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Every VICE emulator has a complete built-in monitor, which can be used
to examine, disassemble and assemble machine language programs, as
well as debug them through breakpoints. It can be activated by using
the "Activate monitor" command (left button menu). Notice that you
have to run the emulator from a terminal emulation program (such as
rxvt or xterm) in order to use the monitor.
Warning: this version of the monitor is still under construction,
and some of the features are not fully working yet.
- `address_space'
-
This refers to the range of memory locations and a set of registers.
This can be the addresses available to the computer's processor, the
disk drive's processor or a specific memory configuration of one of
the mentioned processors.
- `bankname'
-
The CPU can only see 64k of memory at any one time, due to its 16 bit
address bus. The C64 and other computers have more than this amount,
and this is handled by banking: a memory address can have different
contents, depending on the active memory bank.
A bankname names a specific bank in the current address_space.
- `register'
-
One of the following: program counter (PC), stack pointer (SP),
accumulator (A), X register (X), or Y register (Y).
- `address'
-
A specific memory location in the range $0000 to $FFFF.
- `address_range'
-
Two addresses. If the second address is less than the first, the
range is assumed to wraparound from $FFFF to $0000. Both addresses
must be in the same address space.
- `address_opt_range'
-
An address or an address range.
- `prompt'
-
The prompt has the format [x:y]. If x is -, memory reads from the
monitor do not have side effects. Otherwise, x is S. The second part
of the prompt, y, shows the default address space.
- `checkpoint'
-
The monitor has the ability to setup triggers that perform an action
when a specified situation occurs. There are three types of
checkpoints; breakpoints, tracepoints and watchpoints.
- `breakpoint'
-
A breakpoint is triggered based on the program counter. When it is
triggered, the monitor is entered.
- `tracepoint'
-
Like breakpoints, a tracepoint is triggered based on the program
counter. Instead of entering the monitor, the program counter is
printed and execution continues.
- `watchpoint'
-
Watchpoints are triggered by a read and/or write to an address. When
a watchpoint is triggered, the monitor is entered.
- `memmap'
-
The memmap keeps track of RAM/ROM/IO read/write/execute
accesses. The feature must be enabled with "--enable-memmap"
configure option, as it might decrease performance notably on
slower hardware. The option also enables CPU history.
- `<...>'
-
A data type.
- `*'
-
Zero or more occurrences.
- `[...]'
-
An optional argument.
backtrace
-
Print JSR call chain (most recent call first). Stack offset
relative to SP+1 is printed in parentheses. This is a best guess
only.
cpuhistory [<count>]
-
Show <count> last executed commands.
(disabled by default; configure with --enable-memmap to enable)
goto <address>
-
Change the PC to address and continue execution.
io
-
Nothing yet. Will display VIC/VIA/CIA/SID registers.
next [<count>]
-
Advance to the next instruction. Subroutines are treated as a single
instruction.
registers [<reg_name> = <number> [, <reg_name> = <number>]*]
-
Assign respective registers. With no parameters, display register
values.
reset [<type>]
-
Reset the machine or drive.
type: 0 = soft, 1 = hard, 8-11 = drive.
return
-
Continues execution and returns to the monitor just
after the next RTS or RTI is executed.
step [<count>]
-
Single step through instructions. An optional count allows stepping
more than a single instruction at a time.
bank [<bankname>]
-
Without a bankname, display all available banks for the current
address_space. With a bankname given, switch to the specified
bank. If a bank is not completely filled (ROM banks for example)
normally the
ram bank is used where the bank has holes.
The cpu bank uses the bank currently used by the CPU.
compare <address_range> <address>
-
Compare memory from the source specified by the address range to the
destination specified by the address. The regions may overlap. Any
values that miscompare are displayed using the default displaytype.
device [c:|8:|9:]
-
Set the default address space to either the computer `c:' or the
specified drive `8:' or `9:'
fill <address_range> <data_list>
-
Fill memory in the specified address range with the data in
<data_list>. If the size of the address range is greater than the
size of the data_list, the data_list is repeated.
hunt <address_range> <data_list>
-
Hunt memory in the specified address range for the data in
<data_list>. If the data is found, the starting address of the match
is displayed. The entire range is searched for all possible matches.
