Re: I got my new 64Ultimate

From: ruud_at_baltissen.org
Date: Wed, 20 May 2026 19:43:33 +0200
Message-ID: <177ed34a4c2063ad7e8c37d17be3fa19_at_baltissen.org>
Hallo Justin,


> ... to use the REU to DMA things in and out of system RAM.

That is one of my ideas well but how to use it exactly, that is 
something I have to figure out yet. I managed to start up from the 
Kernal ROM without the need of the BASIC ROM. Result: 51200 bytes free. 
The last time I used a REU is maybe 15 years ago. So I have to figure 
out how to use it again. Including how big the swap area can be. If it 
is more than 4 KB, then I'm happy that I swapped the BASIC ROM for RAM.

I haven't been thinking about using the BASIC ROM range for an own one. 
I consider it a bit of an handicap that it is in "the middle" of the 
RAM. But it has one big advantage: immediately available and fast.


> ... to use ... zero page ...

That is what I am working on now: to free all zero page variables not 
needed by my ROM. Not only the zero page but also the RAM in the $02xx 
and $03xx range. That is not so difficult: just look if a variabele is 
used in the rest of the source code. If not, then just remove it from 
the source code as well. But I'm already running into a dilemma: what to 
do with all the gaps between the variables? A logical thought is to 
shift them all on one heap and creating one big free block of RAM for 
future use. The disadvantage: discompatibility. But if I start to loose 
compatibility, unfortunate but not something to shed tears about.

To be continued....


-- 

Kind regards / Met vriendelijke groet, Ruud Baltissen

www.Baltissen.org
Received on 2026-05-20 19:00:01

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