Commander X16

Hello all!

I have just pre put in my pre order for the X16 Developer Edition following the new video and I'm very excited! I just wondered if there has been any talk about a print manual being included with the pre order as it doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere.

Apologies if this has been mentioned in another post, it's quite possible I missed it!

It's a good question; I have not seen any recent mention of whether it will come with a printed one or not.

I am planning on trying to become an assembly language programmer for the CX16, so I have been collecting documents and screen snapshots for my "programmer's manual", which I will print using one of the online print services when I think I have collected what I need.

I hope others are doing the same, and that somehow these resources can be pooled.

All of the X16 reference materials I'm aware of are living documents on Github. The X16 hardware may be stable, but I still keep seeing feature changes/additions in the various roms and other firmware (like the entire FX extension added to the VERA), so it might be too soon for a printed manual.

I've updated my "unofficial" introductory manual here to make sure it all is still valid with current R45 and H/W (which I have one of the DevBoards to test on):

***
https://github.com/voidstar78/X16_MANUA ... T_REV9.pdf
***
call it "fan inspired" and, as the author I can say it is freely available. I don't mind sharing the "source" of the document, but it was done in Microsoft Publisher and the .pub file is over 90MB (larger than what github allows me to share).

It gives an orientation of how to set the system up (cases, power supply, keyboard and video considerations).

Then there is a brief orientation about the "DOS commands" and a few starter BASIC examples - they were intentionally kept simple, as "refresher" examples or "first steps." There is also an example of using the assembly monitor.

It is NOT the lengthy technical manual that we'd all love to have, but if anyone was maybe thinking of getting the X16 as a gift to someone - this may be a good starter manual to someone who never experienced a system like this before. Staples (the store) can print the PDF for about 10 dollars (full color with thick pages), they have a "booklet" option (I'd go with the 7" page size - I had a few variations printed just to see how they came out) which is why I limited this to 20 pages.

If done in bulk, a beefier 75 page (B&W) spiral-bound manual might be possible for that same cost - if some systems start shipping early (hint hint! it could happen!), I don't see that manual realistically being available before February. Then again, still 3 months, so maybe it's possible.


Note/reminder: I do have one NOTES page in the manual - and I just realize one overall thing missing is there is no description about how each row of the screen is really a possible command input line. So that's how and why you can move the cursor and edit code that's on the screen, or re-run earlier commands by just moving the cursor to that line and pressing ENTER again. So I might consider updating that NOTES page to describe that aspects, that many people who never used a system like this might not grasp at first.

voidstar wrote: ↑Thu Oct 26, 2023 7:38 am I've updated my "unofficial" introductory manual here to make sure it all is still valid with current R45 and H/W (which I have one of the DevBoards to test on):

***
https://github.com/voidstar78/X16_MANUA ... T_REV9.pdf
***

Wow! I missed this one. Looks very cool!

But seems there is some trouble with REV9, only title page is displayed.
REV7 and REV8 looks fine.

REV9 fixed, thanks for reporting that; yeah exported it wrong from the .pub file.

voidstar said:

I've updated my "unofficial" introductory manual here to make sure it all is still valid with current R45 and H/W (which I have one of the DevBoards to test on):

This is really outstanding, voidstar! Definitely worthy of being spiral-bound and included with the system when it ships!
-Bill

Thank you!

I just made some minor updates to REV9 that I meant to include last night:

- corrected image related to ROM updates
- minor annotated notes in the A.1 and A.3 appendix examples
- added the addresses of the register pass-thru for KERNAL calls to the reference section at end (very useful for interacting with KERNAL SYS calls from BASIC, which there will be examples on the SD-card of how to make use of these; the A.5 appendix example touches on it)

We can nudge Kevin about it, as he'll (likely) be handling the packaging of the units. The printing cost (when scaled in bulk) I think could be "sponsored" without adding to the H/W unit cost (may have to use regular paper rather than glossy).

I would love a proper bound (preferable spiral) manual, but a order-to-print would
be fine, too. Commodore did write some fairly solid manuals to get startet with, iirc.

retro_hamster wrote: ↑Mon Nov 06, 2023 1:36 pm I would love a proper bound (preferable spiral) manual, but a order-to-print would
be fine, too. Commodore did write some fairly solid manuals to get startet with, iirc.

I've been writing a user guide for the past year, and it's starting to come along. I have release builds generated on GitHub after each commit: https://github.com/X16Community/x16-use ... sers_Guide

The goal is to recreate the experience of getting a computer and being able to use it with zero knowledge of anything regarding computers...not even how a keyboard works. I'm still working through documenting all the BASIC commands, but will eventually get around to making chapters on specific topics like graphics and sound.