qlwiki:ql_macro_assembler [Sinclair QL Wiki]

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 ====== QL Macro Assembler ======
{{packaging:ql_macro_assembler_package.jpg?direct|Packaging for Sinclair QL Macro Assembler by GST}}\\ 
QL Macro Assembler (or Q-Mac) was an update version of [[qlwiki:QL Assembler]].  Both programs were written by [[qlwiki:GST Computer Systems]] and published on the [[qlwiki:Sinclair Research Ltd]] label.


The program is a standard 68008 motorola assembler with extensive macro assembler commands (although conditional assembly can only be used inside the macros).


Again, the editor supplied is that provided with the [[qlwiki:Metacomco Assembler]]!


The assembler generates binary files from a single source (like the standard assembler) and supports INCLUDE directives (for example to make use of the standard library routines included on the microdrive).


The package also includes a separate linker to combine pre-assembled files in SROFF (Sinclair Relocatable Object File Format) format (the standard linker format, also i.e. on Atari ST) to a complete binary file.


This program has become more the standard across QLs - mainly because it was the first assembler to be able to compile the source codes for [[qlwiki:SMSQe]] - even today only QL Macro Assembler and the public domain [[http://www.dilwyn.qlforum.co.uk/asm/index.html|GWASS]] assembler can compile these huge sources.


Updated versions appear in the [[http://www.quanta.org.uk|Quanta library]] (with bug fixes and improvements).


The latest version of the software was also released as freeware in 2012.


Unfortunately, though it was one of the first packages of that kind which generates the usual SROFF linker format, not all other companies, which lauched compilers and assemblers go straight ahead with this format, instead uses their own ways, making it somewhat hard for the programmer to combine code from different compilers and assemblers.


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Title: **QL Macro Assembler**\\ 
Language: 68000 Machine Code\\ 
Author: Unknown\\ 
Publisher: [[qlwiki:GST Computer Systems]]\\ 
Year of Publication: 1985\\ 
Platforms Suitable for: All Sinclair QLs and emulators\\ 
Commercial Status: Freeware\\ 
Price as at May 1986: £59.95\\ 
Reviews: [[http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=YourSinclair/Issue05/Pages/YourSinclair0500072.jpg|Your Sinclair May 1986]]\\ 
Sources Available from: n/a\\ 
Latest Version available from: [[http://www.dilwyn.qlforum.co.uk/asm|Sinclair QL Homepage]]\\