R. T. RUSSELL

BBC BASIC (Z80)

BBC BASIC (Z80) is an implementation of BBC BASIC for Z80-based CP/M™ computers (CP/M version 2.2 or later); it has been designed to be as compatible as possible with Version 4 of the 6502 BBC BASIC resident in the BBC Micro Master series. BBC BASIC (Z80) is available in four versions: a 'generic' CP/M version, a special version for the Amstrad Colour Computers (CPC464, CPC664 and CPC6128), a special version for the Tatung Einstein and a special version for the Torch Z80 Second Processor. BBC BASIC (Z80) occupies about 16 Kbytes of RAM; the rest of the user memory (up to a total of about 48 Kbytes) is available for BASIC program(s), variables (heap) and stack.

The generic CP/M version of BBC BASIC (Z80) has no support for sound or graphics, but all other statements, functions and commands specified for BBC BASIC are available. It may be customised to suit the host computer (for example in respect of display control codes, hardware timer, etc.) by editing and installing a small patch program. The assembler source code of the patch incorporated in the distribution version is supplied. The Amstrad, Einstein and Torch versions of BBC BASIC (Z80) are fully configured for the capabilities of the host computer and provide sound and graphics facilities such as SOUND, MODE, DRAW and PLOT.

BBC BASIC (Z80) incorporates a full Z80 assembler, which allows you to include assembly-language code within a BASIC program. This is a very powerful feature: it enables speed-critical operations to be carried out much more quickly than would otherwise be possible in BASIC, and provides access to machine and operating-system features that would otherwise not be available. Example programs are supplied with BBC BASIC (Z80) which illustrate the use of embedded assembler to implement fast string and numeric array sorting.

BBC BASIC (Z80) comes with a number of utility and example programs, including a utility for converting between internal-format (.BBC) and ASCII text format (.BAS) program files.

The full BBC BASIC (Z80) Manual (generic CP/M version) is available online.

The generic CP/M, Amstrad, Einstein and Torch versions of BBC BASIC (Z80) are made available for free download on condition that they always be distributed along with the other files included in the Zip archive. BBC BASIC (Z80) and the accompanying files remain the Copyright © of R. T. Russell, 1982-2002.

Download the generic CP/M version of BBC BASIC (Z80).
Download the Amstrad CPC version of BBC BASIC (Z80).
Download the Tatung Einstein version of BBC BASIC (Z80).
Download the Torch Second Processor version of BBC BASIC (Z80).