Best emulator cross-assembler alternatives?

[Optimus]

I am looking at alternatives to Winape32 assembler.
Which is generally very convenient but with some inconveniences that I don't see them to be fixed as it hasn't been updated for a long.

First, maybe I am missing something and there are ways?
Problem 1: The editor. I many times am scared if I do many Undos and then Redos. But initially I was pressing Ctrl+Y which displays the special characters, and I had to press Ctrl+Shift+Y. Anyway that was solved, but I remember there were few more inconveniences unless they are fixed (some crashes in the past)
Problem 2: F10 for fullscreen crashes in many modern window systems. And sometimes I am in a rush and do F9 to compiler/run, then back and forth, and eventually my finger will slip and press F10 by accident, it will try to go to fullscreen, I have to close the whole application, it's so annoying when it happens. Maybe I can just disable the shortcut.

And generally it doesn't seem to be updated.

Now recently, I was looking at CapriceForever and it seems to have a code editor. I need to get used to it. I don't see a shortcut, I have to press compile in some buttons, then manually Call address in basic. Also not sure if you can set breakpoints the way like winape32. Maybe there are other good features there as I see. But I might not be used to it yes. Is there an autorun, like not just have org &1000 but also run &1000 like in winape32?

Also, I wonder is there a fast setup where maybe I could code the assembly in Notepad++ and that automatically connects a runs Winape32 or any other emulator?

Are there other emulators with really convenient inline assembler? What's your preference?
If not Winape32 is convenient in many ways but I wish some inconvenience were not there.

[roudoudou]

i use rasm+ace-dl

you can even export breakpoints from your source to ace (and symbols of course), for example to protect memory from a label to another

when using snapshot/cartridge you can have automatic reload on file change so the emulator is opened, you just have to code and assemble on your side

you have plenty of visualisation tools in realtime, and the coolest trace ever

[Axelay]

For what it's worth, for a while I've been using Winape with just a build file in Winape but editing all the code files in Notepad++ using the syntax highlighting posted by Syx a while ago:

Z80 syntax highlighting for Notepad++

Perhaps that might work for you?

[Jean-Marie]

F10 for fullscreen crashes in many modern window systems. And sometimes I am in a rush and do F9 to compiler/run, then back and forth, and eventually my finger will slip and press F10 by accident, it will try to go to fullscreen, I have to close the whole application

You don't need to close & restart : Press F10 again and it will return to the regular (windowed) display.

[norecess464]

Problem 1: The editor. I many times am scared if I do many Undos and then Redos.

For that specific issue that results in a random crash: when I used WinAPE, I remember that I would open only one file in WinAPE containing just one line: READ "MAIN.ASM"

And MAIN.ASM file was then edited using a traditional text editor (Notepad++, Sublime Text, or any other).

By proceeding like that, Symbols etc. are still correctly generated.

ps. I just realized this is what @Axelay said

[Optimus]

F10 for fullscreen crashes in many modern window systems. And sometimes I am in a rush and do F9 to compiler/run, then back and forth, and eventually my finger will slip and press F10 by accident, it will try to go to fullscreen, I have to close the whole application

You don't need to close & restart : Press F10 again and it will return to the regular (windowed) display.

But in one of my PCs, something happens, I get an error and can't close unless with task manager. And press F10 either takes a long time or doesn't work.

[Optimus]

I can try the notepad++ way, I just wish I don't have to swap through 3 windows, notepad, the winape editor to just hit F9 on the main.asm page, then ctrl+f9 to reset the intro after.
But maybe the snapshot idea from Roudoudou would be better if it's automatic overwritting the previous memory, so that I don't have to "click on emulator window to press ctrl+f9 to reset".

[krusty_benediction]

I use bndbuild and rely a lot on basm and ace (for the exact same reason than roudoudou and basm+acedl: breakpoints label) or winape (barely, only when it becomes not ergonomic to use ace).

ATM, i edit with vscode, but I whish to change for zed.

I do not embed caprice forever (only winape and amspirit, eventually with wine, acdel, cpcec) in bndbuild, but I could if there are users.

[krusty_benediction]

I can try the notepad++ way, I just wish I don't have to swap through 3 windows, notepad, the winape editor to just hit F9 on the main.asm page, then ctrl+f9 to reset the intro after.
But maybe the snapshot idea from Roudoudou would be better if it's automatic overwritting the previous memory, so that I don't have to "click on emulator window to press ctrl+f9 to reset".

bndbuild --watch my.sna (you need to define the appropriate build rules of course)
Would be able to automatically build my.sna as soon as one of it's source is more recent, with the assembler of tour choice. Then ace would automatically reload it to test

With the same

[Optimus]

Is ACE just for Morphos or Haiku as I read? I don't even have any of these OSes

[krusty_benediction]

Is ACE just for Morphos or Haiku as I read? I don't even have any of these OSes

Not at all !

https://roudoudou.com/ACE-DL/

[Optimus]

Oh, I must have looking at some wrong page of ACE emulator.

EDIT: Ok it's a port