a href="#sourcelabel">Labels.</a>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#directives">Directives.</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#direrror">.ERROR</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirshift">.SHIFT</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirwarning">.WARNING</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirdefb">DEFB</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirdefl">DEFL</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirdefm">DEFM</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirdefs">DEFS</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirdefw">DEFW</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirds">DS</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirdw">DW</a></li>
<li><a href="#direlse">ELSE</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirend">END</a></li>
<li><a href="#direndif">ENDIF</a></li>
<li><a href="#direndm">ENDM</a></li>
<li><a href="#direndp">ENDP</a></li>
<li><a href="#direqu">EQU</a></li>
<li><a href="#direxitm">EXITM</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirif">IF</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirinclude">INCLUDE</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirincbin">INCBIN</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirirp">IRP</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirlocal">LOCAL</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirmacro">MACRO</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirorg">ORG</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirproc">PROC</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirpublic">PUBLIC</a></li>
<li><a href="#dirrept">REPT</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#operators">Operators.</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#opergeneral">Generalities.</a></li>
<li><a href="#opertable">Table of precedence.</a></li>
<li><a href="#operlist">List of operators.</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#macros">Macros.</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#macrogeneral">Generalities.</a></li>
<li><a href="#macrodirectives">Directives.</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#macroshift">.SHIFT</a></li>
<li><a href="#macroendm">ENDM</a></li>
<li><a href="#macroexitm">EXITM</a></li>
<li><a href="#macroirp">IRP</a></li>
<li><a href="#macromacro">MACRO</a></li>
<li><a href="#macrorept">REPT</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#discussion">About suggestions and possible improvements.</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#tricks">Tricks.</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#bugs">Bugs.</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#epilogue">Epilogue.</a>
</li>
</ul>
<h2><a name="intro">Introduction</a>.</h2>
<p>
Pasmo is a multiplatform Z80 cross-assembler, easy to compile and easy to
use. It can generate object code in several formats suitable for many
Z80 machines and emulators.<br>
Pasmo generates fixed position code, can not be used to create relocatable
object files for use with linkers.
</p>
<p>
Pasmo is compatible with the syntax used in several old assemblers, by
supporting several styles of numeric and string literals and by
providing several names of the most used directives.<br>
However, in Pasmo the Z80 mnemonics, register and flags names and
directives are reserved words, this may require changes of symbol
names conflicting in some programs.
</p>
<p>
Pasmo can also generate the 8086 equivalent to the z80 assembly code.
It can create COM files for ms-dos, by using the binary generation mode,
or CMD files for CP/M 86, by using
<a href="#codegencmd">the --cmd generation mode</a>.
This feature is experimental, use with care.
</p>
<h2><a name="install">Installation</a>.</h2>
<p>
Download Pasmo from
<a href="http://www.arrakis.es/~ninsesabe/pasmo/"
>http://www.arrakis.es/~ninsesabe/pasmo/</a>.<br>
Several binary executable are provided in the web, if your platform
is not between these, or wants a more recent version, you must
download the source package and compile it. If you want to compile it
in windows you can use cygwin or mingw with the Makefile provided, with
other compilers you may need to create a project, workspace or whatever
your compiler or IDE uses.<br>
To compile you need gcc version 2.95 or later, with the c++ language
included (usually a package called g++-something).<br>
Others compilers may also be used, any reasonable standard complaint
c++ compiler must compile it with few or none corrections.<br>
From version 0.5.2 a configure script is provided. You can use the
usual './configure ; make ; make install' procedure.<br>
You have also an official Debian package for testing and
unstable releases.
</p>
<h2><a name="command">Command line use</a>.</h2>
<p>
Pasmo is invoked from command line as:
</p>
<pre>
pasmo [options] file.asm file.bin [file.symbol [file.publics] ]
</pre>
<p>
Where file.asm is the source file, file.bin is the object file to be created
and optionally file.symbol is the file where the symbol table will be
written and file.publics is the file for the public symbols table.
Both symbol file names can be an empty string for no generation or - to write
in the standard output. When the --public option is used this is handled
in another way, see below.
</p>
<p>
Options can be zero or more of the following:
</p>
<dl>
<dt>-d</dt>
<dd>
Show debug info during second pass of assembly.
</dd>
<dt>-1 (digit 'one')</dt>
<dd>
Show debug info during both passes of assembly.
</dd>
<dt>-8</dt>
<dd>Same as --w8080</dd>
<dt>-v</dt>
<dd>
Verbose mode. Show progress information about loading of files,
progress of assembly and maybe other things.
</dd>
<dt>-I (upper case i)</dt>
<dd>
Add directory to the list for searching files in INCLUDE and INCBIN.
