10 install debian 20 REM get an emulator. MAME works quite well. You can also use caprice32. 30 sudo apt install mame mame-tools 40 get the system roms: $ mame -listroms cpc464 ROMs required for driver "cpc464". Name Size Checksum cpc464.rom 32768 CRC(40852f25) SHA1(56d39c463da60968d93e58b4ba0e675829412a20) $ mame -listroms cpc664 ROMs required for driver "cpc664". Name Size Checksum cpc664.rom 32768 CRC(9ab5a036) SHA1(073a7665527b5bd8a148747a3947dbd3328682c8) cpcados.rom 16384 CRC(1fe22ecd) SHA1(39102c8e9cb55fcc0b9b62098780ed4a3cb6a4bb) $ mame -listroms cpc6128 ROMs required for driver "cpc6128". Name Size Checksum cpc6128.rom 32768 CRC(9e827fe1) SHA1(5977adbad3f7c1e0e082cd02fe76a700d9860c30) cpcados.rom 16384 CRC(1fe22ecd) SHA1(39102c8e9cb55fcc0b9b62098780ed4a3cb6a4bb) Maybe take a look here. You put them into the directory: /usr/local/share/games/mame/roms/cpc464 50 build iDSK from https://github.com/cpcsdk/idsk. 60 edit your first BASIC file $ echo '10 print "hello"' > hello.bas don't forget to convert line endings! $ unix2dos hello.bas 70 create disk with hello.bas $ iDSK -n hello.dsk -i hello.bas -t 0 80 run the emulator: $ mame cpc664 -flop1 hello.dsk -skip_gameinfo \ -ab '\n\nrun "hello\n' 90 To get out of the emulator press the INSERT key and then the ESC key. (if this doesn't work you are likely not on debian - goto 10 ;-) or try F1 or Scroll Lock then ESC ).
100 Read a short Locomotive BASIC summary.
#!/bin/bash
{ cat<<EOF
mode 0
for p=0 to 15:ink p,p:next
for y%=0 to 9:for x%=0 to 159
plot x%*4,y%*2,x% mod 16
next x%:next y%
REM palette based animation
s=time
o%=0
while time-s<3000
o%=o%+1
for p%=0 to 15
ink p%,(p%+o%) mod 16
next p%
wend
print o%\10,"frames/s"
EOF
}|nl -w1|unix2dos>p.bas
iDSK p.dsk -n -i p.bas -t 0
mame cpc664 -flop1 p.dsk -skip_gameinfo \
-ab '\n\nrun "p\n' \
-snapsize 768x544 -aviwrite /tmp/p.avi -str 30
ffmpeg -ss 0.5 -y -i /tmp/p.avi \
-pix_fmt yuv420p /tmp/p.mp4
Note: the created avi videos are quite big. You might wish to remove them again.
As you can see even this simple palette based animation is quite slow in BASIC (only 15 out of 50 frames/s) => let's use something faster.
For CP/M we need to download the system disks first:
#!/bin/bash wget -O disks.zip \ 'https://www.cpcwiki.eu/'\ 'imgs/9/99/CPC664_System_Disks_%28EN%29.zip' unzip disks.zip
Then we can continue:
#!/bin/bash
cp -v 664EN_1.DSK hello.dsk
# 8080 asm for CP/M 2.2
{ cat <<EOF
org 0100h
lxi d,string
mvi c,09h
call 0005h
ret
string: db 'Hello',13,10,'$'
EOF
} > hello.asm
unix2dos hello.asm
echo -en '\x1a' >> hello.asm
iDSK hello.dsk -i hello.asm -t 0
mame cpc664 -flop1 hello.dsk -skip_gameinfo \
-ab '\n\n|cpm\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\
asm hello\n\
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\
load hello\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nhello\n' \
-snapsize 768x544 -aviwrite /tmp/cpm8080.avi \
-str 30
ffmpeg -ss 0.5 -y -i /tmp/cpm8080.avi \
-pix_fmt yuv420p /tmp/cpm8080.mp4
This is not very comfortable => let's do better.
