Description: Machine language programming is very slow and tedious without using an assembler program. International Publishing and Software sells ZX Assembler, a program that allows you to enter and edit machine language using mnemonics.
ZX Assembler occupies 7K and is located at the top of memory. It stores the machine language in a REM statement at the start of the Basic program and the assembly language in a second REM statement. An easy-to-follow 26-page manual comes with the program, describing its use in detail.
Editing functions allow you to insert and delete characters and lines. Numbers can be entered in decimal or hexadecimal. Mnemonics can be entered very quickly because the input response time is fast.
The program also contains a monitor which has many useful functions. From the monitor, one can run a machine code routine for testing, inspect and modify registers, search for numbers, and display the HEX contents of memory.
Evaluation: Its high speed makes machine language very attractive to serious programmers. Execution speed of instructions is far superior to Basic instructions. Programming in machine language is much more difficult than Basic but programs such as ZX Assembler offer the programmer valuable aid.
Without an assembler, programmers must POKE into memory the decimal code for each instruction. Editing in this manner becomes very difficult. ZX Assembler contains all the functions necessary for easy machine language programming.
The major drawback with ZX Assembler is its location in memory. It uses 7K of memory, limiting the size of the basic program. Because it is not relocatable, its position limits programmers with greater memory to 16K.
ZX Assembler is a very useful tool for beginners or professionals. A beginner with a good book on Z80 machine language will find this program easy to use.
Rating: 8