------------------------------------- Turbo Macro Pro, Introduction ------------------------------------- Turbo Macro Pro is a heavily modified and improved descendant of the original Turbo Assembler Macro, which is itself a follow up version to the original Turbo Assembler. The software can be thought of as having two distinct yet highly integrated parts - editor and assembler. The editor controls the interactive commands for maneuvering the cursor; buffering and copying lines or blocks of source; saving, loading, and printing sources; search and replace; etc. In addition to editing and I/O, the user is able to trigger an assembly from within this editor itself. At that point the assembler takes over, performing its task and providing error output and, upon successful assembly, an option to execute the code or return directly to the editor. During the whole code-assemble operation, all parts of the software stay resident in memory. The integrated nature of Turbo Assembler is just one reason for using it. When you learn the key commands and develop a familiarity with our REU and X2 mods (here forward called Turbo Macro Pro+REU or TMP+REU, and Turbo Macro Pro(x2) or TMP(x2) for short) you will have at your control a very powerful, and native, rapid development environment that greatly reduces the code-test-code cycle. Furthermore the Turbo Macro Pro family continues to grow as we add new support for exotic hardware and memory configurations, including in the present the DTV and DTV v2 (or PTV) joystick systems, and in the future additional hardware such as IDE64 and memory expansions such as GeoRAM. ------------------------------------- Turbo Macro Pro, History & Genealogy ------------------------------------- The first version of Turbo Assembler (referred to as 'plain Turbo', or TA when speaking generally, or as OriTA when speaking specifically about the original version) was developed in 1985 by a German company called Omikron Software, and in particular a man named Wolfram Roemhild. The general release of cracked versions of TA to the scene heralded an end to being chained to BASIC/SEQ file assemblers or machine language monitors by giving the world a highly specialized editor system directly integrated to an assembler, all of which stays resident in upper memory while development and testing takes place. Throughout scene-history multiple versions of TA were subsequently released by various persons or groups claiming to have improved the tool. In truth, some versions are fairly simple hacks where little more that the color scheme and the opening credit line are "improved"... Nonetheless, many versions did represent useful addititions or even significant steps to bettering the tool. Perhaps the most significant alterations have been those adding the capability of using the REU (RAM Expansion Unit or also referred as 'xmem' by some sceners). REU capable versions of TA include Fairlight's "Xass v3.3" and Micron/Success's "Tasm v5.6x". But what about Turbo Assembler Macro (shorted to TAM or OriTAM)? Omikron (and Roemhild) released this as a second version of Turbo Assembler; it kept the editor system essentially the same while making major upgrades to the capabilities of the assembler including macros, local labels, assembler variables and loops, etc. For whatever reason, the scene adopted the first version, plain TA, to a huge majority over TAM. Still, a few people have also claimed to make upgrades to the Macro version, with a similar ratio of dubious to genuine improvements. REU versions of TAM also came into existence, of which the first was Antitrack's mod, and also Paradroid/Sharks who made an REU mod. Finally we come to our version. Its root is the Antitrack mod of OriTAM in which he added REU capabilities (called "Turbo Assembler Macro+ 1764"). This was subsequently updated by Massive Onslaught who added an invocable 'REU Menu' and the 'jumpback routine' concept that allowed an easy and built in way to return back to the editor; this version was called "Turbo Assembler Macro++ REU". Then, in late 1993 Massive Onslaught and Count Zero worked together to resource the ATT-then-MO modded TAM. Once they had reached the point of having an assemble-able source the project stalled, Count Zero having more or less left the scene. MO then brought groupmate Elwix into the project and together they have brain stormed ideas and upgrades going far beyond a standard REU modification. They finally launched into the real coding in fall 1995, primarily removing significant sections of redundant code or size optimizing the existing code. After over a year of lazy off and on coding, optimizing, and bug fixing, they arrived at a much improved version of TAM with several new editor functions including built in REU commands, as well as introducing in this release the unique power to bank and swap between up to 6 separate source codes (wit ha 512k REU) at anytime, giving the user full control over source and object banks; you can assemble a source directly to your non-volatile object bank; you can then assemble a different source and start the code. The potentials are endless for quickly backing up a current source to the REU while making changes, or for using source code libraries in separate files, or for working on very large projects where the source is better handled split into 2 or more parts. The first release of this advanced modification was made in January, 1997 and dubbed "Turbo Macro Pro v1.0". In March and October 1997 two additional releases were made with more improvements as well as a version for non-REU expanded systems and dual-c64 systems. Then after 7 years of absence from the niche scene of Turbo modding, Style returned again in 2004 with a brand new modification supporting the DTV joystick system. We hope you can appreciate and make use of Turbo Macro Pro (referred to as TMP from here on). Review our change log where we have listed all major items regarding differences in our version and the standard operation of OriTAM, including bug fixes, added key commands, and other improvements to the editor and assembler. Review also the 'general' reference document which includes a list of all key commands, pseudo-ops, and a ton of other information - even if you have read other docs to other Turbo versions we suggest you should read our documentation as it is the most complete as well as correct text we have ever seen, even back to the very first release in 1997! ------------------------------------- Turbo Macro Pro, Credits & Thanks ------------------------------------- Coding: Elwix/Style: General improvements including features, bug fixes, optimizations; DTV/PTV mods. Massive Onslaught/Style: General improvements including features, bug fixes, optimizations; TMPPREFS The Wiz/Style: X2/R2 mods for dual-c64 systems. Firefoot/Style: X2/R2 receiver code Resourcing: Massive Onslaught/Style Count Zero Thanks: Bacchus/Fairlight: for *numerous* suggestions and bug reports and generally taking a real interest in our project and sending so many friendly and helpful emails! Antitrack: for the fascinating chat about Turbo's dongle protection and for several suggestions. Also some of the examples in the general reference document come from the Vizawrite (argh!) files ATT made by translating parts of the original German manual. Paradroid/Sharks: for our discussions about Turbo Assembler modding and sharing experiences about same. Macbeth/PSW: for a highly frustrating but necessary collection of bug reports, and also for generally being enthusiastic about this project! As well, his help double checking SCPU compatibility. Six/Style: DTV expertise (assistance, testing, prototype borrowing, joystick and wheel hacking, and general ass kicking), IDE64 borrowing. Schema/AIC - temporary use of his IDE64 hardware during C4 expo for coding the IDE64 compatibility changes. And for all their feedback, suggestions, and correspondance: XmikeX, Fungus/Carcass, Frantic/Hack'n'Trade, Devia/Ancients, hannenz, Pezac/Nature, doj/Cubic, Ulrich Schulz ------------------------------------- Turbo Macro Pro, The Future ------------------------------------- Yes in this day and age more and more freaks are turning to their PC and cross assembler alternatives, which are admittedly quite powerful. On the other hand there remains the diehard sceners who prefer coding on the real thing even into the 21st century. It is for these sceners that we remain determined to continue building out the Turbo Macro Pro family, as well as for the simple sake of tradition and respect for this amazing tool that touched so many coders in the 80's and 90's. How many sceners can say that some Turbo Assembler variant was their first assembler, ever? Time will tell what gets done next or at all but you can upspeed the progress if you simply tell us what are the most important features and ideas to enhancing your coding experience with Turbo Macro Pro. Also, if you have any general comments or bug reports, you can contact us with the following means: email: turbo@style64.org http: http://turbo.style64.org ***** v1.2 Sep'06