Programming Books

JDunlap · 22 January 2008, 04:59

If this is the wrong area, sorry. There is no prb.Programming or prb.Coding

Being new to the Amiga scene (but an old hand at programming), I've been kind of curious to start coding on the Amiga (Assembly, C, C++, or maybe some Pascal). For those of you who have been around a bit and done some coding, have you read the following books, and what did you think of them?

Amiga Programmer's Handbook, Volume I
Amiga Programmer's Handbook, Volume II
Kernel Rom Manuals 2nd Edition

I know that the above books only cover ROM 1.3, but how accurate is the information if moving above 1.3? Surely much of the information would be accurate due to backwards compatibility?

Also, what about

Compute!'s Amiga Machine Language Programming

Thanks for the info.

BippyM · 22 January 2008, 05:05

RKMs are essential for programming

check out the coders sub forums, loads of info and stuff

JDunlap · 22 January 2008, 05:08

@bippym

Thanks, I had just found the Coders Heaven section. Can a mod move this?

Edit: Thank you

Thorham · 22 January 2008, 15:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDunlap

I know that the above books only cover ROM 1.3, but how accurate is the information if moving above 1.3? Surely much of the information would be accurate due to backwards compatibility?

Yes, it is. Most well written 1.3 software, maybe even all, will work just fine on 2.x/3.x as far as I know. If you're serious about AmigaOs programming and you have access to newer versions of the os, then it's a better idea to try and find info on the newer versions, although for non-gui software 1.3 docs are fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDunlap

Also, what about

Compute!'s Amiga Machine Language Programming

Any 680x0 reference manual will be just fine for learning amiga assembler. The only thing is you might want to read some docs on amiga assemblers. If you have the mentioned book, it should be fine (even though I don't know it). If you want Motorola's original 680x0 documentation, just let me know and I'll put it in the zone for you (all in pdf format, and very extensive).

davideo · 22 January 2008, 16:22

Hiya 2 a newbie from a newbie,

This may be in other threads and I apologise if I'm repeating info but have you tried http://pub.elowar.com/AmigaDev/

Lots of electronic info here

Thorham · 22 January 2008, 16:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by davideo

Hiya 2 a newbie from a newbie,

This may be in other threads and I apologise if I'm repeating info but have you tried http://pub.elowar.com/AmigaDev/

Lots of electronic info here

Hey thanks man, I killed my bookmarks

and this is one of the ones I lost, cool

JDunlap · 22 January 2008, 18:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thorham

If you want Motorola's original 680x0 documentation, just let me know and I'll put it in the zone for you (all in pdf format, and very extensive).

Could you please? That would be great!

@davideo
Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.

Toni Wilen · 22 January 2008, 18:56

Motorola 68k documentation is still freely available from freescale/motorola (afaik it has "always been" since last 10 years or soo.)

www.freescale.com -> Microcontrollers and Processors > 32-Bit Microcontrollers & Processors > 68K/ColdFire > 68K > 68K M680X0

Huge ugly url to 68k documentation

davideo · 22 January 2008, 22:57

Thorham & JDunlap - ya welcum. Plzd I cud help

BippyM · 22 January 2008, 23:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by davideo

Hiya 2 a newbie from a newbie,

This may be in other threads and I apologise if I'm repeating info but have you tried http://pub.elowar.com/AmigaDev/

Lots of electronic info here

it is the first tread in the coders heaven forums

davideo · 22 January 2008, 23:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by bippym

it is the first tread in the coders heaven forums

In that case I hope you accept my apology

Thorham · 23 January 2008, 18:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDunlap

Could you please? That would be great!

Sure. They're in the zone right now. I've uploaded five manuals, one for each processor in the 680x0 family. You probably won't need all of them, but having something extra is always nice.

JDunlap · 23 January 2008, 23:55

@Thorham

Got them. Thank you

xaind · 24 January 2008, 06:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDunlap

Amiga Programmer's Handbook, Volume I

I didn't think all that much of this book to be honest.

Quote:

Compute!'s Amiga Machine Language Programming

I used to have this book way back in the late 80's and early 90's, and I still quite like it. It's a decent introduction to 68k assembly and using the Amiga libraries. It covers some DOS and intuition programming, but has nothing on the hardware registers etc. So it may or may not be useful for you, depending on what you want to do. IMHO it's definitely superior to Abacus's "Amiga Machine Language", which was a popular introductory machine language book that was probably more well-known.

I recommend you look up the Amiga Related Book FAQ (Google it). It has comments on a wide range of books.. there are many that aren't mentioned in it though.

Calgor · 24 January 2008, 11:29

I found the "programmers handbook" not so good.

I like "Inside the Amiga With C" as that has many small examples in different areas to give you a start. After that, you can move on to the RKMs (which I am currently reading on GELs for a game). Or if you are proficient in C and have some basic knowledge of amiga libraries, why not go straight to the RKMs. The RKMs are a must read.

For advanced topics not covered elsewhere, The Guru Book is good.

I would like to know if there exists a book for teaching how to write games using the Amiga API in C.

What kind of coding do you want to do? One of the abacus books could supplement the RKMs depending.

davideo · 24 January 2008, 23:44

You might also want to have a look at this website as well http://amigan.netfast.org/#amigadocs

Lots of documents to do with the Amiga

Photon · 25 January 2008, 00:09

Hardware Reference Manual and the Motorola Programmer's Reference Manual for the CPU(s) you wish to code for should do you fine as far as Assembler is concerned.