</dd>
<dt>-B</dt>
<dd>Same as --bracket</dd>
<dt>-E</dt>
<dd>Same as --equ</dd>
<dt>--86</dt>
<dd>
Generate 8086 code instead of Z80. This feature is experimental.
</dd>
<dt>--bin</dt>
<dd>
Generate the object file in raw binary format without headers.
</dd>
<dt>--hex</dt>
<dd>
Generate the object file in Intel HEX format.
</dd>
<dt>--prl</dt>
<dd>
Generate the object file in CP/M PRL format.
</dd>
<dt>--cmd</dt>
<dd>
Generate the object file in CP/M 86 CMD format.
</dd>
<dt>--tap</dt>
<dd>
Generate the object file in .tap format.
</dd>
<dt>--tzx</dt>
<dd>
Generate the object file in .tzx format.
</dd>
<dt>--cdt</dt>
<dd>
Generate the object file in .cdt format.
</dd>
<dt>--tapbas</dt>
<dd>
Same as --tap but adding a Basic loader before the code.
</dd>
<dt>--tzxbas</dt>
<dd>
Same as --txz but adding a Basic loader before the code.
</dd>
<dt>--cdtbas</dt>
<dd>
Same as --cdt but adding a Basic loader before the code.
</dd>
<dt>--plus3dos</dt>
<dd>
Generate the object file in PLUS3DOS format.
</dd>
<dt>--amsdos</dt>
<dd>
Generate the object file in Amsdos format.
</dd>
<dt>--msx</dt>
<dd>
Generate the object file in MSX format.
</dd>
<dt>--public</dt>
<dd>
Only the public symbols table is generated, using the file.symbol name,
file.symbol must not be specified when using this option.
</dd>
<dt>--name</dt>
<dd>
Name to put in the header in the formats that use it. If unspecified
the object file name will be used.
</dd>
<dt>--err</dt>
<dd>
Direct error messages to standard output instead of error output
(except for errors in options).
</dd>
<dt>--nocase</dt>
<dd>
Make identifiers case insensitive.
</dd>
<dt>--alocal</dt>
<dd>
Use autolocal mode. In this mode all labels that begins with '_'
are locals. See <a href="#sourcelabel">the chapter about labels</a> for
details.
</dd>
<dt>--bracket</dt>
<dd>
Use bracket only mode. In this mode the parenthesis are valid only in
expressions, for indirections brackets must be used.
</dd>
<dt>--equ</dt>
<dd>
Predefine a symbol. Predefined symbol are treated in a similar way as
defineds with EQU. Some possible uses are exemplified in the black.asm
example file. The syntax is: '--equ label=value' where label must be
a valid label name and value a numeric constant in a format valid in
pasmo syntax. The part =value is optional, if not specified the value
asigned is FFFF hex.
</dd>
<dt>--w8080</dt>
<dd>
Show warnings when Z80 instructions that have no equivalent in 8080
are used. Makes easy to write programs for 8080 processor using Z80
assembler syntax.
</dd>
</dl>
<p>
When no option for code generation is specified, --bin is used by
default.
</p>
<p>
The -d option is intended to debug pasmo itself, but can also be useful
to find errors in asm code. When used the information is showed in the
standard output. Error messages goes to error ouptut unless the --err
option is used.
</p>
<h2><a name="codegen">Code generation modes</a>.</h2>
<h3><a name="codegendefault">Default mode</a></h3>
<p>
If none of the code generation options is specified, then --bin mode is
used by default.
</p>
<h3><a name="codegenbin">--bin mode</a></h3>
<p>
The --bin mode just dumps the code generated from the first
position used without any header. This mode can be used for
direct generation of CP/M or MSX COM files, supposed that you
use a ORG 100H directive at the beginning of the code, or to
generate blocks of code to be INCBINed in other programs.
</p>
<h3><a name="codegenhex">--hex mode</a></h3>
<p>
The --hex mode generates code in Intel HEX format. This format can
be used with the LOAD or HEXCOM CP/M utilities, can be transmitted
more easily than a binary format, and is also used in some PROM
programming tools.
</p>
<h3><a name="codegenprl">--prl mode</a></h3>
<p>
The prl format is used in several variants of Digital Research CP/M
operating system. In pasmo is supported only to create RSX files for
use in CP/M Plus, use for PRL files in MP/M is not supported because
I don't have a MP/M system, real or emulated, where to test it.
</p>
<h3><a name="codegencmd">--cmd mode</a></h3>
<p>
The --cmd option generates a CP/M 86 CMD mode, using the 8080 memory
model of CP/M 86. Used in conjuction with the --86 option can easily
generate CP/M 86 executables from CP/M 80 sources with minimal changes.
