Commodore VIC-20 User manual

--.

_.:-:-':~-

2'-

-I

commodore

COMPUTER

VM110

FIRST EDITION

Fourth

printing-1982

All rights reseNed.

No pari of this publication may be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system, or

tfansmilled in any form

by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,

recording or otherwise without the prior wrillen permission of Commodore

Business Machines, Inc.

TABLE

CONTENTS

INTRODUCING

THE

PROGRAMMER'S

REFERENCE

GUIJE

VIC

APPUCATIINS

GUIJE

vii

BASIC

PIIOGRAPt'I'M'I

REFEREM:E

GUIJE....m.1

•VIC BASIC: The Language of the ViC 3

•Commands 5

•Statemer;lts

•ItO Statements

•BASIC Functions 40

•Numbers and Variables, , , _.54

•Operators 62

•Logical Operators 68

PIIOGRAPt'I'M'I

TFS

•Editing Programs 73

•Using the GET Statement... 77

•How to Crunch BASIC Programs 79

•Working With Graphics 82

Character Memory 82

Programmable Characters 82

High Resolution Graphics 88

Multi-Color Mode Graphics 92

Superexpander Cartridge 94

•Sound and Music 95

MACIINE

lANGUAGE

PIIOGRAPt'I'M'I

GUIJE

107

•SyStem Overview 109

•Introduction to Machine Language 123

•Writing Your First Program 132

Iii

•Special Tips for Beginners 168

•Memory Maps 170

•Useful Memory Locations 178

•The KERNAL. 182

•KERNAL Power Up Activities

211

•VIC Chips 212

6560 (Video Interiace Chip) 212

6522 (Versatile lnteriace Adapter) 218

INPIIT/lJUTPIJT

GUlOE

227

•User

Port

229

•The Serial Bus 234

•Using the VIC Graphic Printer 236

•VIC Expansion Port

241

•Game Controllers ,

246

Joystick 246

Paddles ,

, ,

,,248

Light Pen ,250

•RS-232 lnteriace Description

251

APPENDICES

261

Abbreviations for BASIC Keywords." "263

Screen &Border Color Combinations ,265

Table of Musical Notes 266

Screen Display Codes , , ,

,.267

Screen Memory Maps ,270

ASCII and CHRS Codes 272

G. Deriving Mathematical Functions 275

Error Messages , , ,

,.276

Converting Programs to VIC 20 BASIC 278

J. Pinouts for Input/Output Devices " " 280

VIC Peripherals &Aceessories 284

INOEIL

285

SCHEMATIC

291

INTRODUCING.

. .

THE

PROGRAMMER'S

REFERENCE

GUIDEI

The Friendly Computer deserves aFriendly Reference Book.

That's

why

wrote the VIC 20 PROGRAMMER'S REFER-

ENCE GUIDE

...

abook that gives you more information about

your

VIC

Personal Computerthan any othersource. This gUide

was compiled from the experience

Commodore's international

programming staffs in more than half adozen countries, and

designed to

used

first-time computerists

well

experienced programmers.

cover

the

areBS

VIC

programmers

are

most

interested

in,

we divided the book into four sections: BASIC Programming,

Machine

language

Programming, Input'Output Interfacing and

Programming Graphics &

Sound.

Here

are

just afew

the ways

the

VIC

Programmer's

Reference Guide helps meet your programming needs:

-Our

complete "dictionary" includes not only BASIC com-

mands but also sample programs to show you how they work.

-Need

an introduction

Machine Level Programming? Our

laymen's overview gets you started.

-The

exclusive Kemal helps assure the programs you write

today won't be outdated tomorrow.

-The

VIC's Interfacesectionlets you expand yourcomputer

...

from RS232 for telecommunications

Joysticks, game paddles

and lightpens.

-You'll

have fun learning about the VIC's graphic, sound and

music capabilities

...

including the unique "multicolor" mode.

-You'll

discover POKEs you never knew about, and probably

PEEK

into some memory locations you never knew existed.

There are lots of fascinating hours ahead of you. Let the

Programmer's Reference Guide be your companion as you

continue to explore your VIC 20 Personal Computer System.

And

...

if you find any errors

this book, please send us a

postcard

letter

care of VIC PROGRAMMER'S REFERENCE

GUIDE, VIC Product Marketing Group, Commodore Business

Machines, Inc.,

68l

Moore Road,King of Prussia, PA 19406. We'd

appreciate your assistance

helping us "debug" our reference

guide for future printings.

Enjoy your new reference guide

...

and happy programmingI

-The

Authors

•

VIC

APPLICATIONS GUIDE

When you first considered buying acomputer, the chances

are

you

said something like, "I

know

computers

are

good

thingsto have

and

it'snice thatthey're finally affordable,

but

...

what

can

Ido

with

one?"

The great thing about acomputer

that you can tailor the

machine

what

you

want

to-you

can

make it calculate your

home

budget, play arcade-style action

games-you

can

even

make it talk! And the bestthing is,

your VIC 20 does only ONE of

the things listed below, it's well worth the price you paid for

it.

Here then.

alist

applications for your

VIC

2~n

caseyou've

asked yourself, "Yes, but what else can Ido with it?"

APPLICATION

ADVENTURE

GAMES

ADVERTISING &

MERCHANDISING

ANIMATION

BABVSITIING

COMMENTS/REQUIRE-

MENTS

COMMODORE provides 5Scott

Adams Adventure games on car·

tridge, decoded to

"talk"

with the

VOTRAX "Type N

Talk"~.

Hookthe VIC to atelevision and put

it in astorewindowwith an animated

message flashing and you've got a

great point

purchase store dis-

play.

The VIC is well-suited to screen

animation

...

aspecial aid called

THE PROGRAMMABLE CHARAC-

TER

SET

GAMEGRAPHICS

EDITOR is available from

COM·

MODORE on tape cassette.

The VIC HOME BABY$ITIER car-

tridge can keep your child occupied

for hours and teach keyboard sym-

bols, special learning concepts and

relationships. A"first" from COM-

MODORE.

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