TWO TECH TIPS

Synassembler from Synapse is a popular and well-regarded product. However, the documentation tells you that directives like .BYTE must be converted from the syntax used in other assemblers, but does not specify how. Most assembly language programs printed in ANTIC and other magazines were created with the Atari Assembler Editor Cartridge. Here are some, but not all, conversions for ASM/ED to Synassembler directive syntax. If you come up with any others, please send them in and we'll print them.

Assembler Editor ----------------------Synassembler
*= ----------------------------------------.OR
= -----------------------------------------.EQ
.BYTE $A0,$7B,0,0,$4 -------------.HS A07B000004
.BYTE "D:FILENAME" -------------.AS "D:FILENAME"
.BYTE "C:",$9B ----------------------.AS "C:"
-------------------------------------------.HS 9B
.BYTE 30,29,28,27,26 --------------.DA #30,#29,#28,#27,#26
.WORD $AA00 -----------------------.DA $AA00

"Chips," or LSI circuits, are used to provide memory space in microcomputers. Manufacturing defects in these tiny devices sometimes go unnoticed until the consumer uses them awhile. A bad chip will often cause a bug, otherwise unexplainable. For example, a wrong letter or number will pop up when a program is recalled from memory.

As your ATARI system grows, you will probably expand its RAM by purchasing a new memory board. Several different brands of memory boards are on the market, which, when combined with the RAM now delivered with the ATARI, will give full capacity. (Caution: ATARI 400 is not designed for more than 16K. Expansion beyond that point voids the warranty and is done at your own risk.)

The XL line of computers have full memory installed at purchase, and have a built-in memory test program.

When you buy a new memory board you should have it tested. This only takes a few minutes, and most dealers should be able to run a test for you. One common test program is "RAMSCAN" by Axion. This disk-based program surveys all RAM addresses for proper functioning. A defective chip will "show" and the memory address of the fault will display, but that need not concern you. Just make sure the board you buy is flawless. After all they aren't cheap!