</p>
<h3><a name="codegentap">--tap mode</a></h3>
<p>
The --tap options generates a tap file with a code block, with the
loading position set to the beginnig of the code so you can load it
from Basic with a
<strong>LOAD "" CODE</strong>
instruction.
</p>
<h3><a name="codegentzx">--tzx mode</a></h3>
<p>
Same as <a href="#codegentap">--tap</a> but using tzx format instead of tap.
</p>
<h3><a name="codegencdt">--cdt mode</a></h3>
<p>
The --cdt options generates a cdt file with a code block, with the
loading position set to the beginning of the code and the start
address to the start point specified in the source, if any, so you
can use
<strong>RUN ""</strong>
to execute it or
<strong>LOAD ""</strong>
to load it.
</p>
<h3><a name="codegentapbas">--tapbas mode</a></h3>
<p>
With the --tapbas option a tap file is generated with two parts:
a Basic loader and a code block with the object code. The Basic
loader does a CLEAR before the initial address of the code, loads
the code, and executes it if a entry point is defined (see the
<a href="#dirend">END</a>
directive). That way you can directly launch the code in a emulator,
or transfer it to a tape for use in a real Spectrum.
</p>
<h3><a name="codegentzxbas">--tzxbas mode</a></h3>
<p>
Same as <a href="#codegentapbas">--tapbas</a> but using tzx format instead
of tap.
</p>
<h3><a name="codegencdtbas">--cdtbas mode</a></h3>
<p>
Same as <a href="#codegentapbas">--tapbas</a> but using cdt format instead
of tap and with a Locomotive Basic loader instead of Spectrum Basic.
</p>
<h3><a name="codegenplus3dos">--plus3dos mode</a></h3>
<p>
Generate the object file in plus3dos format, used by the Spectrum +3 disks.
The file can be loaded from Basic with a
<strong>LOAD "filename" CODE</strong>
instruction.
</p>
<h3><a name="codegenamsdos">--amsdos mode</a></h3>
<p>
Generate the object file with Amsdos header, used by the Amstrad CPC
on disk files. The file generated can be loaded from Basic with
<strong>LOAD "filename", address</strong>
or executed with
<strong>RUN "filename"</strong>
if an entry point has been specified in the source (see the
<a href="#dirend">END</a>
directive).
</p>
<h3><a name="codegenmsx">--msx mode</a></h3>
<p>
Generate the object file with header for use with BLOAD in MSX Basic.
</p>
<h3><a name="codegensymbol">Symbol table</a></h3>
<p>
The symbol table generated contains all identifiers used in the program,
with the locals represented as a 8 digit hexadecimal number in order of
use, unless the --public option is used. In that case only the symbols
specified in PUBLIC directives are listed.
</p>
<p>
The symbol table format is a list of EQU directives. That way you can
INCLUDE it in another source to create programs composed of several
blocks.
</p>
<h2><a name="source">Source code format</a>.</h2>
<h3><a name="sourcegeneral">Generalities</a>.</h3>
<p>
Source code files must be valid text files in the platform used. The use of,
for example, unix text files under pasmo in windows, is unsupported and the
result is undefined (may depend of the compiler used to build pasmo, for
example). The result of the use of a file that contains vertical tab or
form feed characters is also undefined.
</p>
<p>
Everything after a ; in a line is a comment (unlees the ; is part of a
string literal, of course). There are no multiline comments, you can
use IF 0 .... ENDIF instead (but see <a href="#dirinclude">INCLUDE</a>).
</p>
<p>
String literals are written to the object file without any character set
translation. Then the use of any character with a different meaning in
the platform were pasmo is running and the destination machine must be
avoided, and the code of the character may be used instead. That also
means that using Pasmo in any machine that uses a non ascii compatible
character set may be difficult, and that a source written in utf-8 may
give undesired results. This may be changed in future versions of Pasmo.
</p>
<p>
A line may begin with a decimal number followed by blanks. This number
is ignored by the assembler, is allowed for compatibility with old
assemblers. The line number reported in errors is the sequential number
of the line in the file, not this.
</p>
<p>
Blanks are significative only in string literals and when they separate
lexical elements. Any number of blanks has the same meaning as one.
A blank between operators and operands is allowed but no required except
when the same character has other meaning as prefix ('$' and '%', for
example).
</p>
<h3><a name="sourcelit">Literals</a>.</h3>
<h4><a name="sourcelitnum">Numeric literals</a>.</h4>
<p>
Numeric literals can be written in decimal, binary, octal and hexadecimal
formats. Several formats are accepted to obtain compatibility with the
source format of several assemblers.
