Looking for an Assembler to fit my style

[Rogare]

Hello,

I've been working with assembly for few days, at first in theory and then when I tried doing something with what I wrote I found out that Assembly in books isn't a standard. I worked for a while with TASM from BC++ 2005 and TLINK from a really old BC, but it is 16-bit and I am using old versions and I just can't continue like that.
I tried working with several Assemblers but always I lacked documentation and their syntax was different.

I am looking for an assembler (that comes with a linker as well! In it, or near it) that will require the least adjustments to my code and will work with 32-bit on Win XP Home. And I'd like to know that there is some documentation of how to use it (especially if it is command-line application).

Here is a most basic ASM program that uses the syntax I like:

Code Select Expand

.MODEL SMALL
.STACK 100h
.DATA
x DB 2Ah
.CODE

start:
mov ax,@data
mov ds,ax

mov ah,02h
mov dl,x
int 21h

mov ah,08h
int 21h
mov x,al

mov ax,4C00h
int 21h
END start

[BlackVortex]

Well, if you like the masm syntax, then you're better off with the masm32 package (which is the main focus of this forum !)
Documentation is more than sufficient  :-D Also compatible with most assembly code you'll stumble upon.

So I suggest you use the masm32 package with the jwasm assembler instead of the ml.exe v6 provided. It is a clone/replacement with extra features, like 64-bit assembly, faster etc :
http://www.japheth.de/JWasm.html

Or since you're making the switch anyway, you could go all out and invest some time on the GoAsm package (it also includes a linker and a resource assembler) Its syntax is a bit different but I got used to it quickly. There's less red tape than with Masm. Although it doesn't have runtime conditionals, it may in the future I hope !
http://www.jorgon.freeserve.co.uk/

Both are good choices.

[Rogare]

I'll look into Masm32 in a second.
GoAsm always downloads an invalid .zip (tried 4 times).
JWasm looks weird at the moment, maybe later when I get more comfortable with the environment.

Edit: Masm32 seems nice.
Could you post a simple program that works like what I posted just that it'll work with masm32?

[BlackVortex]

Check out the examples in the masm32 installation  :bg

The code you posted needs I believe a couple of changes to assemble under masm.

[Rogare]

I tried something, help me out.

I tried to assemble this program:

Code Select Expand

.386
.model flat, stdcall
option casemap :none
include \masm32\include\windows.inc
include \masm32\include\user32.inc
include \masm32\include\kernel32.inc
include \masm32\include\masm32.inc
includelib \masm32\lib\user32.lib
includelib \masm32\lib\kernel32.lib
includelib \masm32\lib\masm32.lib

Main PROTO

.DATA
x DB 2Ah
.CODE

start:
invoke Main
invoke ExitProcess,0

Main proc

mov ah,02h
mov dl,x
int 21h

mov ah,08h
int 21h
mov x,al

ret

Main endp

end start

This is the command-line output:

Code Select Expand

D:\masm32\bin>ml D:\GOTO.ASM
Microsoft (R) Macro Assembler Version 6.14.8444
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp 1981-1997.  All rights reserved.

Assembling: D:\GOTO.ASM
Microsoft (R) Incremental Linker Version 5.12.8078
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp 1992-1998. All rights reserved.

/z2
"GOTO.obj"
"GOTO.exe"
NUL
LINK : warning LNK4044: unrecognized option "z2"; ignored
GOTO.obj : warning LNK4033: converting object format from OMF to COFF
LINK : fatal error LNK1181: cannot open input file "GOTO.exe"

Thanks for everything.

[dedndave]

option casemap :none

i think casemap: none is ok, but not casemap :none

that is not the big problem, though
you are writing 16-bit code into a 32-bit template
flat means no INT 21h allowed
i suggest you learn 32-bit if you have the time and fortitude

[BlackVortex]

Yep, forget about old DOS coding, learn about 32-bit coding for windows here :
http://win32assembly.online.fr/

[Rogare]

If 32-bit is that different (I thought the difference is larger registers and few minor things) - how can I work with 16-bit ASM?

[dedndave]

well - you need a 16-bit linker
i think Link16.exe is in the masm32 package
if not - get lnk563.exe from the fourm links (upper right corner)
if you look at the list of forums, down near the bottom is a special one for 16-bit
i posted a batch file in there the other day to assemble 16-bit files
you can also find many examples

[Rogare]

Thanks both of you, I am moving down to the 16-bit section.