CBZ-80

BASIC Compiler for Z80

Quick Reference Manual - CBZ-80 - BASIC Compiler for Z80

G E N E R A L I T Y

CBZ-80 is a powerful software development tool which allows high-level programming in BASIC on all the grifo® boards based on Z80 microprocessor family. The code compiled by CBZ-80 needs to use the functions and features of GDOS-80, a rom-based Operating System. The development environment is extremly friendly and achieves to reduce the development time, being anyway compliant to the operational feeling of all the BASICs. Unexperienced programmers will be able to take advantage of its numberouses commands and functions, becoming productive in few hours of work, while experienced programmers won't need any training. However the great code performance and the rapidity of hardware intervents make the CBZ-80 an unreplaceable work instrument for all the applications.

The compiler supports mathematic functions, control applications, data base management, interfacing to generic consoles, Operating System calls and many other features designed to solve industrial automation problems. The programmer can choose between to develop structrured code an non-structured code, obtaining a level of efficence and flexibility hard to find in other development tools of equal price.

GENERALITY

CBZ-80 is a programming and development environment made by a set of independent items that can be used or not by the programmer, without any limitation. Wishing to make comparisions amongst CBZ 80 and other well-known BASIC programming tools, we detect that CBZ-80 has an environment similar to GWBASICs one and and instruction set comparable to the QUICKBASICs one.

CBZ-80 enables to take the greatest advantage of the hardware resources from the boards you are using, because you may use them directly through the high-level instructions, with no need to develop specific firmware. For example, CBZ-80 has the capacity to manage hardware resources like serial lines, printers, mass storage devices, operator interfaces, etc.

CBZ-80 software package is made up by a set of disks, a rich reference manual and a great number of examples (both source and compiled code) showing how to use the control board's hardware resources.

CBZ-80 FEATURES

Fundamentally CBZ-80 has two main working modalities: configuration mode and source development mode. The main characteristics of these two modalities are described as follows:
- Configuration mode: in this situation becomes possible to set many inernal parameters of the compiler which affect directly or indirectly the code generation:

• Precision of floating point variables (from 2 to 54 digits)
• Maximum number of open files at the same time (from 0 to 99)
• Method of enumeration of the indexes for arraies and matrixes
• Approximation threshold for real variables
• Type of undeclared variables
• Array bounds check
• Automatic uppercase conversion
• Dimensions of indexed memory
• Shortcuts to the most frequently used editor functions
• Console control sequences. By default CBZ-80 is configured for supporting the ADDS VIEWPOINT standards, which is used by GET-80 and all the QTP xxx operator interfaces.
• Memory area dedicated to Chains

- Source development mode: this is the situation normally used by the end user and it includes the editor, the compiler and the debugging environment. Use of this mode is common to all languages, it allows to:

1) write and correct the source of the application (this phase can be performed by the integrated editor or an external ASCII editor, like the GET-80s one ).

2) upload the source to the board using the features of GDOS-80 file system.
3) compile the uploaded program, to get the compiled code. In case of error, please return back to point 1
4) execute the compiled code directly on the control board . If during the functional test of the program problems are detected, you must go back to point 1
5) recompile the code in the final GDOS-80 executable form (for example ready for EPROM, or FLASH EPROM burning).

Amongst the many characteristics of this development environment, we remind:

• Numbered or unnumbered BASIC source code; when line numbers are not used entry points are indicated by labels.
• Standard syntax; it allows to reuse code written and already tested on other BASIC programming environments.
• Four different data types: integer, single and double floating point, string.
• Wide range of operators including mathematical, relational, logical and shift operators.
• Complete set of mathematic functions including trigonometric and trascendental functions.
• Support for the most commonly used numeration bases (binary, hexadecimal, octal and decimal).
• Instruction set dedicated to the use of an operator interface (cursor positioning, partial or total screen clear, check for key pressed, data input, etc.). By means of these functions you may control the complete QTP xxx terrminals serie.
• Wide range of GDOS-80 file system management instructions set. There is no more need for Low-Level memory and data area management. GDOS-80 takes care of this by manipulating RAM data files, which can be created, deleted, renamed, copied, downloaded etc.
• Interesting string manipulation instructions set (concatenation, fragmentation, search, conversion etc.).
• Indexed management of a memory area, which can be addressed using pointers.
• Powerful control flow instructions set, which allows to perform iterations, single or multiple tests, define functions and procedure, run other programs etc.
• Basic Low-Level hardware resources management instructions set, like I/O instructions, direct memory access, machine language routines, absolute calls to external procedures etc.
• High level devices management instructions set, which, by means of GDOS-80 features, allows easy use of peripherals like printers and serial lines.
• Different compilation modalities which permit to optimize compilation times and compiled code.
• Complete management of chain technique, which makes possible to run any number of programs sequentially with data forward communication. Using this powerful feature, the problems of automaton involving great amounts of data and code can be easily solved.
• On line help, easy to use and capable to give a whole description of any part of CBZ-80, makes training faster.
• No License fee or overcharge, developers are free to create programs without even informing grifo®.

CBZ-80 REQUIREMENTS

Only three elements are required to be immediatly up and running:

- A Z80 based control board like:

• Single Europe Size (100x160 mm)
  • GPC® 15A
  • GPC® 80F
  • GPC® 81F
  • GPC® 150
• BLOCK Size (100x195 mm e 100x245 mm)
  • GPC® 011
  • GPC® 15R
• 3 Type Size (100x145 mm)
  • GPC® 153
• 4 Type Size (100x50 mm)
  • GPC® 154

- A GDOS 80 operating system for the desired control board.

- A personal computer, connected to the control board through a serial line.

Page up-dated at October 30, 2003

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