1 <!doctype linuxdoc system>
5 <title>PC-Engine (TurboGrafx) System specific information for cc65
7 <url url="mailto:groepaz@gmx.net" name="Groepaz/Hitmen">
11 An overview over the PCE runtime system as it is implemented for the
15 <!-- Table of contents -->
18 <!-- Begin the document -->
22 This file contains an overview of the PCE runtime system as it comes
23 with the cc65 C compiler. It describes the memory layout, PCE specific header
24 files, available drivers, and any pitfalls specific to that platform.
26 Please note that PCE specific functions are just mentioned here, they are
27 described in detail in the separate <url url="funcref.html" name="function
28 reference">. Even functions marked as "platform dependent" may be available on
29 more than one platform. Please see the function reference for more
33 <sect>Binary format<p>
35 The standard binary output format generated by the linker for the PCE target
36 is a cartridge image with no header. It is of course possible to change this
37 behaviour by using a modified startup file and linker config.
39 <sect>Memory layout<p>
41 cc65 generated programs with the default setup run with the I/O area and a
42 CHR bank enabled, which gives a usable memory range of $8000 - $FFF3.
43 All boot ROM entry points may be called directly without additional code.
48 <tag/Text screen and Font/
49 The text screen is located at VRAM $0000,
50 the Font is located at VRAM $2000.
53 The C runtime stack is located in system RAM at $3FFF and growing downwards.
57 The BSS (uninitialized variables) and Data (initialized variables) sections are
58 placed one after the other into system RAM at $2000.
61 The C heap is located after the end of the Data section and grows towards the C
65 The startup code is located at $E000 in the System/Hardware bank. Further
66 code can be placed in other ROM banks, this must be done manually however.
72 <sect>Platform specific header files<p>
74 Programs containing PCE specific code may use the <tt/pce.h/ header file.
77 <sect1>PCE specific functions<p>
80 <item>waitvblank</item>
81 <item>get_tv (since all PCE systems are NTSC, this always returns TV_NTSC)</item>
86 <sect1>Hardware access<p>
88 The following pseudo variables declared in the <tt/pce.inc/ include file do
89 allow access to hardware located in the address space.
94 The <tt/PSG/ defines allow access to the PSG chip (Programmable Sound Generator).
97 The <tt/VCE/ defines allow access to the VCE chip (Video Color Encoder).
100 The <tt/VDC/ defines allow access to the VDC chip (Video Display Controller).
106 <sect>Loadable drivers<p>
108 All drivers must be statically linked because no file I/O is available.
109 The names in the parentheses denote the symbols to be used for static linking of the drivers.
112 <sect1>Graphics drivers<p>
114 No TGI graphics drivers are currently available for the PCE.
117 <sect1>Extended memory drivers<p>
119 No extended memory drivers are currently available for the PCE.
122 <sect1>Joystick drivers<p>
126 <tag><tt/pce-stdjoy.joy (pce_stdjoy)/</tag>
127 A joystick driver for the standard two buttons joypad is available.
129 Note that the japanese 6-button pad is currently not supported.
134 <sect1>Mouse drivers<p>
136 No mouse drivers are currently available for the PCE.
139 <sect1>RS232 device drivers<p>
141 No serial drivers are currently available for the PCE.
148 <item>interruptor support in crt0 (and cfg) is missing
153 The existing library for the PCE doesn't implement C file
154 I/O. There are no hacks for the <tt/read()/ and <tt/write()/ routines.
156 To be more concrete, this limitation means that you cannot use any of the
157 following functions (and a few others):
174 <item>a good emulator to use for PC-Engine is "mednafen" (<url url="http://mednafen.fobby.net/">)
177 some useful resources on PCE coding:
180 <item><url url="http://blog.blockos.org/?tag=pc-engine">
181 <item><url url="http://pcedev.blockos.org/viewforum.php?f=5">
182 <item><url url="http://www.romhacking.net/?page=documents&platform=4">
183 <item><url url="http://archaicpixels.com/Main_Page">
185 <item><url url="http://www.magicengine.com/mkit/doc.html">
187 <item><url url="https://github.com/uli/huc">
188 <item><url url="http://www.zeograd.com/parse.php?src=hucf">
193 This software is provided 'as-is', without any expressed or implied
194 warranty. In no event will the authors be held liable for any damages
195 arising from the use of this software.
197 Permission is granted to anyone to use this software for any purpose,
198 including commercial applications, and to alter it and redistribute it
199 freely, subject to the following restrictions:
202 <item> The origin of this software must not be misrepresented; you must not
203 claim that you wrote the original software. If you use this software
204 in a product, an acknowledgment in the product documentation would be
205 appreciated but is not required.
206 <item> Altered source versions must be plainly marked as such, and must not
207 be misrepresented as being the original software.
208 <item> This notice may not be removed or altered from any source