</p>
<p>
A literal that begins with $ is a hexadecimal constant, except if the
literal is only the $ symbol, in that case is an operator, see below.
</p>
<p>
A literal that begins with # is a hexadecimal constant, except if there
are two consecitives #, see the ## operator.
</p>
<p>
A literal that begins with & can be hexadecimal, octal or binary
constant, depending of the character that follows the &: H means
hexadecimal, O octal and X hexadecimal, if none of this the caracter
must be a valid hexadecimal digit and the constant is hexadecimal.
</p>
<p>
A literal that begins with % is a binary constant, except if the literal
is only the % symbol, in that case is an operator, see below.
</p>
<p>
A literal that begins with a decimal digit can be a decimal, binary,
octal or hexadecimal. If the digit is 0 and the following character is
an X, the number is hexadecimal. If not, the suffix of the literal is
examined: D means decimal, B binary, H hexadcimal and O or Q octal,
in any other case is taken as decimal. Take care, FFFFh for example is
not an hexadecimal constant, is an identifier, to write it with the
suffix notation you must do it as 0FFFFh.
</p>
<p>
All numeric formats can have $ signs between the digits to improve
readability. They are ignored.
</p>
<h4><a name="sourcelitstr">String literals</a>.</h4>
<p>
There are two formats of string literals: single or double quote
delimited.
</p>
<p>
A string literal delimited with single quotes is the simpler format,
all characters are included in the string without any special
interpretation, with the only exception that two consecutive single
quotes are taken as one single quote character to be included in the
string. For example: the single quote delimited string
'That''s all folks' generates the same string as the double quote
delimited "That's all folks".
</p>
<p>
A string literal delimited with double quotes is interpreted in a
way similar to the C and C++ languages. The \ character is taken
as escape character, with the following interpretations: n is a
new line character (0A hex), r is a carriage return (0D hex), t is
a tabulator (09 hex), a is a bell (07 hex), x indicates that the
two next characters will be considered the hexadecimal code of
a char and a char with that code is inserted, an octal digit prefixes
and begins an octal number of up to three digits, and the corresponding
character is inserted into the string, the characters \ and "
means to insert itself in the string, and any other char is reserved
for future use.
</p>
<p>
A string literal of length 1 can be used as a numeric constant with
the numeric value of the character contained. This allows expressions
such as 'A' + 80h to be evaluated as expected.
</p>
<h3><a name="sourceident">Identifiers</a>.</h3>
<p>
Identifiers are the names used for labels, EQU and DEFL symbols and
macro names and parameters. The names of the Z80 mnemonics, registers
and flag names, and of pasmo operands and assemble directives are
reserved and can not be used as names of identifiers. Reserved names
are case insensitive, even if case sensitive mode is used.
</p>
<p>
In the following 'letter' means an english letter character in
upper or lower case. Characters that correspond to letters in
other languages are not allowed in identifiers.
</p>
<p>
Identifiers begins with a letter, '_', '?', '@' or '.', followed for
zero or more letter, decimal digit, '_', '?', '@', '.' or '$'.
The '$' are ignored, but a reserved word with a '$' embedded or appended
is not recognized as such.
</p>
<p>
Identifiers that begins with '_' are special when using autolocal mode,
see the --alocal option and
<a href="#sourcelabel">the chapter about labels</a>
for details.
</p>
<p>
Identifiers are case sensitive if the option --nocase is not used.
When using --nocase, they are always converted to upper case.
</p>
<h3><a name="sourcefilename">File names</a>.</h3>
<p>
File names are used in the INCLUDE and INCBIN directives. They follow
special rules.
</p>
<p>
A file name that begins with a double quote character must end with
another double quote, and the file name contains all character between
them without any special interpretation.
</p>
<p>
A file name that begins with a single quote character must end with
another single quote, and the file name contains all character between
them without any special interpretation.
</p>
<p>
In any other case all characteres until the next blank or the end of line
are considered part of the file name. Blank characters are space and tab.
</p>
<h3><a name="sourcelabel">Labels</a>.</h3>
<p>
A label can be placed at the beginning of any line, before any
assembler mnemonic or directive. Optionally can be followed by
a ':', but is not recommended to use it in directives, for
compatibility with other assemblers. A line that has a label
with no mnemonic nor directive is also valid.
</p>
<p>
The label has special meaning in the MACRO, EQU and DEFL directives,
in any other case the value of the current code generation position is
assigned to the label.
</p>
<p>
Labels can be used before his definition, but the result of doing this
with labels assigned with DEFL is undefined.
</p>
<p>
The value of a label cannot be changed unless DEFL is used in all
assignments of that label. If the value assigned to a label is
different in the two passes of the assembly the program is illegal,
but is not guaranteed that an error is generated. However, is legal
to assign a value undefined in the first pass (by using an expression
that contains a label not yet defined, for example).
