<article>
<title>Atari Lynx specific information for cc65
-<author>Karri Kaksonen, <htmlurl url="mailto:karri@sipo.fi" name="karri@sipo.fi">
-Ullrich von Bassewitz, <htmlurl url="mailto:uz@cc65.org" name="uz@cc65.org">
-<date>2004-10-14
+<author>
+<url url="mailto:karri@sipo.fi" name="Karri Kaksonen">,<newline>
+<url url="mailto:uz@cc65.org" name="Ullrich von Bassewitz">
+<date>2014-04-12
<abstract>
An overview over the Atari Lynx runtime system as it is implemented for the
files, available drivers, and any pitfalls specific to that platform.
Please note that Lynx specific functions are just mentioned here, they are
-described in detail in the separate <htmlurl url="funcref.html" name="function
+described in detail in the separate <url url="funcref.html" name="function
reference">. Even functions marked as "platform dependent" may be available on
more than one platform. Please see the function reference for more
information.
+<sect>Building your first Hello World application<p>
+
+Here is a small traditional Hello World program for the Atari Lynx.
+
+<tscreen><verb>
+#include <lynx.h>
+#include <tgi.h>
+#include <6502.h>
+
+void main(void) {
+ tgi_install(tgi_static_stddrv);
+ tgi_init();
+ CLI();
+ while (tgi_busy())
+ ;
+ tgi_clear();
+ tgi_setcolor(COLOR_GREEN);
+ tgi_outtextxy(0, 0, "Hello World");
+ tgi_updatedisplay();
+ while (1)
+ ;
+}
+</verb></tscreen>
+
+The lynx.h contains all kind of system dependent things.
+
+The tgi.h contains the graphics driver functions.
+
+The 6502.h is needed for executing the CLI() command.
+
+As the Atari Lynx does not have ASCII characters available you need to use
+the Tiny Graphics Interface library for producing letters on the screen.
+
+The cc65 compiler suite has a graphics library called "Tiny Graphics
+Interface". This interface has some relocatable code. In order to use this
+in your own program you need to load it at run time.
+
+Unfortunately the Lynx does not have a disk drive from where to load it.
+Therefore you must already load it at compile time. The easiest way is to
+automatically link it in statically from the Lynx C library.
+
+<tscreen><verb>
+cl65 -t lynx -o game.lnx main.c
+</verb></tscreen>
+
+This will create a bootable cart image called game.lnx
+
+
<sect>Binary format<p>
The standard binary output format generated by the linker for the Lynx target
-is a machine language program with an executable header. It is of course
-possible to change this behaviour by using a modified startup file and linker
-config.
+is a cart image. By specifying the config file lynx-bll.cfg the linker will
+generate BLL download compatible binary files.
+
+It is of course possible to change this behaviour by using a modified startup
+file and linker config.
+
+The bootloader used in the cc65 lynx library uses a very minimal bootloader
+that does not check the cart or show a title screen.
-You can also produce real carts with directory structures and encrypted
-headers by modifying the startup and linker config files. There is a simple
-example archive called <tt/lynx-cart-demo/ in the <htmlurl
-url="ftp://ftp.musoftware.de/pub/uz/cc65/contrib/" name="contrib directory">
-that shows how to create a complete bootable Lynx cart.
+The advantage of this bootloader is that it allows creation of cart images to
+many common formats.
+
+Cart sizes
+<tscreen><verb>
+Block size Rom size Description
+512 bytes 128k Standard old games like Warbirds
+1024 bytes 256k Most common format for homebrew. Also newer games like Lemmings
+2048 bytes 512k Largest games like EOTB
+</verb></tscreen>
<sect>Memory layout<p>
cc65 generated programs with the default setup run with the I/O area and the
-kernal enabled, which gives a usable memory range of $400 - $BE3F.
-All boot ROM entry points may be called directly without additional code.
+kernal enabled, which gives a usable memory range of $200 - $C037.
