learning 6502

GARTHWILSON · Post by **GARTHWILSON** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 7:42 am

Joshua L. Tolles asked,

Quote:

I was wondering if anyone could suggest a good book for learning 6502? I hate to be too bothersome with questions like, 'now that I understand AND, what is going on with ORA??' and such questions of that nature. I do have a pretty good head for this kind of stuff, but I am a total nube

If you mean software, the best I know of is the Liechty & Eyes manual. There are many others you can get online too, if you want one that's only 6502. This one has a lot on the 65816 as well, which allows (but does not require) 16-bit registers and 24-bit addresses, and has more instructions and addressing modes than the 6502 or 65c02.

I just put a link on my website to Rich Cini's page that has loads of links and downloads for AIM-65, Apple II, VIC-20, C64, Kim-1, Sym-1 (all 6502 computers) and others. One of the programming manuals is the Rockwell one about 2/3 of the way down the page where it says "R6500 Programming Manual" under the Rockwell heading. This is only for the NMOS 6502, not 65c02 which has more instructions and addressing modes and has all the bugs fixed.

Edit: I later posted my 6502 primer at http://wilsonminesco.com/6502primer/index.html .

BillO · Post by **BillO** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 5:12 pm

I found the following 2 books useful in my youth. I have no idea where you might find them any more.

6502 Software Design, Leo J. Scanlon, 1980
Howard W. Sams & Co. Inc.
ISBN:0-672-21656-6

6502 Applications Book, Rodnay Zaks, 1979
SYBEX Inc.
ISBN: 0-89588-015-6

Edit: I think you can actually find both of them used on Amazon.

Joshua L. Tolles · Post by **Joshua L. Tolles** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 6:39 pm

Thank you!

I just browsed through the Liechty & Eyes manual, and it looks awesome! Just what I was looking for. But I would also like to have a physical book as well, so I can study it when away from the computer. Looks like I can pick up both of those books pretty cheap. Thanks GARTH and BillO!

GARTHWILSON · Post by **GARTHWILSON** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 7:02 pm

Quote:

I would also like to have a physical book as well

I agree. When I have large things to print like this, I email them to the local UPS Store which has a lot of office-away-from-the-office services, and they print it for me. Kinko's is another popular store with more binding services and so on.

BigDumbDinosaur · Post by **BigDumbDinosaur** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 2:18 am

GARTHWILSON wrote:

Quote:

I would also like to have a physical book as well

I agree. When I have large things to print like this, I email them to the local UPS Store which has a lot of office-away-from-the-office services, and they print it for me. Kinko's is another popular store with more binding services and so on.

We used to do that until we acquired a dead H-P 4000-series workgroup laser printer with dual paper trays, envelope feeder and, best of all, a duplexer. The problem was mechanical (a switch in the paper path) and I was able to fix the monster (weighs close to 100 pounds and the lights dim when it's printing). We now print thick manuals in-house. We have an Ibico comb binding machine to assemble the manuals.

Tor · Post by **Tor** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:02 am

Programming the 6502 by Rodney Zaks, Sybex.
A very easy read. I bought it back when it was new and I was up and running on the 6502 in no time.
Out of print, but Amazon seems to have some second hand prints available. NB: The version I have (which looks exactly like the one in this link) is 6502 only, not covering 65C02 instructions. http://www.amazon.com/Programming-6502- ... 0895880466
There are other places where you could get it as well.

(I actually read the book again just a while ago, reading those Rodney Zaks books is a delight. He wrote one for the Z80 too (plus the 'Applications book' variants), and that one is great to own just because of the great cover.)

-Tor