Date   : Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:31:25 +0000
From   : jgh@... (Jonathan Graham Harston)
Subject: Basic6809 1.00

Phill Harvey-Smith wrote:
> Why do people still use assembler embedded in basic programs to build
 
'cos that's what it's there for. That's like asking why you use
your lungs for breathing. The whole point of Acorn computers from
the days of the Atom and before is that you can just start
programming as soon as you turn it on.
 
> the limitations of memory that the BBC does.
 
So don't use the memory to store the source *and* variables *and*
object code. You only need the memory for storing variables, source
and object can stay on disk with appropriate file-to-file 
assembly. http://mdfs.net/Software/CommandSrc/Assembler gives a
*ASSEM command which uses the BASIC assembler to assembly from
source files on disk. All it does is patch OSWORD 0 to feed lines
in from a file instead of from a program in memory.
 
> for BeebMMC is one example that springs to mind), but the total lack of
> formatting, comments and meaningfull names (all due to lack of memory),
 
No, due to lack of inclination of the programmer to use comments or
meaningful names. See http://mdfs.net/User/JGH/Progs/Examples.htm
for examples of source with comments and meaningful names.
 
> Toolshed(6809) as they allow me to not limit the size of my source
> files, and so make my source more maintainable as I can lay it out in a
 
Well, do that with the BASIC assembler. Nobody should be writing a
large project in a single monolithic file. Split it into logical
subsections. The only limit on size of source files is the space on
the storage medium, not the computer.
 
-- 
J.G.Harston - jgh@...                - mdfs.net/User/JGH
Taxation is like dairy farming. You have to extract the maximum
amount of milk with the minimum amount of moo.