+ Reading this pseudo variable will give a constant integer value that
+ represents the current time in POSIX standard (as seconds since the
+ Epoch).
+
+ It may be used to encode the time of translation somewhere in the created
+ code.
+
+ Example:
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .dword .time ; Place time here
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.VERSION</tt><label id=".VERSION"><p>
+
+ Reading this pseudo variable will give the assembler version according to
+ the following formula:
+
+ VER_MAJOR*$100 + VER_MINOR*$10 + VER_PATCH
+
+ It may be used to encode the assembler version or check the assembler for
+ special features not available with older versions.
+
+ Example:
+
+ Version 2.11.1 of the assembler will return $2B1 as numerical constant when
+ reading the pseudo variable <tt/.VERSION/.
+
+
+
+<sect>Pseudo functions<label id="pseudo-functions"><p>
+
+Pseudo functions expect their arguments in parenthesis, and they have a result,
+either a string or an expression.
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.BANKBYTE</tt><label id=".BANKBYTE"><p>
+
+ The function returns the bank byte (that is, bits 16-23) of its argument.
+ It works identical to the '^' operator.
+
+ See: <tt><ref id=".HIBYTE" name=".HIBYTE"></tt>,
+ <tt><ref id=".LOBYTE" name=".LOBYTE"></tt>
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.BLANK</tt><label id=".BLANK"><p>
+
+ Builtin function. The function evaluates its argument in braces and yields
+ "false" if the argument is non blank (there is an argument), and "true" if
+ there is no argument. The token list that makes up the function argument
+ may optionally be enclosed in curly braces. This allows the inclusion of
+ tokens that would otherwise terminate the list (the closing right
+ parenthesis). The curly braces are not considered part of the list, a list
+ just consisting of curly braces is considered to be empty.
+
+ As an example, the <tt/.IFBLANK/ statement may be replaced by
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .if .blank({arg})
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.CONCAT</tt><label id=".CONCAT"><p>
+
+ Builtin string function. The function allows to concatenate a list of string
+ constants separated by commas. The result is a string constant that is the
+ concatentation of all arguments. This function is most useful in macros and
+ when used together with the <tt/.STRING/ builtin function. The function may
+ be used in any case where a string constant is expected.
+
+ Example:
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .include .concat ("myheader", ".", "inc")
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+ This is the same as the command
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .include "myheader.inc"
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.CONST</tt><label id=".CONST"><p>
+
+ Builtin function. The function evaluates its argument in braces and
+ yields "true" if the argument is a constant expression (that is, an
+ expression that yields a constant value at assembly time) and "false"
+ otherwise. As an example, the .IFCONST statement may be replaced by
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .if .const(a + 3)
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.HIBYTE</tt><label id=".HIBYTE"><p>
+
+ The function returns the high byte (that is, bits 8-15) of its argument.
+ It works identical to the '>' operator.
+
+ See: <tt><ref id=".LOBYTE" name=".LOBYTE"></tt>,
+ <tt><ref id=".BANKBYTE" name=".BANKBYTE"></tt>
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.HIWORD</tt><label id=".HIWORD"><p>
+
+ The function returns the high word (that is, bits 16-31) of its argument.
+
+ See: <tt><ref id=".LOWORD" name=".LOWORD"></tt>
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.LEFT</tt><label id=".LEFT"><p>
+
+ Builtin function. Extracts the left part of a given token list.
+
+ Syntax:
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .LEFT (<int expr>, <token list>)
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+ The first integer expression gives the number of tokens to extract from
+ the token list. The second argument is the token list itself. The token
+ list may optionally be enclosed into curly braces. This allows the
+ inclusion of tokens that would otherwise terminate the list (the closing
+ right paren in the given case).
+
+ Example:
+
+ To check in a macro if the given argument has a '#' as first token
+ (immidiate addressing mode), use something like this:
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .macro ldax arg
+ ...
+ .if (.match (.left (1, {arg}), #))
+
+ ; ldax called with immidiate operand
+ ...
+
+ .endif
+ ...
+ .endmacro
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+ See also the <tt><ref id=".MID" name=".MID"></tt> and <tt><ref id=".RIGHT"
+ name=".RIGHT"></tt> builtin functions.
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.LOBYTE</tt><label id=".LOBYTE"><p>
+
+ The function returns the low byte (that is, bits 0-7) of its argument.
+ It works identical to the '<' operator.
