130XE+ MAKRO-ASSEMBLER, V2.1
          ----------------------------
          
          Reviewed by Yeb Havinga
          
          Torsten Karwoth, the author of the 130XE+ Makro Assembler, has
          done a good job making this assembler, to begin with.
          
          A few weeks ago, I received a letter from the founder of
          'Megazine' asking whether it was possible for me writing a
          review about the enclosed assembler.
          
          The review is divided into several parts, here they come:
          
          STRONG ASPECTS:
          ---------------
          
          MEMORY:
          
          Programmers that use Atmas are suffering from a lack of memory.
          The 130XE+ assembler strongest point is the ability to use the
          extra RAM banks of any XL with 128 of more Kilobytes of memory
          for the source code. This leaves you 35Kb free main memory for
          the compilation!
          
          In big lines, the trick is done like this:
          
          Normal memory (main 64Kb)
          
          0000 - 009F os and assembler use
          00A0 - 00FF FREE for compilations or
                      tests.
          0100 - 05FF os use
          0600 - 06FF FREE
          0700 - 1FEF dos use
          1FF0 - 2FFF assembler use
          3000 - BBFF FREE
          BC00 - BFFF screen
          C000 - FFFF os
          
          Memory under ROM (16Kb)
          
          C000 - FFFF assembler use
          
          Extra RAM banks (64KB or more..)
          
          An selected extra RAM bank is visible through a window in the
          main 64Kb. (4000 to 7FFF) The assembler always uses one extra
          RAM bank for itself. The remaining banks (a not expanded 130XE
          has three banks left) can be used for source code, of which
















          optionally one extra ram bank can be used for a 16K symbol table
          instead of the otherwise 2K.
          
          
          SPEED:
          
          Though one might think that the assembler is slow because of the
          need for switching between the banks a lot, the assembler is
          very fast! I haven't been able to test it a lot, but from what
          I've seen it can sure compete and win from the fastest
          assemblers available for the XL.
          
          
          COMPATIBILITY:
          
          The editor is capable of loading an ASCII source listing. ATMAS
          II .SRC files are converted correct for 95%, probably also other
          ASCII listings are converted very good. It is a matter of five
          minutes editing for yourself, and the conversion is done..
          
          
          INCLUDE:
          
          The assembler has a sort of an include option. With a normal
          include (not in the 130XE+ assembler), the source file is
          compiled as if the source statements of the include file were in
          the source file that is being compiled. The object thus contains
          compiled source from the source file plus all the included
          include-source-files.
          
          The 130XE+ assembler is capable of including the symbol list
          only of an already compiled other source listing. This also
          gives a programmer the ability to divide a big program into
          several source files, but working with it has to be done in
          another way than with the normal include. Think about it, and
          draw your own (don't judge too fast however!) conclusions...
          
          
          MAKRO'S:
          
          The assembler has a watertight makro-support. I can't say
          anything more about it..
          
          
          FILE SELECTION:
          
          Works pretty neat, you will find it out yourself..
          
          
          MONITOR:
















          
          The monitor is very complete and fast, not counting the loading
          time for some of the commands.
          
          
          WEAK ASPECTS
          ------------
          
          EDITING:
          
          Some weak points about editing. (Now I must also add that I also
          was a bit uncomfortable with Atmas the first two days, and
          nowadays I think it is a very good editor.)
          
          Things I didn't like about the editor of the 130XE+ assembler is
          that every time something is changed in a line, a little
          interruption is notable when moving to another line. This is
          irritating when for example on ten lines one character should be
          deleted or inserted.
          
          Blanks lines are not possible, each line should begin with a ';'
          
          These are just very little things, overall the editor works
          good: Page up and down is possible, editing for more than 40
          positions on a line is supported, the syntax is checked
          continually, normal scrolling (without changes being done) is
          reasonably fast, and also with editing, the source listing is
          divided into banks (the assembler calls banks pages by the way)
          which makes it easy to switch between parts of the source
          listing. (For example a main program part, an interrupt part,
          and a data part (data defined in the source listing))
          
          
          PRINTING:
          
          A drawback is that the assembler isn't capable of printing a
          source listing, only the symbol list. (in unalfabetic and
          unnumeric order!) The editor can print the listing, but that is
          ofcourse without the extra's an assembler can supply you with.
          
          
          CONFIGURATION:
          
          This is in one word not easy. The manual is complete about the
          configuration, but sure not easy to understand. Once it is done,
          you will be glad you have it behind you.
          
          
          MANUAL:
          
















          Overall, the manual is complete. However, it isn't easy to use.
          An index is missing. Fortunately important things and lists are
          grouped evidently, so a quick look, and you will find what you
          are searching for anyway. About configuration the manual is too
          complex and detailed.
          
          
          SUMMARY
          -------
          
          Overall the 130XE+ assembler is THE solution for the XL machine
          language programmer. Once you've started and know most of its
          features, it works very nice. The assembler offers you a great
          amount of free memory space for source as well as compilations,
          and is powerful (fast) enough to compile BIG listing is a short
          time. These strong points fully outweighs the weak points I've
          mentioned in this listing.
          Now be surprised: The program isn't Public Domain, but the
          author allows the disk to be copied as long as no changes are
          being done to the assembler!!
          Besides the assembler, the disk also contains some other very
          useful programs, under which a sort of batchfile-executor.
          
          Be sure you don't miss this assembler!
          
          The address of the author is:
          
          Torsten Karwoth
          Hermann-von-Vechelde-Strasse 19
          3300 Braunschweig
          Phone: (0531)-696689
          
          
          Note from the editor: Are you people getting sick of me already?
          Well, in that case.. just write to:
          
          MEGA MAGAZINE
          P.O. Box 164
          8800 AD  Franeker
          (Frl.) Holland
          
          And write the following: 'Yes, I get sick of you!', together
          with your name and address. The fourth sender will be rewarded
          with a great price:
          AN ORIGINAL QBERT CARTRIDGE!
          (provider: The TOP crew!)