System information

The assembler produces a file:
X.PRN
where X is the primary name specified in the ASM command. The PRN file contains a listing of
the source program with embedded tab characters if present in the source program, along with the
machine code generated for each statement and diagnostic error messages, if any. The PRN file is
listed at the console using the TYPE command, or sent to a peripheral device using PIP (see
Section 1.6.4). Note that the PRN file contains the original source program, augmented by
miscellaneous assembly information in the leftmost 16 columns; for example, program addresses
and hexadecimal machine code. The PRN file serves as a backup for the original source file. If
the source file is accidentally removed or destroyed, the PRN file can be edited by removing the
leftmost 16 characters of each line (see Section 2). This is done by issuing a single editor macro
command. The resulting file is identical to the original source file and can be renamed from PRN
to ASM for subsequent editing and assembly. The file
A.HEX
is also produced, which contains 8080 machine language in Intel HEX format suitable for
subsequent loading and execution (see Section 1.6.3). For complete details of CP/M's assembly
language program, see Section 3.
The source file for assembly is taken from an alternate disk by prefixing the assembly language
filename by a disk drive name. The command
ASM B:ALPHA
loads the assembler from the currently logged drive and processes the source program
ALPHA.ASM on drive B. The HEX and PRN files are also placed on drive B in this case.
1.6 Transient Commands CP/M Operating System Manual
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