+
+ See: <tt><ref id=".HIBYTE" name=".HIBYTE"></tt>,
+ <tt><ref id=".BANKBYTE" name=".BANKBYTE"></tt>
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.LOWORD</tt><label id=".LOWORD"><p>
+
+ The function returns the low word (that is, bits 0-15) of its argument.
+
+ See: <tt><ref id=".HIWORD" name=".HIWORD"></tt>
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.MATCH</tt><label id=".MATCH"><p>
+
+ Builtin function. Matches two token lists against each other. This is
+ most useful within macros, since macros are not stored as strings, but
+ as lists of tokens.
+
+ The syntax is
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .MATCH(<token list #1>, <token list #2>)
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+ Both token list may contain arbitrary tokens with the exception of the
+ terminator token (comma resp. right parenthesis) and
+
+ <itemize>
+ <item>end-of-line
+ <item>end-of-file
+ </itemize>
+
+ The token lists may optionally be enclosed into curly braces. This allows
+ the inclusion of tokens that would otherwise terminate the list (the closing
+ right paren in the given case). Often a macro parameter is used for any of
+ the token lists.
+
+ Please note that the function does only compare tokens, not token
+ attributes. So any number is equal to any other number, regardless of the
+ actual value. The same is true for strings. If you need to compare tokens
+ <em/and/ token attributes, use the <tt><ref id=".XMATCH"
+ name=".XMATCH"></tt> function.
+
+ Example:
+
+ Assume the macro <tt/ASR/, that will shift right the accumulator by one,
+ while honoring the sign bit. The builtin processor instructions will allow
+ an optional "A" for accu addressing for instructions like <tt/ROL/ and
+ <tt/ROR/. We will use the <tt><ref id=".MATCH" name=".MATCH"></tt> function
+ to check for this and print and error for invalid calls.
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .macro asr arg
+
+ .if (.not .blank(arg)) .and (.not .match ({arg}, a))
+ .error "Syntax error"
+ .endif
+
+ cmp #$80 ; Bit 7 into carry
+ lsr a ; Shift carry into bit 7
+
+ .endmacro
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+ The macro will only accept no arguments, or one argument that must be the
+ reserved keyword "A".
+
+ See: <tt><ref id=".XMATCH" name=".XMATCH"></tt>
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.MID</tt><label id=".MID"><p>
+
+ Builtin function. Takes a starting index, a count and a token list as
+ arguments. Will return part of the token list.
+
+ Syntax:
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .MID (<int expr>, <int expr>, <token list>)
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+ The first integer expression gives the starting token in the list (the first
+ token has index 0). The second integer expression gives the number of tokens
+ to extract from the token list. The third argument is the token list itself.
+ The token list may optionally be enclosed into curly braces. This allows the
+ inclusion of tokens that would otherwise terminate the list (the closing
+ right paren in the given case).
+
+ Example:
+
+ To check in a macro if the given argument has a '<tt/#/' as first token
+ (immidiate addressing mode), use something like this:
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .macro ldax arg
+ ...
+ .if (.match (.mid (0, 1, {arg}), #))
+
+ ; ldax called with immidiate operand
+ ...
+
+ .endif
+ ...
+ .endmacro
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+ See also the <tt><ref id=".LEFT" name=".LEFT"></tt> and <tt><ref id=".RIGHT"
+ name=".RIGHT"></tt> builtin functions.
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.REF, .REFERENCED</tt><label id=".REFERENCED"><p>
+
+ Builtin function. The function expects an identifier as argument in braces.
+ The argument is evaluated, and the function yields "true" if the identifier
+ is a symbol that has already been referenced somewhere in the source file up
+ to the current position. Otherwise the function yields false. As an example,
+ the <tt><ref id=".IFREF" name=".IFREF"></tt> statement may be replaced by
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .if .referenced(a)
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+ See: <tt><ref id=".DEFINED" name=".DEFINED"></tt>
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.RIGHT</tt><label id=".RIGHT"><p>
+
+ Builtin function. Extracts the right part of a given token list.
+
+ Syntax:
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .RIGHT (<int expr>, <token list>)
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+ The first integer expression gives the number of tokens to extract from the
+ token list. The second argument is the token list itself. The token list
+ may optionally be enclosed into curly braces. This allows the inclusion of
+ tokens that would otherwise terminate the list (the closing right paren in
+ the given case).
+
+ See also the <tt><ref id=".LEFT" name=".LEFT"></tt> and <tt><ref id=".MID"
+ name=".MID"></tt> builtin functions.
