ASM Edit ======== A note before we begin: The following document is a short description of some features of ASM Edit. It isn't really needed for your work with the program. You can always press the key to get detailed help on the current topic or function. Contents of this document ========================= 1. What is ASM Edit? 2. Requirements 3. Getting started 4. The Editor 5. Using external programs 6. Tools 7. The Help System 8. A warning: ASM Edit and Windows 95 9. Technical details 10. Contact the authors 1. What is ASM Edit? -------------------- ASM Edit is an easy-to-use program for all you assembler freaks out there. 2. Requirements --------------- ASM Edit requires: - 80386 - VGA - at least DOS 3.0 - 450 KByte free DOS memory Recommended: - 80486 DX-33 - SVGA - DOS 5.0 - 1024 KByte free EMS memory 3. Getting started ------------------ The package comes with two executables. Please start ASM Shell. However, if you run ASM Edit instead of it, you will get an error message. The purpose of the shell is the 640 KB limit of DOS. Over the time the program has been becoming too large to be of use with external programs. Everytime you start a DOS program from within ASM Edit it will end itself and ASM Shell takes over, runs the given program and restarts ASM Edit afterwards. 4. The Editor ------------- ASM Edit uses our own handmade editor. Depending on your EMS memory size you can edit files up to 64 MB. Both DOS and Unix text files are loaded, but saving is done in DOS format. The editor correctly handles all text files, regardless of line length or numbers of lines. However, the maximum scroll limit is set to 25000 characters per line. Anyone who needs more? If you are editing assembler files, a task ASM Edit is for, you can enable syntax-coloring by choosing 'Editor Options' in the 'Options - Environment' menu. 5. Using external programs -------------------------- OK, we have a nice looking assembler source file. Now what? ASM Edit is able to run external programs for assembling, linking and debugging that source file. The default options set in 'Options - External programs' are for use with Borland's Turbo Assembler, Turbo Linker and Turbo Debugger. But you can change these options in the mentioned menu to use *your* favourite programs. Errors in your piece of work? No problem! After assembling an error file is created by the external programs. This file (tested with Borland's TASM and Microsoft's MASM) is read by ASM Edit and displayed in a new window. You can choose any of these errors and the line containing the error will be automatically shown in an editor window. 6. Tools -------- Do you know the ASCII code for '@'? No? There is an ASCII chart in ASM Edit. A larger representation of the chosen character is shown along with the decimal and hexadecimal number. No batteries for your little pocket calculator? Use the one in ASM Edit. You can set the number format to decimal, hexadecimal or binary and choose the range between BYTE, WORD, DWORD or QWORD. The operations of the calculator cover not only the numeric ones, you can also shift or rotate the numbers. Problems with converting numbers? Use ASM Edit's converter. Up to 20 digits are shown in hexadecimal, descimal, binary and ASCII format. And: The opcode represented through the given numbers will be shown! Do you have a favourite tool not covered with ASM Edit? Include it via the 'Options - Tools' menu. A new entry will appear in the 'Tools' menu. 7. The Help System ------------------ Still confused? ASM Edit comes with a large help file. All assembler mnemonics up to the new Pentium Pro (686), FPU instructions, EGA/VGA programming, a hugh interrupt list, DOS tables and formats, and much more, are described in the help. To take a short look at it press + to get ASM Edit's help index with over 500 entries. Type in a word you want to search for... Press + if you want help on the current word (the one under the editor cursor). ASM Edit searches through its index to the nearest letter combination. If it matches the given word it will open the help topic. This even works in the converter, using the instruction line. 8. A warning: ASM Edit and Windows 95 ------------------------------------- Various unforeseen problems appeared while using ASM Edit under Windows 95. The biggest two are the following: Depending on the video driver you are using it is not possible to run ASM Edit windowed. Before testing the editor with Windows 95 create a PIF file for it by right-clicking on ASM Edit's and ASM Shell's icon and choosing 'Preferences' from the pop-up menu. In the 'Screen' section you will find a check box. Enable 'Full screen' and you should be able to run ASM Edit. No solution is currently available for the second problem. ASM Edit will not create any BAK files while running under Windows 95. It appears that the operating system locks file access for certain DOS functions. The file name cannot be renamed to .BAK. Until the problems persist please do not run ASM Edit under Windows 95. It is also recommended because buggy assembler code can lock-up Windows 95. 9. Technical details -------------------- ASM Edit was written with Borland Pascal 7.0 and Turbo Vision v2.0 at the Technical University Dresden, Germany. 10. Contact the authors ----------------------- snail mail: Olaf Krusche Sportlerweg 7 02692 Doberschau Germany e-mail: ok3@irz.inf.tu-dresden.de WWW: www.inf.tu-dresden.de/~ok3 (Homepage) www.inf.tu-dresden.de/~ok3/asmedit.html (ASM Edit) 02/18/96 Olaf Krusche, Tilo Elstner