Special locations:
+<tscreen><verb>
+ 0000 - 00FF Zero page
+ 0100 - 01FF Machine stack
+
+ A058 - C037 Collision buffer
+ C038 - E017 Screen buffer 1
+ E018 - FFF7 Screen buffer 0
+ FFF8 - FFFF Hardware vectors
+</verb></tscreen>
<descrip>
<tag/Text screen/
'?' for all keys down at the same time.
<tag/Stack/
- The C runtime stack is located at $BE3F and growing downwards.
+ The C runtime stack is located at $C037 (or $A057 if collision
+ detection is enabled) and growing downwards.
<tag/Heap/
The C heap is located at the end of the program and grows towards the C
runtime stack.
+ <tag/Screen/
+ The collision detection screen is at $A058 if it is enabled. The
+ double buffered screens are at $C038 and $E018.
+
</descrip><p>
<sect1>Lynx specific functions<p>
<itemize>
-<item>lynx_change_framerate
<item>lynx_eeprom_erase
<item>lynx_eeprom_read
<item>lynx_eeprom_write
+<item>lynx_eeread
+<item>lynx_eewrite
+<item>lynx_exec
+<item>lynx_load
</itemize>
<sect>Loadable drivers<p>
+The names in the parentheses denote the symbols to be used for static linking of the drivers.
+
+
<sect1>Graphics drivers<p>
-A TGI driver for the standard graphics mode (160×102 in 16 colors) is
-available, but must be statically linked, because no file I/O is available.
-See the documentation for the <htmlurl url="co65.html" name="co65 utility">
-for information on how to do that.
+<descrip>
+
+ <tag><tt/lynx-160-102-16.tgi (lynx_160_102_16_tgi)/</tag>
+ A TGI driver for the standard graphics mode (160×102 in 16 colors).
+
+ The TGI driver is implemented as an interrupt driven dual buffering device.
+ To use it as a single-buffer device set draw page and view page to the same
+ value 0 or 1;
+
+ The TGI driver has a few Lynx-specific extensions.
+
+ Calling tgi_sprite(spr) or tgi_ioctl(0, spr) will display a standard Lynx
+ sprite on screen.
-The TGI driver is implemented as a dual buffering device. To use it as a
-single-buffer device set draw page and view page to the same value 0 or 1;
+ Calling tgi_flip() or tgi_ioctl(1, 0) will do a flip screen.
-The TGI driver has a few Lynx-specific extensions.
+ Calling tgi_setbgcolor(bgcolor) or tgi_ioctl(2, bgindex) will set the text
+ background color to the index defined by bgindex. If bgindex is 0 then the
+ background color is transparent.
-Calling tgi_sprite(spr) or tgi_ioctl(0, spr) will display a standard Lynx
-sprite on screen.
+ To set the framerate of the display hardware call tgi_setframerate(rate) or
+ tgi_ioctl(3, rate). The supported framerates are 50, 60 and 75 frames per
+ second. Actually there is no real reason to use anything else than 75 frames
+ per second.
-Calling tgi_flip() or tgi_ioctl(1, 0) will do a flip screen.
+ To check if the drawing engine is busy with the previous swap you can
+ call tgi_busy or tgi_ioctl(4, 0). It returns 0 if idle and 1 if busy
-Calling tgi_setbgcolor(bgcolor) or tgi_ioctl(2, bgindex) will set the text
-background color to the index defined by bgindex. If bgindex is 0 then the
-background color is transparent.
+ To update displays you can call tgi_updatedisplay() or tgi_ioctl(4, 1) it
+ will wait for the next VBL interrupt and set the draw buffer to the
+ view buffer. The draw buffer is also changed to (drawbuffer xor 1).
-To set the framerate of the display hardware call tgi_setframerate(rate) or
-tgi_ioctl(3, rate). The supported framerates are 50, 60 and 75 frames per
-second. Actually there is no real reason to use anything else than 75 frames
-per second.