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.SIZEOF</tt><label id=".SIZEOF"><p>
+
+ <tt/.SIZEOF/ is a pseudo function that returns the size of its argument. The
+ argument can be a struct/union, a struct member, a procedure, or a label. In
+ case of a procedure or label, its size is defined by the amount of data
+ placed in the segment where the label is relative to. If a line of code
+ switches segments (for example in a macro) data placed in other segments
+ does not count for the size.
+
+ Please note that a symbol or scope must exist, before it is used together with
+ <tt/.SIZEOF/ (this may get relaxed later, but will always be true for scopes).
+ A scope has preference over a symbol with the same name, so if the last part
+ of a name represents both, a scope and a symbol, the scope is choosen over the
+ symbol.
+
+ After the following code:
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .struct Point ; Struct size = 4
+ xcoord .word
+ xcoord .word
+ .endstruct
+
+ P: .tag Point ; Declare a point
+ @P: .tag Point ; Declare another point
+
+ .code
+ .proc Code
+ nop
+ .proc Inner
+ nop
+ .endproc
+ nop
+ .endproc
+
+ .proc Data
+ .data ; Segment switch!!!
+ .res 4
+ .endproc
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+ <descrip>
+ <tag><tt/.sizeof(Point)/</tag>
+ will have the value 4, because this is the size of struct <tt/Point/.
+
+ <tag><tt/.sizeof(Point::xcoord)/</tag>
+ will have the value 2, because this is the size of the member <tt/xcoord/
+ in struct <tt/Point/.
+
+ <tag><tt/.sizeof(P)/</tag>
+ will have the value 4, this is the size of the data declared on the same
+ source line as the label <tt/P/, which is in the same segment that <tt/P/
+ is relative to.
+
+ <tag><tt/.sizeof(@P)/</tag>
+ will have the value 4, see above. The example demonstrates that <tt/.SIZEOF/
+ does also work for cheap local symbols.
+
+ <tag><tt/.sizeof(Code)/</tag>
+ will have the value 3, since this is amount of data emitted into the code
+ segment, the segment that was active when <tt/Code/ was entered. Note that
+ this value includes the amount of data emitted in child scopes (in this
+ case <tt/Code::Inner/).
+
+ <tag><tt/.sizeof(Code::Inner)/</tag>
+ will have the value 1 as expected.
+
+ <tag><tt/.sizeof(Data)/</tag>
+ will have the value 0. Data is emitted within the scope <tt/Data/, but since
+ the segment is switched after entry, this data is emitted into another
+ segment.
+ </descrip>
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.STRAT</tt><label id=".STRAT"><p>
+
+ Builtin function. The function accepts a string and an index as
+ arguments and returns the value of the character at the given position
+ as an integer value. The index is zero based.
+
+ Example:
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .macro M Arg
+ ; Check if the argument string starts with '#'
+ .if (.strat (Arg, 0) = '#')
+ ...
+ .endif
+ .endmacro
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.STRING</tt><label id=".STRING"><p>
+
+ Builtin function. The function accepts an argument in braces and converts
+ this argument into a string constant. The argument may be an identifier, or
+ a constant numeric value.
+
+ Since you can use a string in the first place, the use of the function may
+ not be obvious. However, it is useful in macros, or more complex setups.
+
+ Example:
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ ; Emulate other assemblers:
+ .macro section name
+ .segment .string(name)
+ .endmacro
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.STRLEN</tt><label id=".STRLEN"><p>
+
+ Builtin function. The function accepts a string argument in braces and
+ eveluates to the length of the string.
+
+ Example:
+
+ The following macro encodes a string as a pascal style string with
+ a leading length byte.
+
+ <tscreen><verb>
+ .macro PString Arg
+ .byte .strlen(Arg), Arg
+ .endmacro
+ </verb></tscreen>
+
+
+<sect1><tt>.TCOUNT</tt><label id=".TCOUNT"><p>
+
+ Builtin function. The function accepts a token list in braces. The function
+ result is the number of tokens given as argument. The token list may
+ optionally be enclosed into curly braces which are not considered part of
+ the list and not counted. Enclosement in curly braces allows the inclusion
+ of tokens that would otherwise terminate the list (the closing right paren
+ in the given case).
+
+ Example:
+
+ The <tt/ldax/ macro accepts the '#' token to denote immidiate addressing (as
+ with the normal 6502 instructions). To translate it into two separate 8 bit
+ load instructions, the '#' token has to get stripped from the argument:
projects / cc65 / blobdiff