Creating some library functions

I always use reusable code where possible , and even a TMS1100 is no exception. I've written a slightly demented bit of code this evening which takes a digit (0-9) and stores a pixel version of it in memory.

Not difficult in most processors, but in an TMS1100 it has to fit in 64 bytes otherwise its pretty useless as a subroutine (branching to another page is possible - you can go the the opposite chapter, I think, but not a different page in the same chapter, because PB is used for the subroutine return address and the page register.

Just need to write some code to physically render it to the LCD.

Not sure what sort of game to write yet. A version of the old Bombing game where you go left to right across the screen trying to flatten buildings, maybe, as a first run. Or maybe something else.

Coding in these things often uses a FSM type approach, rather than a modular approach. It's difficult to be modular when you only have one level of subroutine, and fairly small subroutines.

New Working Versions and Source available

Windows and OSX versions are now available for download. The OSX tar ball contains the source, the Windows just the executable.

You run it with ./mvem test.bin or mvem test.bin . The debugger commands are : 0-9A-F change code address, K set breakpoint, H home to program counter, S single step, V step over. G runs the loaded program - it starts up in debug mode. When running (the debug display will disappear) M returns to debug mode (the other key columns are 1QAZ and 2WSX - a Microvision has a 3 across by 4 down keypad). The P and O keys turn the paddle (position shown by a bar below the main display). 

You can exit either using Escape or the Close button on the window.

There's one oddity. The OSX one worked fine, but when I ran the Windows version it didn't work. It was inserting a 00 value into the first byte of the array used to store the code. This has been fixed, sort of, by inserting a bit of code which effectively does nothing in the reset() code. I am wondering if this is an optimisation bug .... or another bug in my code. But it works, anyway.

Also included are the four ROM images - Vegas Slots, Phaser Strike, Block Buster and Mind Buster. Blockbuster is almost unplayable but then it always was .......

The other things - the assembler, definition file and parser have been updated as well.

Not perfect, but not bad. Next part of the Retrochallenge is to write a new game for the system.