The IFD Macro Data Assembler (DASM) is available as both an application and a plug-in compiler and panel for use with Metrowerks CodeWarrior IDE v1.3 or later. DASM allows you to write data "programs" which are assembled into binary data your program can later load and use. This data can be saved to a binary file or resource, or linked with a program in the CW IDE.
II—Distribution.
You should have recieved the following files in this distribution:
If you recieved an incomplete distribution, please contact the author. (See "Contacting the Author" below.) And, before writing, the source to the MacOS and DOS applications is not missing, it is not included because these sources rely on ouside libraries and are thus much more difficult to distribute. If you really have a need for the application sources, let me know. I do include the main source file for the DOS application to show how easy it is to modify the actual assembler to fit inside an application shell. (yes, those really are MacOS calls, and yes, they do work…)
Re–Distribution
Non–profit distribution is allowed/encouraged as long as it is distributed as an entire package, without modifications! For-profit distribution (which includes shareware collections sold in any manner other than at user’s groups) requires that you not only obey the collection requirements (see next paragraph) but you must also donate five (5) copies (at no cost) of the collecction to a high school of your choice, and send the author proof of same w/the authors complimentary copies.
If you want to include this software in some sort of software collection (i.e. CD, etc.) you are required to contact the author to insure you distribute the latest version(s), and that you send the author two (2) copies of the collection. (See "Contacting the Author" below.)
III—Installation
Installation of the IDE compiler is simple, just copy the folder "DASM Plugins" to the CodeWarrior PlugIns folder.
To install the Application, just drag it to any folder you wish. You may also wish to make an alias of the application to place on your desktop. Then, just drag files to be assembled onto the DASM application alias.
IV—Documentation
The documentation file is a Nisus Writer document, but you can read this file just as easily, if not as nicely formatted, by dragging it over the SimpleText, TeachText, or your favorite text document viewer's icon.
V—KNOWN BUGS:
none
VI—Desired Improvements
1 - Ability to output more than one resource / binary per source file.
2 - Win95 / NT CW IDE Plug In version. Have not found the DOCS yet (do the exist?), but perhaps soon...
VII—Contacting the Author
Lane Roathe
115 Le Point St.
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
<lane@xtremeplanet.com>
Lane is a partner in
genX Software LLC
4211 Braod St., Suite B
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
805-547-1182 / 805-547-1919 fax
<http://www.genxsoftware.com>
and contracts for:
Ideas From the Deep, Ltd.
P.O.Box F-42222
Newport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas
<http://www.ifd.com>
VIII—Notes
• MacOS Application Sources
The included Application, DASM, does not have accompanying source. This is because, a) the source for the actual assembler is the same, b) the source for the main program is nearly identical to that of the x86 source, and c) the actual application shell contains several outside libraries that are required to compile it (DropShell & WASTE, for example).
• x86 (MS-DOS) EXE sources
The source to the DOS application shell is included, but lacks a) the associated include file, and b) many associated library files. This is because the application, as you can tell by looking at it, requires a MacOS memory, resource, and file manager which I have written but not yet made public. I'm working on a clean up that can be distributed independent of the rest of my Mac emulation code (window, dialog, device, control, and other managers, as well as some of Color QuickDraw).
If, for some reason, you really want the sources to the MacOS or DOS applications, please drop me a line. No promises, but I'll do what I can, when I can. Thanks for your understanding!
Neither Ideas From the Deep nor the program's author make any guarantees about the performance or reliability of this software. Any and all risk of it's use is your own.