First install pasmo:
$ sudo apt install pasmoTest it:
#!/bin/bash cp -v 664EN_1.DSK hello.dsk # Z80 asm for CP/M 2.2 cat > hello.asm <<EOF org 100h ld de,string ld c,9 call 5 ret string: db 'Hello$' EOF pasmo hello.asm hello.com iDSK hello.dsk -i hello.com -t 2 mame cpc664 -flop1 hello.dsk -skip_gameinfo \ -ab '\n\n|cpm\n hello\n' \ -snapsize 768x544 -aviwrite /tmp/cpm.avi \ -str 20 ffmpeg -ss 0.5 -y -i /tmp/cpm.avi \ -pix_fmt yuv420p /tmp/cpm.mp4
#!/bin/bash
cat > checker.asm <<EOF
org &100
ld a,2
call &bc0e
ld hl,&c000
ld b,&aa
ld de,2000
loop: ld (hl),b
inc hl
dec de
ld a,d
or e
jp nz,skip
ld de,48
add hl,de
ld de,2000
ld a,&ff
xor b
ld b,a
skip: ld a,h
or l
jp nz,loop
call &bb18
ret
EOF
pasmo checker.asm checker.bin
iDSK checker.dsk -n -i checker.bin \
-e 100 -c 100
mame cpc664 -flop1 checker.dsk -skip_gameinfo \
-ab '\n\nrun "checker\n' \
-snapsize 768x544 -aviwrite /tmp/checker.avi \
-str 20
ffmpeg -ss 0.5 -y -i /tmp/checker.avi \
-pix_fmt yuv420p /tmp/checker.mp4
#!/bin/bash
{ cat <<EOF
mode 2
for i%=1 to 150: print "hello world ";:next
memory &1fff
load "h.bin"
REM pass pointer to graphics memory as argument
call &2000,&C000
EOF
}|nl -w1|unix2dos>h.bas
iDSK h.dsk -n -i h.bas -t 0
cat > h.asm <<EOF
org &2000
ld l,(ix+0) ; get pointer from stack
ld h,(ix+1)
loop:
ld a,(hl)
xor &ff
ld (hl),a
inc hl
ld a,h
or l
jp nz,loop
jp &2000
ret
EOF
pasmo h.asm h.bin
iDSK h.dsk -i h.bin -e 2000 -c 2000 -t 1
mame cpc664 -flop1 h.dsk -skip_gameinfo \
-ab '\n\nrun "h\n' \
-snapsize 768x544 -aviwrite /tmp/h.avi -str 12
ffmpeg -ss 0.5 -y -i /tmp/h.avi \
-pix_fmt yuv420p /tmp/mixed.mp4
Now writing Z80 assembly is quite time consuming. Let's see if we can do better.
$ sudo apt install sdcc
#!/bin/bash
cat>c.c<<E
int i(int,int);int s(char,char,char);
int l(char);
int main(){
__asm__("ld a,#0\ncall 0xbc0e");char x,y,o=0;
l(o);
for(y=0;y<200;++y)for(x=0;x<160;++x)s(x,y,x%16);
while(1) l(o=(o-1)%16);
}
int s(char x,char y,char c){
char* a=0xc000+(y/8*80)+(2048*(y%8))+x/2;
char p=*a;
if(x%2)
p=(c&1?64:0)|(c&4?16:0)
|(c&2?4:0)|(c&8?1:0)|(p&0xaa);
else
p=(c&1?128:0)|(c&4?32:0)
|(c&2?8:0)|(c&8?2:0)|(p&0x55);
*a=p;}
int i(int p,int c){
__asm__("ld a,e\nld b,l\nld c,b\ncall 0xbc32");
}
int l(char o){
__asm__("call 0xbd19");
for(char p=0;p<16;++p)i(p,(p+o)%16);
}
E
sdcc -mz80 --code-loc 0x1200 --no-std-crt0 c.c
makebin -p c.ihx|tail -c +4609>c.
iDSK c.dsk -n -i c. -e 1200 -c 1200
mame cpc664 -flop1 c.dsk -skip_gameinfo \
-ab '\n\nrun"c\n' \
-snapsize 768x544 -aviwrite /tmp/h.avi -str 30
ffmpeg -ss 0.5 -y -i /tmp/h.avi \
-pix_fmt yuv420p /tmp/c.mp4
Did we reach the 50 frames/s?
#!/bin/bash
cat > crt0_cpc.s <<'EOF'
;; FILE: crt0.s
;; Generic crt0.s for a Z80
;; From SDCC..
;; Modified to suit execution on the Amstrad CPC!
;; by H. Hansen 2003
.module crt0
.globl _main
.area _HEADER (ABS)
;; Reset vector
.org 0x1200
jp init
.org 0x1210
init:
;; Initialise global variables
call gsinit
call _main
jp _exit
;; Ordering of segments for the linker.
