WAX / WAX4K - Assembler-Editor {wAx is the finest native assembler/disassembler ever released for the Commodore VIC-20} {hmmm... who said that?} --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WAX has a very strange syntax which is forcing you to type more than doctors are recommending! I bet how this guy {Firefox can't connect to the server at beigemaze.com} had big plans for it, but somehow he got stuck in translation. {UPDATE: 28.05.2026} later i actually found out how wAx2 was born and this one, the wounded soldier, was left behind to die} --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THIS IS HOW I WILL TEST ASSEMBLERS: {where possible!} SYSTEM: DEFAULT RAM 5KB 3KB RAM in RAM BANK 0 8KB RAM in BANK X = Depending on where the program is! This one is in RAM BANK {or BLOCK} 3, $6000 The start address: SYS 24576 {hex $6000} The reason is, that also those people with the real hardware will know if this is something they can use in cases where they have just 1 8KB RAM expansion! I noticed how the RAM prices in MAY 2026 are insane! Example: COMMODORE VC-20/VIC-20 - 3K RAM SPEICHERERWEITERUNG (COMMODORE VC-1210) = EUR 24,99 COMMODORE VC-20/VIC-20 VIXEN SWITCHABLE 16K RAM (STONECHIP ELECTRONICS) = EUR 99,99 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- load"wax4k",8,1 searching for wax4k loading ready. sys 24576 beigemaze.com/wax ready. 10 *0340 20 @* lda #$6c 30 @* sta $900f 40 @* rts run ready, --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After running of this example, you'll get a ready sign and can already type SYS 832 to see the result. So it is fast and not complicated... You can also add normal BASIC code: This will change the color when you run it and execute the print command. Good, good, better... Will it continue? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 *0340 20 @* lda #$6b 30 @* sta $900f 40 @* rts 50 sys 832 55 print "what now!?" ready. run what now!? This is the first assembler I am testing and so far it looks great. An assembler and BASIC in one... Reminds me of VISION BASIC for Commodore C64 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ...OOOOHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOO! ...This was actually all. Later tests made me lose all the positive energy. This assembler editor had an excellent start, but the rest is a torture! That is why I will not bother any longer with it! I have found a video about it on YouTube. You can check that if you want! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5d4vp670Nu-dw8KbIhtJjpz7Y0RTM89 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOTTOM LINE: It is probably good for short assembly programs. Maybe 1-2-3 screen pages, but afterwards... Who knows, right... It just got unnecessary complicated and there is as always for those guys from the past: ALMOST & ABSOLUTELLY NEVER A PROPER GUIDE IS AVAILABLE! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, when I calm down, I'll probably came back to this one and try to offer more examples. I assume it isn't so bad if we isolate all the problem kids around this assembler-editor and focus just on programming. I guess this assembler-editor was maintained for a little while longer. In his video examples, you had to type the following address manually to proceed. {a torture} Especially if a text data are in-between and you need to included them to the code. Adding a line somewhere... Changing a text length... Man, you'll go nuts! DON'T DO IT! This is his video example: {He was typing in all the address manually!} 10 REM PROGRAM 15 @1800 LDA #$00 20 @1802 LDY #$18 25 @1804 JMP $CB1E 30 REM DATA 35 @1810 "HELLO WORLD!" 40 @181D :0D 0D 00 Imagine now adding a line somewhere in-between! You would have to re-calculated all the following addresses from scratch! A CLEAR NIGHTMARE FOR LONGER PROGRAMS! Today, we see how this was upgraded to this: *= $0340 and then @* must be added to all following lines! Why this isn't automatically added in the next line? Would be a smarter solution than typing in @* 500 times depending on the source size! Well, that's it for now! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25.05.2025