</p>
<p>
In the default mode a label is global unless declared as LOCAL into
a MACRO, REPT or IRP block, see the
<a href="#dirlocal">LOCAL</a>
directive for details.
</p>
<p>
In the autolocal mode, introduced by using the --alocal command line
option, all labels that begins with a '_' are locals. His ambit ends
at the next non local label or in the next PROC, LOCAL, MACRO, ENDP
or ENDM directive.
</p>
<p>
Both automatic and explicit local labels are represented in the symbol
table listing as 8 digit hexadecimal numbers, corresponding to the first
use of the label in the source.
</p>
<h2><a name="directives">Directives</a>.</h2>
<p>
List of directives supported in Pasmo, in alphabetical order.
<p>
<dl>
<dt><a name="direrror">.ERROR</a></dt>
<dd>
Generates an error during assembly if the line is actively used, that is,
in a macro if it gets expanded, in an IF if the current branch is taken.
All text following the directive is used as error message.
</dd>
<dt><a name="dirshift">.SHIFT</a></dt>
<dd>
Shift MACRO arguments, see <a href="#macros">the chapter about macros</a>.
</dd>
<dt><a name="dirwarning">.WARNING</a></dt>
<dd>
Same as <a href="#direrror">.ERROR</a> but emiting a a warning message
instead of generating an error.
</dd>
<dd><a name="dirdb">DB</a></dd>
<dd>
Define Byte. The argument is a comma separated list of string literals
or numeric expressions. The string literals are inserted in the object
code, and the result of the numeric expression is inserted as a single
byte, truncating it if needed.
</dd>
<dt><a name="dirdefb">DEFB</a></dt>
<dd>DEFine Byte, same as <a href="#dirdb">DB</a>.</dd>
<dt><a name="dirdefl">DEFL</a></dt>
<dd>
DEFine Label. Must be preced by a label. The argument must be a
numeric expression, the result is assigned to the label. The label
used can be redefined with other DEFL directive.
</dd>
<dt><a name="dirdefm">DEFM</a></dt>
<dd>DEFine Message, same as <a href="#dirdb">DB</a>.</dd>
<dt><a name="dirdefs">DEFS</a></dt>
<dd>DEFine Space, same as <a href="#dirds">DS</a>.</dd>
<dt><a name="dirdefw">DEFW</a></dt>
<dd>Same as <a href="#dirdw">DW</a>.</dd>
<dt><a name="dirds">DS</a></dt>
<dd>
Define Space. Take one or two comma separated arguments.
The first or only argument is the amount of space to define,
in bytes. The second is the value used to fill the space,
if absent 0 will be used.
</dd>
<dt><a name="dirdw">DW</a></dt>
<dd>
Define Word. The argument is a comma separated list of numeric
expressions. Each numeric expression is evaluated as a two byte word
and the result inserted in the code in the Z80 word format.
</dd>
<dt><a name="direlse">ELSE</a></dt>
<dd>See <a href="#dirif">IF</a>.
</dd>
<dt><a name="dirend">END</a></dt>
<dd>
Ends the assembly. All lines after this directive are ignored.
If it has an argument is evaluated as a numeric expression and the result
is set as the program entry point. The result of setting an entry point
depends of the type of code generation used, may be none but even in this
case may be used for documentation purposes.
</dd>
<dt><a name="direndif">ENDIF</a></dt>
<dd>See <a href="#dirif">IF</a>.</dd>
<dt><a name="direndm">ENDM</a></dt>
<dd>Ends a macro, see <a href="#macros">the chapter about macros</a>.</dd>
<dt><a name="direndp">ENDP</a></dt>
<dd>Marks the end of a PROC block, see PROC.</dd>
<dt><a name="direqu">EQU</a></dt>
<dd>
EQUate. Must be preceded by a label. The argument must be a numeric
expression, the result is assigned to the label. The label used can't be
redefined.
</dd>
<dt><a name="direxitm">EXITM</a></dt>
<dd>Exits a macro, see <a href="#macros">the chapter about macros</a>.</dd>
<dt><a name="dirif">IF</a></dt>
<dd>
Contional assembly. The argument must be a numeric expression, a result
of 0 is considered as false, any other as true. If the argument is true the
following code is assembled until the end of the IF section or an ELSE
directive is encountered, else is ignored. If the ELSE direcive is present
the following code is ignored if the argument was true, or is assembled if
was false.<br>
The IF section is ended with a ENDIF or a ENDM directive (in the last case
the ENDM has also his usual effect).<br>
IF can be nested, in that case each ELSE and ENDIF takes effect only on his
corresponding IF, but ENDM ends all pending IF sections.
