Zeus Assembler
Encyclopedia
Zeus Assembler is an assembler
development tool for the ZX Spectrum
written by Neil Mottershead and Simon Brattel, and published by Crystal Computing
in 1983. The program was designed to make Z80
machine code
programming easier, with full symbolic instructions, and an editing style similar to the Spectrum's built-in BASIC
.
Zeus Assembler was later re-released by the manufacturer of the ZX Spectrum, Sinclair Research.
's mnemonic instruction set. It features two main command modes; assembler and editor, and includes an auto line-numbering facility, and various subroutines for use within the user's programs, as well as printer output and basic assembler features such as labels and expressions.
s, as well as code substitution and the ability to move blocks of memory. Alongside Zeus, Monitor and Disassembler was later re-released by Sinclair Research.
praised it as well thought-out, with good auto-line number, renumber, and block delete functions. Sinclair User
and Big K
highlighted the program's ease of use for beginners, while also being a very powerful tool in the hands of an expert. The necessity of exiting the assembler in order to save any generated code was cited as a potential drawback, especially for beginners.
Sinclair User also praised the documentation as the best of any assembler available at the time, for its use of step-by-step instructions and code examples.
Assembler
Assembler may refer to:* Assembler , for an assembly language, a computer program to translate between lower-level representations of computer programs...
development tool for the ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
written by Neil Mottershead and Simon Brattel, and published by Crystal Computing
Crystal Computing
Crystal Computing, later renamed Design Design, was a British video game developer founded in 1982 by Chris Clarke and Graham Stafford while students at the University of Manchester. Neil Mottershead, Simon Brattel and Martin Horsley, joined the company as it expanded...
in 1983. The program was designed to make Z80
Zilog Z80
The Zilog Z80 is an 8-bit microprocessor designed by Zilog and sold from July 1976 onwards. It was widely used both in desktop and embedded computer designs as well as for military purposes...
machine code
Machine code
Machine code or machine language is a system of impartible instructions executed directly by a computer's central processing unit. Each instruction performs a very specific task, typically either an operation on a unit of data Machine code or machine language is a system of impartible instructions...
programming easier, with full symbolic instructions, and an editing style similar to the Spectrum's built-in BASIC
BASIC
BASIC is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages whose design philosophy emphasizes ease of use - the name is an acronym from Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code....
.
Zeus Assembler was later re-released by the manufacturer of the ZX Spectrum, Sinclair Research.
Overview
Zeus is a two-pass assembler that allows full use of the processorZilog Z80
The Zilog Z80 is an 8-bit microprocessor designed by Zilog and sold from July 1976 onwards. It was widely used both in desktop and embedded computer designs as well as for military purposes...
's mnemonic instruction set. It features two main command modes; assembler and editor, and includes an auto line-numbering facility, and various subroutines for use within the user's programs, as well as printer output and basic assembler features such as labels and expressions.
Monitor and Disassembler
The previous year Crystal Computing had released another machine code tool for the 16K ZX Spectrum called Monitor and Disassembler that can be used in conjunction with Zeus. While Zeus has a monitor included, the more extensive Monitor and Disassembler allows for disassembly, the display and editing of the processor registerProcessor register
In computer architecture, a processor register is a small amount of storage available as part of a CPU or other digital processor. Such registers are addressed by mechanisms other than main memory and can be accessed more quickly...
s, as well as code substitution and the ability to move blocks of memory. Alongside Zeus, Monitor and Disassembler was later re-released by Sinclair Research.
Reception
Zeus Assembler was well received by the computing press. Your ComputerYour Computer (British magazine)
Your Computer was a British computer magazine published monthly from 1981 to 1988, and aimed at the burgeoning home computer market. At one stage it was, in its own words, "Britain's biggest selling home computer magazine". It offered support across a wide range of computer formats, and included...
praised it as well thought-out, with good auto-line number, renumber, and block delete functions. Sinclair User
Sinclair User
Sinclair User, often abbreviated SU, was a magazine dedicated to the Sinclair Research range of home computers, most specifically the ZX Spectrum...
and Big K
Big K (magazine)
Big K was a multi format magazine published by IPC Magazines Ltd during the 1980s. The design of the magazine was very similar in style to their comic strip publications at the time, Eagle and Roy of the Rovers and seemed to be aimed squarely at the younger computer user.-See also:*Computer and...
highlighted the program's ease of use for beginners, while also being a very powerful tool in the hands of an expert. The necessity of exiting the assembler in order to save any generated code was cited as a potential drawback, especially for beginners.
Sinclair User also praised the documentation as the best of any assembler available at the time, for its use of step-by-step instructions and code examples.
External links
- Zeus Assembler at Design Design