Learn to Code on a Commodore 64: A Beginner‘s Guide356

The Commodore 64 (C64) was one of the most popular home computers of the 1980s. It was known for its relatively powerful hardware and its ability to run a wide variety of software. The C64 was also a popular platform for game development, and many classic games were released for the system.

Today, the C64 is still a popular retro computer. There is a large community of enthusiasts who enjoy programming and playing games on the system. If you are interested in learning more about the C64, there are a number of resources available online.

This guide will teach you the basics of programming on the C64. We will cover topics such as setting up your development environment, writing your first program, and debugging your code.

Setting Up Your Development Environment

The first step to programming on the C64 is to set up your development environment. This includes choosing a text editor, a compiler, and a debugger.

There are a number of different text editors that you can use to write C64 programs. Some popular options include:*
*
*

Once you have chosen a text editor, you will need to install a compiler. A compiler is a program that converts your source code into machine code. There are a number of different compilers available for the C64, but one of the most popular is the cc65 compiler.

Finally, you will need to install a debugger. A debugger is a program that helps you find and fix errors in your code. There are a number of different debuggers available for the C64, but one of the most popular is the gdb debugger.

Writing Your First Program

Now that you have set up your development environment, you can start writing your first program. Here is a simple program that prints "Hello, world!" to the screen:```
10 PRINT "Hello, world!"
20 END
```

To enter this program into your C64, type the following commands into your text editor:```
NEW
10 PRINT "Hello, world!"
20 END
LIST
```

The NEW command clears the current program from memory. The 10 PRINT "Hello, world!" command prints the message "Hello, world!" to the screen. The 20 END command ends the program. The LIST command lists the program in memory.

Once you have entered the program into your C64, you can run it by pressing the RUN/STOP key.

Debugging Your Code

If you encounter any errors while running your program, you can use a debugger to help you find and fix the errors. To start the gdb debugger, type the following command into your terminal:```
gdb cc65
```

Once the debugger is running, you can use the following commands to debug your code:* - Starts the program.
* - Executes the next line of code.
* - Executes the next line of code, stepping into any function calls.
* - Sets a breakpoint at the specified line of code.
* - Prints the value of the specified variable.

The gdb debugger is a powerful tool that can help you find and fix errors in your code. For more information on using gdb, please refer to the gdb documentation.

Conclusion

This guide has taught you the basics of programming on the Commodore 64. We have covered topics such as setting up your development environment, writing your first program, and debugging your code. If you are interested in learning more about the C64, there are a number of resources available online.

2025-02-17

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