</dd>
<dt><a name="dirinclude">INCLUDE</a></dt>
<dd>
Include a file. See
<a href="#sourcefilename">the file names chapter</a>
for the conventions used in the argument. The file is readed and the result
is the same as if the file were copied in the current file instead of the
INCLUDE line.<br>
The file included may contain INCLUDE directives, and so on.<br>
INCLUDE directives are processed before the assembly phases, so the use
of IF directives to conditionally include different files is not allowed.
</dd>
<dt><a name="dirincbin">INCBIN</a></dt>
<dd>
INClude BINary. Include a binary file. Reads a binary file and insert
his content in the generated code at the current position. See
<a href="#sourcefilename">the file names chapter</a>
for the conventions used in the argument.
</dd>
<dt><a name="dirirp">IRP</a></dt>
<dd>
Repeat a block of code substituing arguments. See
<a href="#macros">the chapter about macros</a>.
</dd>
<dt><a name="dirlocal">LOCAL</a></dt>
<dd>
Marks identifiers as local to the current block. The block may be
a MACRO, REPT, IRP or PROC directive, the local ambit ends in the
corresponding ENDM or ENDP directive. The ambit begins at the LOCAL
directive, not at the beginning of the block, take care with that.<br>
If several LOCAL declations of the same identifier are used in the same
block, only the first has effect, the others are ignored.
</dd>
<dt><a name="dirmacro">MACRO</a></dt>
<dd>
Defines a macro, see
<a href="#macros">the chapter about macros</a>.
</dd>
<dt><a name="dirorg">ORG</a></dt>
<dd>
ORiGin. Establishes the origin position where to place generated
code. Several ORG directives can be used in the same program, but if
the result is that code generated overwrites previous, the result is
undefined.
</dd>
<dt><a name="dirproc">PROC</a></dt>
<dd>
Marks the begin of a PROC block. The only effect is to define
an ambit for LOCAL directives. The block ends with a corresponding
ENDP directive. The recommended use is to enclose a subroutine in
a PROC block, but can also be used in any other situation.
</dd>
<dt><a name="dirpublic">PUBLIC</a></dt>
<dd>
The argument is a comma separated list of identifiers. Each identifier
is marked as public. When using the --public command line option only the
identifiers marked as public are included in the symbol table listing.
</dd>
<dt><a name="dirrept">REPT</a></dt>
<dd>
REPeaTs a block. See <a href="#macros">the chapter about macros</a>.
</dd>
</dl>
<h2><a name="operators">Operators</a>.</h2>
<h3><a name="opergeneral">Generalities</a>.</h3>
<p>
All numeric values are taken as 16 bits unsigned, using 2 complement or
trucating when required. Logical operators return FFFF hex for true and 0
for false, in the arguments 0 is false and any other value true.
</p>
<p>
Parenthesis may be used to group parts of expressions. They are also used
to express indirections in the z80 instructions that allows or require it.
This can cause some errors when a parenthesized expression is used in a
place were an indirections is allowed. Pasmo uses some heuristic to
allow the expression to be correctly interpreted, but are far from perfect.
</p>
<p>
Using the bracket only mode the parenthesis have the unique meaning of
grouping expressions, brackets are required for indirections, thus solving
ambiguities.
</p>
<p>
Short circuit evaluation: the && and || operators and the conditional
expression are short circuited. This means that if one of his operators
need not be evaluted, it can include undefined symbols or divisions by 0
without generating an error (but still must have correct syntax). In the
conditional expression this applies to the branch not taken, in the &&
operator to the second operand if the first is false, and in the ||
operator to the second operand if the first is true.
</p>
<h3><a name="opertable">Table of precedence</a>.</h3>
<p>
Table of operators by order of precedence, those in the same line have the
same precedence:
</p>
<pre>
## (see note)
$, NUL, DEFINED
*, /, MOD, %, SHL, SHR, <<, >>
+, - (binary)
EQ, NE, LT, LE, GT, GE, =, !=, <, >, <=, >=
NOT, ~, !, +, - (unary)
AND, &
OR, |, XOR
&&
||
HIGH, LOW
?
</pre>
<p>
The ## operator is an special case, is processed during the macro expansion,
see <a href="#macros">the chapter about macros</a>.
</p>
<h3><a name="operlist">Alphabetic list of operators</a>.</h3>
<dl>
<dt>!</dt>
<dd>
Logical not. Returns true if his argument is 0, false otherwise.
</dd>
<dt>!=</dt>
<dd>Same as NE.</dd>
<dt>##</dt>
<dd>
Identifier pasting operator, see
<a href="#macros">the chapter about macros</a>.
