Programming cross z80 calculators - Revision history

Galandros: /* General Advices */ formatting

2010-04-20T20:58:33Z

‎General Advices: formatting

Galandros: /* General Advices */ the list now makes sense

2010-04-20T20:57:17Z

‎General Advices: the list now makes sense

Galandros: added some more of my experience

2010-04-20T20:55:29Z

added some more of my experience

Galandros: /* Calculators Series Current Interest */ little adds

2010-04-20T20:00:02Z

‎Calculators Series Current Interest: little adds

Galandros: added Nspire TI-84+SE emulator info

2010-04-20T19:53:02Z

added Nspire TI-84+SE emulator info

Galandros: little edit

2010-04-19T19:42:44Z

little edit

Galandros: added a few things...

2010-04-19T19:41:51Z

added a few things...

Galandros: main reestructure of topic, added more info

2010-04-19T19:32:42Z

main reestructure of topic, added more info

Show changes

Galandros: completing the info, a more neutral view

2010-04-19T18:48:13Z

completing the info, a more neutral view

Galandros: added more info

2010-04-19T13:56:15Z

added more info

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 For the TI-85 and TI-86, much of the TI-OS changes (especially memory management). The screen resolution is different, so you need to change the graphics accordingly.
 List of things to keep in mind while programming:
 * avoid b_calls (wherever possible)
 * use a assembler that supports #if #else #endif directives (give a example on how to use)

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 For the TI-85 and TI-86, much of the TI-OS changes (especially memory management). The screen resolution is different, so you need to change the graphics accordingly.
 * avoid b_calls (wherever possible)
 * use a assembler that supports #if #else #endif directives (give a example on how to use)

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 The newer Nspire calculators are getting popularity but z80 developers will keep their audience because Nspire (non CAS) has a TI-84+SE emulator and in the future it will probably get released a 3rd party TI-84+SE emulator for Nspire CAS.
-There are in less number TI-82 and TI-83 (Regular) users. They will rejoice with a build for them. TI-83 is the easiest to port from TI-83+ source code.
+There are in less number TI-82 and TI-83 (Regular) users. They will rejoice with a build for them. And note TI-83 is the easiest to port from TI-83+ source code.
 TI-85 and TI-86 are no longer produced, long discontinued, there is few visible development and very few interest on them. TI-86 has TI-85 compatibility, but not sure about ASM.
@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 === General Advices ===
-* avoid b_calls (when possible, of course)
 * use a assembler that supports #if #else #endif directives (give a example on how to use)
 * use a linker capable to output all z80 calculators format (notably SPASM)
-* See in Z80 Routines a set of graphic routines to all calculators (not right now...)
+* See in Z80 Routines a set of graphic routines to all calculators (not right now...) (changes are due TI-85/86 screen resolution is different)
 * If you need memory in assembly programs in RAM, place variables in the program
 === Safe Rams ===
@@ Line 177: / Line 185: @@
 All calculators have a 96x64 pixels screen except TI-85 and TI-86 which have 128x64 pixels.
 === TI-73 ===
@@ Line 184: / Line 191: @@
 === TI-81 ===
 * unfriendly calculator to code (no emulator, code must be typed on the calculator, hard to hack)
-* note again that few people own one and very few use it
+* note that few people own one, very few use it and even less hacked it (can be counted by your fingers?)
 === TI-82 ===
 * No Hooks
 === TI-85 ===
 * memory mapped LCD (great but others don't)
 === TI-86 ===
 * memory mapped LCD (great but others don't)
 === TI-83 ===
 * Link port is different from TI-83+
-* No Flash Memory for user storage
+* No Flash Memory for user storage (no APPS and AppsVars and no archived vars)
 * there is no bcalls, just normal calls
@@ Line 203: / Line 216: @@
 * Most usual z80 platform, compatible with TI-83+SE and TI-84+ calculators
 * APPS programming
 === TI-83+SE ===
@@ Line 219: / Line 233: @@
 * Does not support any undocumented z80 instructions
 * USB software is not correctly emulated (USB8X should fail)
-* extra RAM pages emulated?
+* extra RAM pages not emulated (?)
 (until a better 3rd party emulator is released, you have to make to mind this)
@@ Line 229: / Line 243: @@
 * Dwedit's large include file
 * this set of most complete include files
-* this routines
+* WikiTI routines
 === Source Code Template Program in RAM template ===
   <nowiki>
@@ Line 294: / Line 310: @@
 ;Free APPS header
-Start:
+Begin:
-exit:
+Exit:
 	bjump(_JForceCmdNoChar)
   </nowiki>

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 == Calculators Series Current Interest ==
-There are in less number TI-82 and TI-83 (Regular) users. They will rejoice with a build for them.
+Note that the TI-83+ series (TI-83+, TI-83+SE, TI-84+, TI-84+SE) are the most common worldwide. Most development is done to this series. Most times ports were done to this series.
-TI-85 and TI-86 are no longer produced, long discontinued, there is few visible development and very few interest on them. TI-86 has TI-85 compatibility. (in asm???)
+The newer Nspire calculators are getting popularity but z80 developers will keep their audience because Nspire (non CAS) has a TI-84+SE emulator and in the future it will probably get released a 3rd party TI-84+SE emulator for Nspire CAS.
 By any means feel unmotivated or constricted by the current interest, there are still old calculator enthusiasts who enjoy new stuff for their legacy calculator. And assembling for more models can be an important feature.

