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From: clt@pur-phy.UUCP (Carrick Talmadge)
Newsgroups: net.micro.cbm
Subject: Re: DON'T GET MAE/Merlin review - (nf)
Message-ID: <1213@pur-phy.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 21-Feb-84 15:23:07 EST
Article-I.D.: pur-phy.1213
Posted: Tue Feb 21 15:23:07 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 23-Feb-84 01:31:35 EST
References: <5728@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Organization: Purdue University Physics Dept.
Lines: 74


        
                  I did not mean to imply that MAE did not have  any
        of  the  features  I  listed for Merlin.  It was meant to be
        more of a recommendation of Merlin than a comparison of  the
        two.   I  listed what I felt were some problems with MAE and
        as well the main features of Merlin.  I did not want to bore
        people with details but if I must...
        
        
        1.   Here are two macros to illustrate MAE's problem.
        
                 !!!mvmem       .md (from to bytes)
                                ldx #bytes
                 ...mvmloop     lda from-1,x
                                sta to-1,x
                                dex
                                bne ...mvmloop
                                .me
        
                 !!!switch      .md
                                mvmem ($1000 $2000 256)
                                mvmem ($2100 $1000 256)
                                .me
        
        
        
        
                The first macro moves a block of length "bytes" from
        "from"  to  "to".   The  second  macro attempts to use mvmem
        twice to switch two 256 byte blocks.
        
                When trying to expand the "switch" macro  MAE  comes
        up  with  a  duplicate  label  error  from  ...mvmloop being
        expanded twice in switch.  ("..." is the MAE convention  for
        labels local to macros. )
        
                I realize this is a simplistic example but  I  trust
        you  get  the  point.  There are often times when it is con-
        venient to nest the same macro several times within  another
        macro.
        
        2.      I did read the manual.  There  were  operators  for
        high  and  low  bytes  of labels but only to store them into
        memory.  My version does not have anything like lda  #<$8000
        which assembles as lda #$80.
        
        
        3.      I did not mean to  imply  that  MAE  did  not  have
        include  files, I just wanted people to know that this basic
        necessity was available.  I have a program 114  blocks  long
        which fits into the Merlin editor all at once. (assembles to
        about 7K long)  My point was that with Merlin while  you  do
        not  have  to break up large programs, that option is avail-
        able.
        
        
        
                 MAE may have fixed the problems mentioned in 1  and
        2, if so let me know.  Even if they have, Merlin is probably
        a better buy at $50.  I suggest that anyone  in  the  market
        for  a  professional grade macro-assembler test Merlin.  The
        documentation alone is enough to make jaded C-64 users happy
        (it comes in a real three ring binder).
        
        
        
                 It is important to  remember  that  assemblers  are
        tools  to  make  programming easier.  A programmer should be
        able to concentrate on the program not on the assembler.

				Dane Morrison
				sed@Pucc-k