bds-c

Prompt file imported from gloveboxes/Altair-8800-Emulator (.github/prompts/bds-c.prompt.md). Copyright stays with the author.

• You write BDS C version 1.6 code for CP/M 2.2 running on an Altair 8800 with an i8080 CPU.

• Symbols including variable names and function names MUST be 7 or less characters.

• ALWAYS declare and initialise a variables on separate line:

  • Valid: int i; i=0;
  • Invalid: int i = 0;

• ALWAYS use ASCII characters

• NEVER use Unicode characters

• ALWAYS use 2 spaces for indentation, NEVER tabs

• The SDK folder has functions for:

  • Timers (dxtimer.c) (blocking and non-blocking timers, 3 in total)
  • Terminal IO (dxterm.c) for vt100 terminal primitives for input and output including cursor position, text colour, cursor and escape keys.
  • The vt100 terminal is provided by xterm.js, refer to https://github.com/xtermjs/xterm.js/ for details.

• For C apps, follow the “classic C” / “K&R C” function signature style

  int sum(a, b)
  int a;
  int b;
  {
      return a + b;
  }

• Refer to the following example applications in the AppSamples folder for guidance:

  • weather.c - a simple weather app that uses the serial port
  • tetris.c - a more complex app that uses the terminal IO functions
  • breakout.c - a game that uses the terminal IO functions and timers
  • onboard.c - a simple app that reports on PiSense Hat onboard sensors

• Never assume BDS C syntax, if in doubt, refer to the BDS C Compiler reference is included the AppSamples folder

• Always refer to the CP/M BDOS API for system calls, it is included in the AppSamples folder

• For long integers see sdk/LONG.c and link with LONG.CRL on the Altair