</dd>
<dt>$</dt>
<dd>
Gives the value of the position counter at the begin of the current sentence.
For example, in a DW directive it gives the position of the first item in
the list, not the current item.
</dd>
<dt>%</dt>
<dd>Same as MOD.</dd>
<dt>&</dt>
<dd>Same as AND.</dd>
<dt>&&</dt>
<dd>
Logical and. True if both operands are true.
</dd>
<dt>*</dt>
<dd>Multiplication.</dd>
<dt>+</dt>
<dd>Addition or unary +.</dd>
<dt>-</dt>
<dd>Substraction or unary -.</dd>
<dt>/</dt>
<dd>Integer division, truncated.</dd>
<dt><</dt>
<dd>Same as LT</dd>
<dt><<</dt>
<dd>Same as SHL</dd>
<dt><=</dt>
<dd>Same as LE</dd>
<dt>=</dt>
<dd>Same as EQ</dd>
<dt>></dt>
<dd>Same as GT</dd>
<dt>>=</dt>
<dd>Same as GE</dd>
<dt>>></dt>
<dd>Same as SHR</dd>
<dt>?</dt>
<dd>
Condtional expression. Must be followed by two expressions separated by a :,
if the expression on the right of ? is true, the first expressions is
evaluted, if false, the second.
</dd>
<dt>|</dt>
<dd>Same as OR.</dd>
<dt>||</dt>
<dd>
Logical or. True if one of his operands is true.
</dd>
<dt>~</dt>
<dd>Same as NOT</dd>
<dt>AND</dt>
<dd>Bitwise and operator.</dd>
<dt>DEFINED</dt>
<dd>
The argument must be a identifier. The result is true if the identifier is
defined, false otherwise.
</dd>
<dt>EQ</dt>
<dd>
Equals. True if both operands are equal, false otherwise.
</dd>
<dt>GE</dt>
<dd>
Greater or equal. True if the left operand is greater or equal than the right.
</dd>
<dt>GT</dt>
<dd>
Greater than. True if the left operand is greater than the right.
</dd>
<dt>HIGH</dt>
<dd>
Returns the high order byte of the argument.
</dd>
<dt>LE</dt>
<dd>
Less or equal. True if the left operand is lesser or equal than the right.
</dd>
<dt>LOW</dt>
<dd>
Returns the low order byte of the argument.
</dd>
<dt>LT</dt>
<dd>
Less than. True if the lefth operand is lesser than the right.
</dd>
<dt>MOD</dt>
<dd>
Modulus. The remainder of the integer division.
</dd>
<dt>NE</dt>
<dd>
Not equal. False if both operands are equal, true otherwise.
</dd>
<dt>NOT</dt>
<dd>
Bitwise not. Return the ones complement of his operand.
</dd>
<dt>NUL</dt>
<dd>
Returns true if there is something at his right, false in other case.
Useful if the arguments are parameters of macros.
</dd>
<dt>OR</dt>
<dd>
Bitwise or operator.
</dd>
<dt>SHL</dt>
<dd>
Shif left. Returns the left operand shifted to the left the number of bits
specified in the right operand, filling with zeroes.
</dd>
<dt>SHR</dt>
<dd>
Shif right. Returns the left operand shifted to the right the number of bits
specified in the right operand, filling with zeroes.
</dd>
<dt>XOR</dt>
<dd>
Bitwise xor (exclusive or) operator.
</dd>
</dl>
<h2><a name="macros">Macros</a>.</h2>
<h3><a name="macrogeneral">Generalities</a>.</h3>
<p>
There are two types of macro directives: the proper MACRO directive
and the repetition directives REPT and IRP. In addition the ENDM and
EXITM directives controls the end of the macro expansion.
</p>
<p>
A macro parameter is an indentifier that when the macro is expanded
is substitued by the value of the argument applied. The argument can
be empty, or be composed by one or more tokens. If a MACRO is defined
inside another macro directive the external parameters are not
substitued, with the other macro directives the parameter substitution
is done beginnig by the most external directive. The NUL operator
can be used to check if an argument is not empty. The .SHIFT directive
can be used to work with an undeterminated number of arguments.
</p>
<p>
Identifier pasting: inside a MACRO the operator ## can be used to join
two idenfiers resulting in another identifier. This is intended to allow
the creation of identifiers dependent of macro arguments.
</p>
<h3><a name="macrodirectives">Directives</a>.</h3>
<dl>
<dt><a name="macroshift">.SHIFT</a></dt>
<dd>
Can be used only inside a MACRO. The MACRO arguments are shitted one
place to the left, the first argument is discarded. If there are not
enough arguments to fill the parameter list after the shift, the
remaining arguments get undefined.