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 == Calculators Series Current Interest ==
 Note that the TI-83+ series (TI-83+, TI-83+SE, TI-84+, TI-84+SE) are the most common worldwide. Most development is done to this series. Historically, most times ports were done to this series.
 There are in less number TI-82 and TI-83 (Regular) users. They will rejoice with a build for them.
@@ Line 211: / Line 212: @@
 * APPS programming
 * Some bad LCD can screw your beautiful graphics, use a [[safefastcopy]] routine
 == Useful Tools and Utilities ==

@@ Line 295: / Line 295: @@
 * THE TI-82/83(+) UNIFICATION FAQ by Guillaume Hoffmann
 * UTI topic about shells http://www.unitedti.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=3702
-* ticalc
+* ticalc articles

@@ Line 129: / Line 129: @@
 === Shells ===
 While TI-83+ series run assembly programs without shells (called no-stub) all others require some shell or exploit to run assembly code. So knowing the shells is important for testing on emulator and release to public.
-TI-82, there is AShell and CRASH
+TI-73 only shell is Mallard
-TI-83, has Ion and Venus
+TI-82, there is ash and CRASH
 TI-83+/84+/SE - Ion and Ion compatible shells (MirageOS, DoorCS, CrunchyOS)
-TI-85 ???
+TI-85 AShell and Usgard
-TI-86 ???
+TI-86 AShell v1.1, Rascall v0.9, and Yet Another Shell 2.21
 I suggest Ion for 83 and 83+ series because is popular and has a nice set of routines (mainly for games).
@@ Line 191: / Line 194: @@
 === TI-83 ===
 * Link port is different from TI-83+
 * there is no bcalls, just normal calls
@@ Line 290: / Line 294: @@
 == Related Topics and sources of info ==
 * THE TI-82/83(+) UNIFICATION FAQ by Guillaume Hoffmann

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 == Introduction ==
 It is a nice feature to do in your games and other programs to be able to use them across all the z80 calculators.
 The difficulty to port depends on every case. In some games, it is enough changes in some graphics routines, safe ram locations and to bcalls to make it work.
-Some cases might be a nightmare (in practical too difficult) or simply impossible. (use strange bcalls and specific stuff)
+Some cases might be a nightmare (in practical too difficult) or simply impossible.
-== Calculators Current Interest ==
+== Calculators Series Current Interest ==
-Note that the TI-83+ series (TI-83+, TI-83+SE, TI-84+, TI-84+SE) are the most common worldwide. Most development is done to this series. And this calculators specifics are used as reference to what is normal feature.
+Note that the TI-83+ series (TI-83+, TI-83+SE, TI-84+, TI-84+SE) are the most common worldwide. Most development is done to this series. Historically, most times ports were done to this series.
-There are in less number TI-82, TI-83 (Regular) users. They will rejoice without a build for them.
-TI-85 and TI-86 are no longer produced, there is few visible development and interest on them and are deprecated.
-By any means feel unmotivated or affected by the current interest, there are still old calculator enthusiasts who enjoy new stuff for their legacy calculator. Also assembling for more models is a nice thing to do.
+There are in less number TI-82 and TI-83 (Regular) users. They will rejoice with a build for them.
 == General Advices ==
@@ Line 18: / Line 20: @@
 * use a linker capable to output all z80 calculators format (notably SPASM)
 * See in Z80 Routines a set of graphic routines to all calculators (not right now...)
 == Help Documentation ==
@@ Line 23: / Line 26: @@
 === Safe Rams ===
 Safe ram is simply some portions of fixed ram (re)usable to programmers without any conflict to the TI-OS.
-But their location and existence depend from calculator to calculator model.
+But their location and existence depend from calculator to calculator model. Because of this may be preferable to keep variables inside your program. The obvious disadvantage is your program will take more space.
-Here is a table to illustrate what is available or not across the z80 calculators:
-{{stub}}
+This table illustrates what safe ram locations are available in the various calculator models.
 {| class="wikitable" border="1"
 |-
-!  Safe ram location / Calculator Model
+!  Safe Ram Name
 !  TI-82
 !  TI-83
 !  TI-85
 !  TI-86
-!  TI-83+/84+/SE
+!  Use it?
 |-
-|  tempswaparea
+|  TEXT_MEM (textshadow)
+|
+|
@@ Line 42: / Line 57: @@
+|
 |-
-|  plotsscreen
+|  OPs
+|
+|
@@ Line 50: / Line 100: @@
 |}
-=== bcalls (system calls) ===
+The conclusion is using APD_BUF (savesscreen) because it has a good size, is present in all calculators and doesn't need to be restored after use.
-There are two advices to solve the bcalls across calculators:
-- do not use bcalls (or just a few)
-- use complete include files and bcall macro for each calculator model
-Note that on TI-83, there is no bcall macro, you just use a normal call to a jump table.
+=== bcalls, icalls (system calls) ===
 === Shells ===
@@ Line 168: / Line 224: @@
   </nowiki>