Jeff's VIC 20 Book

[Jeff-20]

Here is the new draft:
Version 0.9b PDF

It has the corrections from above including Simon's suggestions and embedded links throughout the document.

"Unintended" seems to be the genereal consensus nowadays.

I just put synonyms in the index (undocumented, illegal, etc.)...

[srowe]

Comments on 0.9b

• Table of Contents - All entries except 'Memory Locations' are a light purple. I think you intended the bulk of the document to be greyscale?
• Page 24 - again the link 'PETSCII printer codes on page 22' is purple
• Page 25 - footnotes again in purple
• Page 28 - footnotes again in purple
• Page 36 - Title still says "VIA Chip"
• Page 101 - ACPTR - still typo for 'Prep Routines' "[TKSA]"

[Jeff-20]

Oh, goodness. Wrong document. The color change is from previously visited links. I fixed that issue. I will revisit the doc to be sure the remaining notes are corrected too. I really appreciate this.

On another note, I have twice come across information on BASIC stack entry. I have yet to find use for this. Does anyone here think this information is really useful? If so, I can squeeze it in the next draft. Here is the cleanest example from VIC Revealed:

[aeb]

Great work! One thing I noted:

Page 117: Block-Read and Block-Write commands. B-R and B-W are said to be buggy and they should be always replaced by U1 and U2 respectively. However, I don't know what kind of bugs they have and if that only concerns C-64 and not VIC 20. Maybe someone else can clarify.

See pages 66-67 in Commodore's C1541 manual: https://www.mocagh.org/cbm/c1541-manual.pdf

"The purpose of a Block Read is to load the contents of a specified sector into a file buffer. Although the Block Read command (B-R) is still part of the DOS command set, it is nearly always replaced by the U1 command."

"The purpose of a Block Write is to save the contents of a file buffer into a specified sector. It is thus the reverse of the Block Read command. Although the Block Write command (B-W) is still part of the DOS command set, it is nearly always replaced by the U2 command."

==
Edit: Inside Commodore DOS pages 98-100 explain the B-R & B-W bug: https://www.pagetable.com/docs/Inside%2 ... %20DOS.pdf

[srowe]

M-R and M-W are said to be buggy and they should be always replaced by U1 and U2 respectively. However, I don't know what kind of bugs they have and if that only concerns C-64 and not VIC 20. Maybe someone else can clarify.

U1 & U2 replace B-R and B-W respectively. "Inside Commodore DOS" pages 98-100 explain the problems with M-R and M-W. In summary

• B-R only returns as many bytes as given by the track number
• B-W overwrites the next track pointer are the start of the block

[Jeff-20]

The most current draft is posted here:
Version 0.9c PDF

I think I corrected all of the purple links. Be patient. I have some limitations in finding them.

I also added the stack entry information to the end of the BASIC list.

I also added more HEX columns to charts that might benefit (PETSCII, tokens...).

Still hunting down silly typos, but I am determined to have this in print by next week.

[srowe]

Getting hard to find anything to call out. Last few items

• Page 12 - DATA, comma outside angle brackets [,<value>]
• Page 13 - INPUT, missing angle brackets on <variable> in square brackets
• Page 13 - INPUT#, missing close angle bracket on first <variable>, missing angle brackets on <variable> in square brackets
• Page 13 - LIST - missing angle brackets on each <line number>
• Page 13 - MID$ - missing angle brackets on <length>
• Page 50 - CHANNL - 4-30 any serial device
• Page 64 - VIA1IFR - * on bits 0, 2, 3. Not sure what "tape motor, if STOP, BRK" is supposed to mean
• Page 65 - VIA2PA1 - arrows go the wrong direction (row is input, page 104 is correct)
• Page 66 - VIA2IFR - * also on bit 0
• Page 67 - A000 - usual term is "cold start"

[Jeff-20]

Getting hard to find anything to call out. Last few items

Great work, Simon!

[*] Page 64 - VIA1IFR - * on bits 0, 2, 3. Not sure what "tape motor, if STOP, BRK" is supposed to mean

I'm also not sure where I found this. It was something about the datassette stop key affecting this memory location, but I cannot seem to find it now. So, I think it is best to remove it.

[srowe]

Some final (?!?) thoughts:

• Memory map (inside cover) - I think "System RAM" would be a better label than "BASIC RAM" for $0-$400
• Table of Contents - entry for page 36 still mentions "VIA" instead of "VIC"
• Page 22 - entry for 32 ($20) should be labelled "space"
• Page 28 - entry for 32 ($20) should be labelled "space"

[AndyH]

For lulu printers, 15% discount code. MAKERS15

[Jeff-20]

PROBLEM:
1. Lulu only offers the lowest print quality available for global distribution. 60lb. paper. Sigh. (I promised heavy stock.)
2. Lulu only offers one sided covers! I planned the book for my printer and designed a four side color cover.
3. Coil binding is not available for global distribution! (I promised lay flat coil binding.)

Frustrating. I've been thinking through the problem and welcome any input. I could redesign around these limitations (move the color parts to the interior pages in BW), or go with my local printer and deal with more cumbersome distribution and likely increased expense.

My tentative solution now is to print locally, ship from here, and find someone to distribute in Europe or elsewhere if there is enough demand to justify it (for example, mail a bunch of books to one person for distribution to others).

Anyway, the most current draft is posted here:
Version 0.9d PDF

Some final (?!?) thoughts:

Thanks!

For lulu printers, 15% discount code. MAKERS15

Thanks!

[srowe]

My tentative solution now is to print locally, ship from here, and find someone to distribute in Europe or elsewhere if there is enough demand to justify it (for example, mail a bunch of books to one person for distribution to others).

I'm happy to do distribution in the UK. I don't think I can cover Europe now all the postage rules have changed.

[AndyH]

That's a shame. I'd stilll like to buy a copy, so whatever can be worked out woukd be fine by me.

[Lechuck]

That's a shame. I'd stilll like to buy a copy, so whatever can be worked out woukd be fine by me.

Same for me.

[tokra]

PROBLEM:
1. Lulu only offers the lowest print quality available for global distribution. 60lb. paper. Sigh. (I promised heavy stock.)
2. Lulu only offers one sided covers! I planned the book for my printer and designed a four side color cover.
3. Coil binding is not available for global distribution! (I promised lay flat coil binding.)

From what I gather "global distribution" means that the book is available through Amazon and such:

https://help.lulu.com/en/support/soluti ... 4000255456

I think if you buy through Lulu directly the restrictions above do not apply for international customers. It's just if you want to publish the book with an ISBN more professionally.