Provided by: palbart_2.13-2_amd64 
NAME
palbart - BART enhanced PDP8 crossassembler
SYNOPSIS
palbart [options]inputfile
DESCRIPTION
This manual page documents briefly the palbart command. It is a cross-assembler to for PDP/8 assembly
language programs. It will produce an output file in bin format, rim format, and using the appropriate
pseudo-ops, a combination of rim and bin formats. A listing file is always produced and with an optional
symbol table and/or a symbol cross-reference (concordance). The permanent symbol table can be output in
a form that may be read back in so a customized permanent symbol table can be produced. Any detected
errors are output to a separate file giving the filename in which they were detected along with the line
number, column number and error message as well as marking the error in the listing file.
The following file name extensions are used:
.pal source code (input)
.lst assembly listing (output)
.bin assembly output in DEC's bin format (output)
.rim assembly output in DEC's rim format (output)
.err assembly errors detected (if any) (output)
.prm permanent symbol table in form suitable for reading after the EXPUNGE pseudo-op.
OPTIONS
A summary of options is included below.
-$ Don't require a $ at end of file
-a Enable additional features not compatible with PAL8.
-d Show symbol table at end of assembly
-e Generate error if link generated
-h Display help
-l Allow generation of links and literals (default)
-n Don't allow redefinition of permanent symbols
-p Generate a file with the permanent symbols in it. (To get the current symbol table, assemble a
file than has only a $ in it.)
-r Produce output in rim format (default is bin format)
-t N Set tab stops to N
-v Display version information
-x Generate a cross-reference (concordance) of user symbols
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
The additional features flag enables functions that are not compatible with the PAL8 assemble. Currently
only the TITLE and BANK pseudo operations are enabled with this function. There are likely other
incompatibilities that are not under this flag.
DIAGNOSTICS
Assembler error diagnostics are output to an error file and inserted in the listing file. Each line in
the error file has the form
<filename>(<line>:<col>) : error: <message> at Loc = <loc>
An example error message is:
bintst.pal(17:9) : error: undefined symbol "UNDEF" at Loc = 07616
The error diagnostics put in the listing start with a two character error code (if appropriate) and a
short message. A carat '^' is placed under the item in error if appropriate. An example error message
is:
17 07616 3000 DCA UNDEF
UD undefined ^
18 07617 1777 TAD I DUMMY
When an indirect is generated, an at character '@' is placed after the the instruction value in the
listing as an indicator as follows:
14 03716 1777@ TAD OFFPAG
Undefined symbols are marked in the symbol table listing by prepending a '?' to the symbol. Redefined
symbols are marked in the symbol table listing by prepending a '#' to the symbol. Examples are:
#REDEF 04567
SWITCH 07612
?UNDEF 00000
Refer to the code for the diagnostic messages generated.
BUGS
Only a minimal effort has been made to keep the listing format anything like the PAL-8 listing format.
The RIMPUNch and BINPUNch pseudo-ops do not change the binary output file type that was specified on
startup. This was intentional and and allows rim formatted data to be output prior to the actual binary
formatted data. On UN*X style systems, the same effect can be achieved using the "cat" command, but on
DOS/Windows systems, doing this was a major chore.
The floating point input does not generate values exactly as the DEC compiler does. I worked out several
examples by hand and believe that this implementation is slightly more accurate. If I am mistaken, let
me know and, if possible, a better method of generating the values.
HISTORICAL NOTE
This assembler was written to support the fleet of PDP-8 systems used by the Bay Area Rapid Transit
System. As of early 1997, this includes about 40 PDP-8/E systems driving the train destination signs in
passenger stations.
REFERENCES
This assembler is based on the pal assembler by:
Douglas Jones <jones@cs.uiowa.edu> and
Rich Coon <coon@convexw.convex.com>
DISCLAIMER
See the symbol table for the set of pseudo-ops supported.
See the code for pseudo-ops that are not standard for PDP/8 assembly.
Refer to DEC's "Programming Languages (for the PDP/8)" for complete documentation of pseudo-ops.
Refer to DEC's "Introduction to Programming (for the PDP/8)" or a lower level introduction to the
assembly language.
WARRANTY
If you don't like it the way it works or if it doesn't work, that's tough. You're welcome to fix it
yourself. That's what you get for using free software.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
This is free software. There is no fee for using it. You may make any changes that you wish and also
give it away. If you can make a commercial product out of it, fine, but do not put any limits on the
purchaser's right to do the same. If you improve it or fix any bugs, it would be nice if you told me and
offered me a copy of the new version. Gary Messenbrink <gam@rahul.net>
VERSIONS
Version Date by Comments
v1.0 12Apr96 GAM Original
v1.1 18Nov96 GAM Permanent symbol table initialization error.
v1.2 20Nov96 GAM Added BINPUNch and RIMPUNch pseudo-operators.
v1.3 24Nov96 GAM Added DUBL pseudo-op (24 bit integer constants).
v1.4 29Nov96 GAM Fixed bug in checksum generation.
v2.1 08Dec96 GAM Added concordance processing (cross reference).
v2.2 10Dec96 GAM Added FLTG psuedo-op (floating point constants).
v2.3 2Feb97 GAM Fixed paging problem in cross reference output.
v2.4 11Apr97 GAM Fixed problem with some labels being put in cross reference multiple times.
v2.9 23Jun13 DJG David Gesswein djg@pdp8online.com
Combined versions found online and fixed many bugs.
Used source from v2.5 03Nov07 RK and
v2.6 14Jul03 PNT.
AUTHOR
This manual page was written by Vince Mulhollon <vlm@debian.org>, for the Debian GNU/Linux system (but
may be used by others).
June 23, 2013 PALBART(1)