The data list may have `xx' as a wildcard.
i <address_opt_range>
-
Display memory contents as PETSCII text.
ii <address_opt_range>
-
Display memory contents as screen code text
m [<data_type>] [<address_opt_range>]
-
Display the contents of memory. If no datatype is given, the default
is used. If only one address is specified, the length of data
displayed is based on the datatype. If no addresses are given, the
'dot' address is used.
memmapshow [<mask>] [<address_opt_range>]
-
Show the memmap. The mask can be specified to show only those
locations with accesses of certain type(s). The mask is a number
with the bits "ioRWXrwx", where RWX are for ROM and rwx for RAM.
Optionally, an address range can be specified.
(disabled by default; configure with --enable-memmap to enable)
memmapzap
-
Clear the memmap.
(disabled by default; configure with --enable-memmap to enable)
memmapsave "<filename>" <format>
-
Save the memmap as a picture.
format:
0 = BMP, 1 = PCX, 2 = PNG, 3 = GIF, 4 = IFF.
(disabled by default; configure with --enable-memmap to enable)
mc [<data_type>] [<address_opt_range>]
-
Display the contents of memory as character data. If only one address
is specified, only one character is displayed. If no addresses are
given, the "dot" address is used.
ms [<data_type>] [<address_opt_range>]
-
Display the contents of memory as sprite data. If only one address is
specified, only one sprite is displayed. If no addresses are given,
the "dot" address is used.
move <address_range> <address>
-
Move memory from the source specified by the address range to the
destination specified by the address. The regions may overlap.
sidefx [on|off|toggle]
-
Control how monitor generated reads affect memory locations that have
read side-effects, like CIA interrupt registers for example.
If the argument is 'on' then reads may cause side-effects. If the
argument is 'off' then reads don't cause side-effects. If the
argument is 'toggle' then the current mode is switched. No argument
displays the current state.
> [<address>] <data_list>
-
Write the specified data at
address.
a <address> [ <instruction> [: <instruction>]* ]
-
Assemble instructions to the specified address. If only one
instruction is specified, enter assembly mode (enter an empty line to
exit assembly mode).
d [<address> [<address>]]
-
Disassemble instructions. If two addresses are specified, they are
used as a start and end address. If only one is specified, it is
treated as the start address and a default number of instructions are
disassembled. If no addresses are specified, a default number of
instructions are disassembled from the dot address.
break [<address> [if <cond_expr>] ]
-
This command allows setting a breakpoint or listing the current
breakpoints. If no address is given, the currently valid checkpoints
are printed. If an address is given, a breakpoint is set for that
address and the breakpoint number is printed. A conditional
expression can also be specified for the breakpoint. For more
information on conditions, see the CONDITION command.
enable <checknum>
-
disable <checknum>
-
Each checkpoint can be enabled or disabled. This command allows
changing between these states.
command <checknum> "<command>"
-
When checkpoint
checknum is hit, the specified command is
executed by the monitor. Note that the x command is not yet
supported as a command argument.
condition <checknum> if <cond_expr>
-
Each time the specified checkpoint is examined, the condition is
evaluated. If it evalutes to true, the checkpoint is activated.
Otherwise, it is ignores. If registers are specified in the
expression, the values used are those at the time the checkpoint is
examined, not when the condition is set.
Currently, the cond_expr is very limited. You can use registers (.A, .X,
.Y, .PC, and .SP) and compare against other registers or absolute
values. For example, the following are all valid conditions:
.A == 0, .X == .Y, 8:.X == .X, .A != 5, .A < .X.
However, you cannot specify memory contents and compare that.
delete <checknum>
-
Delete the specified checkpoint.
ignore <checknum> [<count>]
-
Ignore a checkpoint after a given number of crossings. If no count is
given, the default value is 1.
trace [address [address]]
-
This command is similar to the
break command except that it
operates on tracepoints. A tracepoint differs from a breakpoint by
not stopping execution but simply printing the PC, giving the user an
execution trace. The second optional address can be used to specify
the end of an range of addresses to be traced.
watch [loadstore] [address [address]]
-
This command is similar to the previous two commands except that it
operates on watchpoints. A watchpoint differs from the others by
stopping on a read and/or write to an address or range of addresses.
If no addresses are given, a list of all the watchpoints is printed.
