Machine Operating System - AMSTRAD CPC464 User Manual

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9.2 Machine Operating System

The housekeeping of the CPC464 is provided by a sophisticated real time operating system. The
operating system ' directs the traffic' through the computer from the input to the output.
It primarily interfaces the hardware with the BASIC interpreter - for example the ink flashing
function, where the BASIC passes the parameters - and the OS gets on with the..task, with one part
determining what is required - and the other part determining the timing of these events.
The machine operating system is generally referred to as the ' firmware' , and comprises the machine
code routines that are called by the high level commands in the BASIC.
If you are tempted to POKE around in the machine memory addresses or CALL the subroutines -
save your program and listing before doing so, or you may regret it!
The extensive operating system firmware of the CPC464 is described in the advanced user guide,
and is beyond the scope of this introductory user guide.
next two (MOD 32) the required colours.
0..31 Set Border to a pair of colours.
0..31
Equivalent to a BORDER command. The
two parameters (MOD 32) specify the two
colours.
Move cursor to top left hand corner of
window.
1..80 Move cursor to the given position in the
1..25 current window. Equivalent to a LOCATE
command. The first parameter gives the
column to move to, the second the line.