+ You can also enable or disable collision detection by a call to
+ tgi_setcollisiondetection(active) or tgi_ioctl(5, active). The collision
+ result is located before the sprite structure by default in this driver.
-To check if the drawing engine is busy with the previous swap you can
-call tgi_busy or tgi_ioctl(4, 0). It returns 0 if idle and 1 if busy
+ In order to reserve memory for the collision detection buffer you need to
+ specify lynx-coll.cfg as the configuration file to the linker.
-To update displays you can call tgi_updatedisplay() or tgi_ioctl(4, 1) it
-will wait for the next VBL interrupt and set the draw buffer to the
-view buffer. The draw buffer is also changed to (drawbuffer xor 1).
+</descrip><p>
-Set an address for a subroutine you want to call at every VBL by calling
-tgi_setvblhook(addr) or tgi_ioctl(5, addr).
<sect1>Extended memory drivers<p>
<sect1>Joystick drivers<p>
-A joystick driver for the standard buttons is available, but must be
-statically linked, because no file I/O is available. See the documentation for
-the <htmlurl url="co65.html" name="co65 utility"> for information on how to do
-that.
+<descrip>
+
+ <tag><tt/lynx-stdjoy.joy (lynx_stdjoy_joy)/</tag>
+ A joystick driver for the standard buttons.
+
+</descrip><p>
-The joystick will check to see if the screen is flipped or not in the install
-routine and adapt itself to the currect state.
<sect1>Mouse drivers<p>
<sect1>RS232 device drivers<p>
-No serial drivers are currently available for the Lynx.
+<descrip>
+
+ <tag><tt/lynx-comlynx.ser (lynx_comlynx_ser)/</tag>
+ A serial driver for the ComLynx port.
+
+ The ComLynx port has Tx and Rx wired together. Every byte is sent
+ to all connected Lynxes. Only one Lynx can send at a time. There is no
+ protocol created for communication. You are on your own.
+
+ If the Lynx returns framing error then it is likely that another Lynx is
+ sending data at the same time.
+
+ The Lynx can also send a break and receive a break. The Lynx break is
+ recognized if the bit is down for 24 bit cycles or more.
+
+ To send a break you just set the break bit. The length of the break depends
+ on how long this bit is down.
+
+ The driver supports the baudrates:
+ <itemize>
+ <item>62500
+ <item>31250
+ <item>9600
+ <item>7200
+ <item>4800
+ <item>3600
+ <item>2400
+ <item>1800
+ <item>1200
+ <item>600
+ <item>300
+ <item>150
+ <item>134.5
+ <item>110
+ <item>75
+ </itemize>
+ The parity bit supports MARK and SPACE. It also supports EVEN and ODD parity
+ but the parity bit is included in the calculation. Most of us don't want it
+ this way. But there is nothing we can do about it.
+
+ The Lynx hardware will always check parity on incoming traffic. Currently
+ the driver cannot receive data from standard PC's due to this parity bug.
+ For working with Lynx to Lynx communication use EVEN parity.
+
+ To send data to standard PC's use MARK or SPACE as parity setting.
+
+ There is always only one stop bit. And the data length is always 8 bits.
+
+ We have no handshaking available. Even software handshake is impossible
+ as ComLynx has only one wire for the data.
+
+ Both transmit and receive are interrupt driven.
+</descrip><p>
<sect>Limitations<p>
-<sect>Other hints<p>
+<sect>Cart access<p>
At this point in time there is no support for the cart filesystem yet. I have
a <tt/lynx-cart-demo/ example project that uses an interrupt driven display,
applications using these Lynx specific modules in <tt/lynx-cart-demo/.
-<sect>Bugs/Feedback<p>
-
-If you have problems using the library, if you find any bugs, or if you're
-doing something interesting with it, I would be glad to hear from you. Feel
-free to contact me by email (<htmlurl url="mailto:uz@cc65.org"
-name="uz@cc65.org">).
-
-
-
<sect>License<p>
This software is provided 'as-is', without any expressed or implied
</enum>
</article>
-
-
-