Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!cbmvax!daveh
From: daveh@cbmvax.UUCP (Dave Haynie)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Re: assempro
Message-ID: <3329@cbmvax.UUCP>
Date: 16 Feb 88 21:31:55 GMT
References: <643@sandino.quintus.UUCP>
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 43

> Summary: can you use another assembler on files created with assempro?
> In article <3309@cbmvax.UUCP>, daveh@cbmvax.UUCP (Dave Haynie) writes:

>> My main caution on this package is that you won't be able to properly mix it
>> with other languages, since you can't link.  I suppose your C program could
>> LoadSeg() something created with AssemPro, or call up an AssemPro generated
>> library, but you're not going to call AssemPro functions directly from C.
>> This may be a minor quip, though, since both C compilers already come with
>> Assemblers.

> Ahhh, but can I develop an assembly routine with assempro, and then use
> someone else's assembler to produce a linkable object?  Is it
> compatible enough?

MAYBE.  If you write small programs, you're probably OK.  The op-codes are
no problem, but the pseudo-ops could be.  The most common difference is the
pseudo-op used for alignment.  Assempro uses "ALIGN.W" or "ALIGN.L" type
code, while Metacomco and Lattice use Moto's "CNOP" code.  It's pretty simple
to write macros to trade one for another, and the Assempro manual actually
includes THESE macros.

If you start getting very complex, and deal with INCLUDE user-written
INCLUDEs, INCLUDEs playing as modules, or some of the SLABEL/ILABEL stuff,
you may get into more involved compatibility issues.  I don't think there'd
be any problem with system includes, as long as you're including AssemPro
files in Assempro and standard Amiga assembler includes with Metacomco or
Lattice's assembler.

I think for the most likely cases, like "I'm building this assembly subroutine
to call later from C", Assempro would be a good route to take.  You could build
the subroutine really easily in the intergrated Assempro environment, test it
out with their debugger, and then port it to MCC or Lattice with little or no
trouble.  Something the size of exec.library or graphics.library would be
best left in MCC or Assempro format, unless you figure build yourself a generic
environment with the proper macros in each system.

> -Peter Schachte
> pds@quintus.uucp
> ...!sun!quintus!pds
-- 
Dave Haynie  "The B2000 Guy"     Commodore-Amiga  "The Crew That Never Rests"
   {ihnp4|uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh      PLINK: D-DAVE H     BIX: hazy
		"I can't relax, 'cause I'm a Boinger!"