If you absolutely do not want to discover the visionary loveliness that is the Amiga chipset, the ROM Kernel Manual, Libraries & Devices, and Includes and Autodocs will take you far if you're using C.

I'd take Pascal over C any day tho.

If you go asm, get a macro assembler and as soon as you've finished a function, make it into a command of your own 8) You can also look at the System Programmer's Guide, which has a more practical approach with lots of asm examples. It doesn't go as deep as HRM, but has a wider overview with system examples as well as blitter linedraw routines

JDunlap · 25 January 2008, 03:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calgor

What kind of coding do you want to do? One of the abacus books could supplement the RKMs depending.

I plan to write both Workbench apps/games and other games and demo type programs.

BippyM · 25 January 2008, 11:50

If you plan to do games and demos, then i'd say asm is a must, though this will depend on the complxity and whether you require the game to be quick or complex..

A simple puzzle game or say an rts that doesn't requir speed is fine in blitz, c, but for speed and that asm all the way

webhead · 20 February 2008, 03:24

i loved pascal i used to also make app cracks for windows out of it .

was fun but havent done any cracking for a while so no need for pascal but it was great.

patching them .exe where fun back then brings back mamories.......

22 January 2008, 04:59	#1
JDunlap Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: USA Age: 50 Posts: 85	Programming Books If this is the wrong area, sorry. There is no prb.Programming or prb.Coding Being new to the Amiga scene (but an old hand at programming), I've been kind of curious to start coding on the Amiga (Assembly, C, C++, or maybe some Pascal). For those of you who have been around a bit and done some coding, have you read the following books, and what did you think of them? Amiga Programmer's Handbook, Volume I Amiga Programmer's Handbook, Volume II Kernel Rom Manuals 2nd Edition I know that the above books only cover ROM 1.3, but how accurate is the information if moving above 1.3? Surely much of the information would be accurate due to backwards compatibility? Also, what about Compute!'s Amiga Machine Language Programming Thanks for the info.

22 January 2008, 05:08	#3
JDunlap Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: USA Age: 50 Posts: 85	@bippym Thanks, I had just found the Coders Heaven section. Can a mod move this? Edit: Thank you Last edited by JDunlap; 22 January 2008 at 05:55.

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22 January 2008, 05:05	#2
BippyM Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Derby, UK Age: 48 Posts: 9,355	RKMs are essential for programming check out the coders sub forums, loads of info and stuff

22 January 2008, 16:22	#5
davideo Amiga Tomcat Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Boston Lincs Posts: 1,500	Hiya 2 a newbie from a newbie, This may be in other threads and I apologise if I'm repeating info but have you tried http://pub.elowar.com/AmigaDev/ Lots of electronic info here

22 January 2008, 18:56	#8
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,523	Motorola 68k documentation is still freely available from freescale/motorola (afaik it has "always been" since last 10 years or soo.) www.freescale.com -> Microcontrollers and Processors > 32-Bit Microcontrollers & Processors > 68K/ColdFire > 68K > 68K M680X0 Huge ugly url to 68k documentation

22 January 2008, 22:57	#9
davideo Amiga Tomcat Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Boston Lincs Posts: 1,500	Thorham & JDunlap - ya welcum. Plzd I cud help

23 January 2008, 23:55	#13
JDunlap Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: USA Age: 50 Posts: 85	@Thorham Got them. Thank you

24 January 2008, 11:29	#15
Calgor (Amigas && Amigos)++ Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Anrea Posts: 999	I found the "programmers handbook" not so good. I like "Inside the Amiga With C" as that has many small examples in different areas to give you a start. After that, you can move on to the RKMs (which I am currently reading on GELs for a game). Or if you are proficient in C and have some basic knowledge of amiga libraries, why not go straight to the RKMs. The RKMs are a must read. For advanced topics not covered elsewhere, The Guru Book is good. I would like to know if there exists a book for teaching how to write games using the Amiga API in C. What kind of coding do you want to do? One of the abacus books could supplement the RKMs depending.

24 January 2008, 23:44	#16
davideo Amiga Tomcat Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Boston Lincs Posts: 1,500	You might also want to have a look at this website as well http://amigan.netfast.org/#amigadocs Lots of documents to do with the Amiga

25 January 2008, 00:09	#17
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,613	Hardware Reference Manual and the Motorola Programmer's Reference Manual for the CPU(s) you wish to code for should do you fine as far as Assembler is concerned. If you absolutely do not want to discover the visionary loveliness that is the Amiga chipset, the ROM Kernel Manual, Libraries & Devices, and Includes and Autodocs will take you far if you're using C. I'd take Pascal over C any day tho. If you go asm, get a macro assembler and as soon as you've finished a function, make it into a command of your own 8) You can also look at the System Programmer's Guide, which has a more practical approach with lots of asm examples. It doesn't go as deep as HRM, but has a wider overview with system examples as well as blitter linedraw routines

25 January 2008, 11:50	#19
BippyM Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Derby, UK Age: 48 Posts: 9,355	If you plan to do games and demos, then i'd say asm is a must, though this will depend on the complxity and whether you require the game to be quick or complex.. A simple puzzle game or say an rts that doesn't requir speed is fine in blitz, c, but for speed and that asm all the way

20 February 2008, 03:24	#20
webhead Banned Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: swindon Posts: 148	i loved pascal i used to also make app cracks for windows out of it . was fun but havent done any cracking for a while so no need for pascal but it was great. patching them .exe where fun back then brings back mamories.......

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