.area _HOME
.area _CODE
.area _GSINIT
.area _GSFINAL
.area _DATA
.area _BSS
.area _HEAP
.area _CODE
__clock::
ret
_exit::
ret
.area _GSINIT
gsinit::
.area _GSFINAL
ret
EOF
sdasz80 -o crt0_cpc.s
cat > putchar.s <<'EOF'
;; FILE: putchar.s
;; Modified to suit execution on the Amstrad CPC
;; by H. Hansen 2003
;; adjusted for new calling convention by karme
;; 2025
.area _CODE
_putchar::
_putchar_rr_s::
; ld hl,#2
; add hl,sp
; ld a,(hl)
ld a,l
call 0xBB5A
ret
_putchar_rr_dbs::
ld a,e
call 0xBB5A
ret
EOF
sdasz80 -o putchar.s
cat > c.c <<'EOF'
#include <stdio.h>
typedef unsigned uint;
typedef unsigned char uchar;
void ink(int p, int c);
void setpixel(uchar x, uchar y, uchar c);
uint getTime();
int main()
{
// mode 0: 160x200
__asm
ld a, #0
call #0xbc0e
__endasm;
uchar i,x,y,o=0;
uint f=0;
__asm
call #0xbd19
__endasm;
for (i=0;i<16;++i) ink(i,(i+o)%16);
for (y=0;y<200;++y)
{
for (x=0;x<160;++x) {
setpixel(x,y,x%16);
}
}
uint s = getTime();
f=0;
while(getTime()-s<3000) {
f=f+1;
o=(o-1)%16;
__asm
call #0xbd19
__endasm;
for (i=0;i<16;++i) ink(i,(i+o)%16);
}
printf("%dframes/s",f/10);
__asm
call #0xbb18
__endasm;
return 0;
}
void
setpixel(uchar x, uchar y, uchar c)
{
char* a=((char *)0xc000) + (80 * (y / 8))
+ (2048 * (y % 8)) + x/2;
uchar p=*a;
if (!(x%2)) {
p=((c&1) ? 128 : 0) | ((c&4) ? 32 : 0)
| ((c&2) ? 8 : 0) | ((c&8) ? 2 : 0)
| (p & 0b01010101);
}else{
p=((c&1) ? 64 : 0) | ((c&4) ? 16 : 0)
| ((c&2) ? 4 : 0) | ((c&8) ? 1 : 0)
| (p & 0b10101010);
}
*a=p;
}
void
ink(int p, int c)
{
p;c;
__asm
push af
push bc
push hl
push de
ld a,e
ld b,l
ld c,b
call #0xbc32
pop de
pop hl
pop bc
pop af
__endasm;
}
uchar char3,char4;
uint getTime()
{
uint r = 0;
__asm
call #0xbd0d ;kl time please
push hl
pop de
ld hl, #_char3
ld (hl), d
ld hl, #_char4
ld (hl), e
__endasm;
r = (char3 << 8) + char4;
return r;
}
EOF
sdcc -mz80 --code-loc 0x1238 --data-loc 0 \
--no-std-crt0 crt0_cpc.rel putchar.rel c.c
makebin -p c.ihx|tail -c +4609>c.bin
iDSK c.dsk -n -i c.bin -e 1200 -c 1200
mame cpc664 -flop1 c.dsk -skip_gameinfo \
-ab '\n\nrun "c\n' \
-snapsize 768x544 -aviwrite /tmp/h.avi -str 35
ffmpeg -ss 0.5 -y -i /tmp/h.avi \
-pix_fmt yuv420p /tmp/c2.mp4
$ sudo apt install bc
#!/bin/bash -xe
{ cat <<EOF
mode 2
print "Hello from basic 1"
memory &2000-1
load "c.bin"
call &2000
print "Hello from basic 2"
call &2000+38,&0102
print "Hello from basic 3"
EOF
}|nl -w1|unix2dos>c.bas
iDSK c.dsk -n -i c.bas -t 0
init=0x$(bc <<<"obase=16;ibase=16;2000+10")
cat > crt0_cpc.s <<EOF
; FILE: crt0.s
; Generic crt0.s for a Z80
; From SDCC..
; Modified to suit execution on the Amstrad CPC!
; by H. Hansen 2003
.module crt0
.globl _main
.area _HEADER (ABS)
;; Reset vector
.org 0x2000
jp init
.org $init
init:
;; Initialise global variables
call gsinit
call _main
jp _exit
;; Ordering of segments for the linker.
.area _HOME
.area _CODE
.area _GSINIT
.area _GSFINAL
.area _DATA
.area _BSS
.area _HEAP
.area _CODE
__clock::
ret
_exit::
ret
.area _GSINIT
gsinit::
.area _GSFINAL
ret
EOF
sdasz80 -o crt0_cpc.s
cat > putchar.s <<'EOF'
; FILE: putchar.s
; Modified to suit execution on the Amstrad CPC
; by H. Hansen 2003
; adjusted for new calling convention by karme
; 2025
.area _CODE
_putchar::
_putchar_rr_s::
; ld hl,#2
; add hl,sp
; ld a,(hl)
ld a,l
call 0xBB5A
ret
_putchar_rr_dbs::
ld a,e
call 0xBB5A
ret
EOF
sdasz80 -o putchar.s
cat > c.c <<'EOF'
#include <stdio.h>
char
printnumber(int i) {
__asm
ld l,0(ix)
ld h,1(ix)
__endasm;
printf("%d\r\n",i);
return 0;
}
int main()
{
printf("C %p\r\n",printnumber);
return 0;
}
EOF
sdcc -mz80 --code-loc \
0x$(bc <<<"obase=16;ibase=16;2000+38") \
--data-loc 0 --no-std-crt0 \
crt0_cpc.rel putchar.rel c.c
makebin -p c.ihx|tail -c \
+$(bc <<<"ibase=16;2000+1")>c.bin
iDSK c.dsk -i c.bin -e 2000 -c 2000
mame cpc664 -flop1 c.dsk -skip_gameinfo \
-ab '\n\nrun "c\n' -str 10
pngtopnm \
$(ls -1tr ~/.mame/snap/cpc664/*.png|tail -n1)\
|pnmscale -yscale 2|pnmtopng > c.png
Comments, suggestions? Feel free to mail me.
Jens Thiele