The loadstore parameter can be either "load" or "store" to determine
on which operation the monitor breaks. If not specified, the monitor
breaks on both operations.
cd <directory>
-
Change the working directory.
device [c:|d:]
-
Set the default memory device to either the computer (
c:) or
the disk (d:).
dir [<directory>]
-
Display the directory contents.
pwd
-
Show current working directory.
radix [H|D|O|B]
-
Set the default radix to hex, decimal, octal, or binary. With no
argument, the current radix is printed.
sidefx [on|off|toggle]
-
Control how monitor generated reads affect memory locations that have
read side-effects. If the argument is 'on' then reads may cause
side-effects. If the argument is 'off' then reads don't cause
side-effects. If the argument is 'toggle' then the current mode is
switched. No argument displays the current state.
system <system command>
-
Nothing yet.
attach <filename> <device>
-
Attach file to device. (device 32 = cart)
br <track> <sector> [<address>]
-
Read the block at the specified track and sector. If an address is
specified, the data is loaded into memory. If no address is given,
the data is displayed using the default datatype.
bw <track> <sector> <address>
-
Write a block of data at
address to the specified track and
sector of disk in drive 8.
detach <device>
-
Detach file from device. (device 32 = cart)
@<disk command>
-
Perform a disk command on the currently attached disk image on drive
8. The specified disk command is sent to the drive's channel #15.
load "<filename>" <device> [<address>]
-
Load the specified file into memory. If no address is given, the file
is loaded to the address specified by the first two bytes read from
the file. If address is given, the file is loaded to the specified
address and the first two bytes read from the file are skipped. If
device is 0, the file is read from the file system.
bload "<filename>" <device> <address>
-
Load the specified file into memory at the specified address.
If device is 0, the file is read from the file system.
save "<filename>" <device> <address1> <address2>
-
Save the memory from address1 to address2 to the specified file.
Write two-byte load address.
If device is 0, the file is written to the file system.
bsave "<filename>" <device> <address1> <address2>
-
Save the memory from address1 to address2 to the specified file.
If device is 0, the file is written to the file system.
playback "<filename>"
-
Monitor commands from the specified file are read and executed. This
command stops at the end of file or when a STOP command is read.
record "<filename>"
-
After this command, all commands entered are written to the specified
file until the STOP command is entered.
stop
-
Stop recording commands. See
record.
add_label <address> <label>
-
Map a given address to a label. This label can be used when entering
assembly code and is shown during disassembly. Additionally, it can
be used whenever an address must be specified.
<label> is the name of the label; it must start with a dot (".") in
order for the monitor to recognize it as a label.
delete_label [<memspace>] <label>
-
Remove the specified label from the label tables. If no memory space is
checked, all tables are checked.
load_labels [<memspace>] "<filename>"
-
Load a file containing a mapping of labels to addresses. If no memory
space is specified, the default readspace is used.
The file must contain commands the monitor understands, e.g. add_label. The
compiler cc65 can create such label files.
Vice can also load label files created by the Acme assembler. Their syntax is
e.g. "labelname = $1234 ; Maybe a comment". A dot will be added automatically
to label names assigned in this way to fit to the Vice label syntax. Normally
the semicolon seperates commands but after an assignment of this kind it may be
used to start a comment to end of line, so unchanged Acme label files can be
fed into Vice.
save_labels [<memspace>] "<filename>"
-
Save labels to a file. If no memory space is specified, all of the
labels are saved.
show_labels [<memspace>]
-
Display current label mappings. If no memory space is specified, show
all labels.
cartfreeze
-
Use cartridge freeze.
exit
-
Leave the monitor and return to execution.
help [<command>]
-
If no argument is given, prints out a list of all available commands.
If an argument is given, prints out specific help for that command.
print <expression>
-
Evaluate the specified expression and output the result.
resourceget "<resource>"
-
Displays the value of the
resource.
resourceset "<resource>" "<value>"
-
Sets the value of the
resource.
screenshot "<filename>" [<format>]
-
Take a screenshot.
format:
default = BMP, 1 = PCX, 2 = PNG, 3 = GIF, 4 = IFF.
tapectrl <command>
-
Control the datasette.
command:
0 = stop, 1 = start, 2 = forward, 3 = rewind, 4 = record,
5 = reset, 6 = reset counter.
quit
-
Exit the emulator immediately.
~ <number>
-
Display the specified number in decimal, hex, octal and binary.
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