</dd>
<dt><a name="macroendm">ENDM</a></dt>
<dd>
Marks the end of the current MACRO definition, or the current REPT or
IRP block. All IF blocks contained in the macro block are also closed.
</dd>
<dt><a name="macroexitm">EXITM</a></dt>
<dd>
Exits the curren MACRO, REPT or IRP block. In the case of MACRO, the
macro expansion is finished, in the other cases the code generation
of the block is terminated and the assembly continues after the
corresponding ENDM.
</dd>
<dt><a name="macroirp">IRP</a></dt>
<dd>
<pre>
IRP parameter, argument list.
</pre>
Repeats the block of code between the IRP directive and his corresponding
ENDM one time for each of the arguments.
</dd>
<dt><a name="macromacro">MACRO</a></dt>
<dd>
Defines a macro. There are two forms that can be used:
<pre>
name MACRO [ list of parameters]
</pre>
or:
<pre>
MACRO name [ , list of parameters]
</pre>
In all cases, list of paramenters is a comma separated list of identifiers,
and name is the name assigned to the macro created.<br>
A macro is used by simply specifying his name, and optionally a list of
arguments. The arguments list does not need to have the same length as the
parameter list of the macro. If it is longer, the extra arguments are not
used, but can be retrieved by using .SHIFT inside the MACRO. If it is
shorter some parameters get undefined, this can be tested inside the MACRO
by using the NUL operator.
</dd>
<dt><a name="macrorept">REPT</a></dt>
<dd>
Repeats the block of code between the REPT directive and his corresponding
ENDM the number of times specified in his argument. The argument can be
0, in that case the block is skipped.<br>
Additionally a loop var can be specified. This var is not a macro parameter,
is used as a LOCAL DEFL symbol, whose value is incremented in every loop
iteration. The initial value and incement can be specified, with defaults of
0 and 1 respectively.
</dd>
</dl>
<h2><a name="discussion">About suggestions and possible improvements</a>.</h2>
<p>
The assumption of Pasmo if that, being a cross-assembler, it will be
used on a machine with many available resources. Then I do not make
any effort to provide means to do things that can be easily made
with other utilities, unless I think (or other people convince me)
that including it in Pasmo can be much more convenient.<br>
For example, if you want to create a sin table you can write a program
in your favourite language that writes a file with the table and
INCLUDE that file, and if you want to automate that type of things you
can use make.
</p>
<p>
Taken that into account, I am open to suggestions to improve Pasmo
and to patches that implements it. In the later case please take
care to write things in a portable way, without operating system
or compiler dependences.
</p>
<h3>Why Pasmo can not generate linkable code?</h3>
<p>
Pasmo has a simple code generator that uses absolute address of memory.
That will make difficult to adapt it to generate relocatable code for
use with linkers.
I don't have plans to do it for the moment, maybe someone want to
contribute?
</p>
<h3>Game Boy.</h3>
<p>
Some people suggested to add support for Game Boy programming. There
are two problems, the simplified way used to generate code in Pasmo,
and my inexistent knowledge of the Game Boy.
</p>
<h3>Thanks.</h3>
<p>
Thanks to all people that has made suggestions and notified or
corrected bugs. And to these that show me the beautiful things they
do with Pasmo.
</p>
<h2><a name="tricks">Tricks</a>.</h2>
<p>
You can use Pasmo to convert any binary file to .tap, just write a tiny
program called for example convert.asm:
</p>
<pre>
ORG address_to_load_the_file
INCBIN file.bin
</pre>
<p>
Assemble it with: pasmo --tap convert.asm file.tap, and you have it.
The same may be done for the other formats supported.
</p>
<h2><a name="bugs">Bugs</a>.</h2>
<p>
Pasmo emits a warning when using a expression that looks line a non
existent z80 instruction, such as 'ld b, (nn)', but the simplified
way used to detect that also warns in cases like
'ld b,(i1+i2)*(i3+i4)'.<br>
A way to avoid the warning in that case is to prefix the expression
with parenthesis with '+' or '0 +'.<br>
Using the bracket only mode the problem does not exist, in that case
the parenthesis are always taken as expresssions (and the programmer
is supposed to know that), thus the warning is not emitted.<br>
More suggestions about that are wellcome.
</p>
<p>
There is no way to include a file whose name contains blanks, single
and double quoutes. Someone use file names like that?
</p>
<h2><a name="epilogue">Epilogue</a>.</h2>
<p>That's all folks!</p>
<p>
Send comments and criticisms to:
</p>
<address><a href="mailto:julian.notfound@gmail.com"
>julian.notfound@gmail.com</a>
</address>
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