3.1  A86 ASSEMBLER - A86V403.ZIP

The A86 is Eric Isaacson’s shareware assembler.  The latest version is
4.03 and support up to the 286 instruction set.  This assembler does not
support the extended registers and instructions introduced with the 386
processor.  This assembler accepts assembly language source files, and
transforms them directly into either: (1) .COM files executable under MS-
DOS, starting at offset 0100 within a code segment; (2) .OBJ files
suitable for feeding to a linker; or (3) object files starting at
offset 0, suitable for copying to ROMs.  A86 is a full-featured program
designed to be as closely compatible to the standard Intel/IBM assembly
language as possible.

Some of A86's features are:
* Assembly speed
* Ease of use
* Support modular programming even in .COM files
* Support very large programming projects
* Full featured macro capability
* Support for math coprocessor instructions
* Supported by its own debugger, D86

New features of version 4.02 are:
* INCLUDE file support
* listings
* no limit on size of source files
* forward references in complex expressions
* END operand
* default ORG END in DATA SEGMENT

3.2  D86 DEBUGGER - D86V402.ZIP

The D86 is Eric Isaacson’s shareware debugger.  The latest version is
4.02.  D86 is a screen-oriented debugger that facilitates the
troubleshooting of faulty computer programs written for the IBM-PC and
all compatibles.  D86 can freeze the state of a program so that the
values of registers, flags, and memory can be investigated.  The
program's execution can be monitored by stepping it one instruction or
procedure at a time; or starting the program running, telling D86 to
stop it when it reaches certain locations.  D86 recognizes the symbol-
table output of the A86 assembler, creating a symbolic disassembly of a
A86 program, and allowing referenced to locations and variables by name.

Some of D86's features are:
* Values of registers, flags and stack top are displayed at a fixed
  location on the screen.
* Support for viewing memory contents in a variety of types including
  complicated structures.
* Support for displaying math coprocessor registers

New features of version 4.02 are:
* Keystroke scripts
* macro keys
* Undo command
* file copy and delete

3.3  OTHER FILES

A86CNVRT.ZIP

This file contains information on converting MASM files into A86 files.
The information is dated and a better source is Chapter 12 of the A86
documentation.

D86BIOS4.ZIP

If your computer does not have an IBM-compatible BIOS, this file will
help getting D86, the debugger, to work with your BIOS.

3.4  FILE AVAILABILITY

Currently, V4.03 is not available from SimTel.  Get these directly from
the author:
    http://eji.com/a86.zip
    http://eji.com/d86.zip
    
Other files are available from SimTel

    http://www.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/msdos/asmutl/a86cnvrt.zip
    http://www.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/msdos/asmutl/d86bios4.zip

Contributor: Raymond Moon, raymoon@moonware.dgsys.com
Last changed: 23 Oct 99

Some parts © 2009 Advameg, Inc.