Synapse SynCalc#

Versions

  • 1983 Version
  • 1985 Version, ATX available
  • 1993 Version

1985 Version#

From p. 5 of the documenation:
"What You Will Need
1. An ATARI home computer
2. An ATARI disk drive (up to 2).
3. The program diskette, enclosed in the inside front cover pocket of the manual.
4. At least 48K of memory.
5. A TV set or other video monitor. A black and white set will work.
6. Blank diskettes for storing data.
Optional:
ATARI printers for obtaining hard copy versions of reports.
You can also use the Axlon Rampower 128K or Mosaic 64K Select to increase your computer's capacity."

From p. 9 of the documenation:
"NOTE: The memory indicator will be nnn/NNN where nnn = amount of memory used in K bytes and NNN = total amount of memory available in K bytes (1 K byte is equal to 1024 characters). When you notice that the memory indicator shows that the worksheet is becoming full, you should save the worksheet to disk and then reload it. This may free up additional memory space. The amount of memory will vary according to the configuration of your computer."

Hardware Base RAM Expansion Free Memory in 1985 Version Free Memory in 1993 Version
Atari 800 48k none 21k
Atari 800 52k none 25k
Atari 800 48k 64k Axlon 69k
Atari 800 48k 128k Axlon 133k
Atari 800 48k 256k Axlon 245k
Atari 800 48k 512k Axlon 245k
Atari 800 48k 1024k Axlon 245k
Atari 800 48k 2048k Axlon 245k
Atari 800 48k 4096k Axlon 245k
Atari 800 XL 64k none 21k
Atari 800 XL 64k 256k Rambo 84k
Atari 800 XL 64k 256k Compy 84k
Atari 800 XL 64k 512k Rambo 84k
Atari 800 XL 64k 512k Compy 84k
Atari 800 XL 64k 1024k Rambo 84k
Atari 130 XE 64k 64k Atari 84k

The disk contains a boot loader in the sectors 1-8 and two versions of the program. The first version starts at sector 18 ($12) supports the Axlon compatiable memory expansions with the banking register $CFFF. The second version starts at sector 62 ($3E) and supports the XE compatible memory expansions with the banking register $D301 (PORTB). In both cases, the extended memory is banked in at $4000. If an extended memory bank at $4000 is available for the banking value $E3 during the boot process, the second version is loaded.

1B3B: LDY #$EF
1B3D: LDA #$E3
1B3F: STA PORTB
1B42: TXA
1B43: STA $4000,X
1B46: STY PORTB
1B49: EOR #$FF
1B4B: STA $4000,X
1B4E: INX
1B4F: BPL $1B3D
1B51: LDX #$00
1B53: LDA #$E3
1B55: STA PORTB
1B58: TXA
1B59: CMP $4000,X
1B5C: BNE $1B6C
1B5E: INX
1B5F: BPL $1B58
1B61: LDA #$3E
1B63: STA $84
1B65: LDA #$00
1B67: STA $85
1B69: JMP $1B74
1B6C: LDA #$12
1B6E: STA $84
1B70: LDA #$00
1B72: STA $85
... load main part