Z80 Simulator IDE 11: The Ultimate Guide for Z80 Development and Education
Z80 Simulator IDE Download 11: A Complete Guide
If you are interested in learning or developing software for Zilog Z80 8-bit microprocessor, you might want to check out Z80 Simulator IDE. This is a powerful application that provides Z80 users and educators with a user-friendly graphical development environment for Windows with integrated simulator (emulator), basic compiler, assembler, disassembler, and debugger. In this article, we will show you what Z80 Simulator IDE is, what are its main features and benefits, and how to download and install the latest version 11. We will also cover some basics of Z80 assembly language and how to use Z80 Simulator IDE to write, compile, debug, and test your Z80 programs. Finally, we will explore some advanced features of Z80 Simulator IDE, such as the graphical interface, the netlist-level simulator, the external simulation modules, and the I/O ports editor.
z80 simulator ide download 11
What is Z80 Simulator IDE and why it is useful
Z80 Simulator IDE is an application for Zilog Z80 8-bit microprocessor that is bundled with an emulator, basic compiler, assembler, disassembler, and debugger. Zilog Z80 was introduced in 1976 and used in many 1980s home computers such as the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and the Amstrad CPC series. It is also used in some modern devices such as TI graphing calculators. Z80 Simulator IDE allows you to create, edit, run, and debug Z80 assembly programs on your Windows PC without requiring any physical hardware or external devices. You can also use it as an educational tool to learn how Z80 works at the netlist level, which means you can see the internal structure of the chip and its signals as you run your code.
Z80 Simulator IDE has many features and benefits that make it a useful tool for Z80 enthusiasts. Some of them are:
It has a simple and intuitive user interface that lets you easily access all the functions and options.
It has a simulation interface that shows the internal processor architecture with interrupts interface, I/O ports editor, and peripheral devices interface for simulation of I/O instructions.
It has a variable simulation rate, simulation statistics, simulation logging with log viewer, breakpoints manager for code debugging with breakpoints support.
It has a Z80 assembler with interactive assembler editor for beginners, a Z80 disassembler, a basic compiler with smart basic source editor.
It has a memory editor for 64k memory, a conversion tool for IEEE 754 single precision floating point numbers format.
It supports external simulation modules that can be used to simulate various devices such as LCD displays, keyboards, sound chips, etc.
It supports various color themes that can be changed by the user.
How to download and install Z80 Simulator IDE 11
To download and install Z80 Simulator IDE 11 on your Windows PC, you need to follow these steps:
Go to the official website of Z80 Simulator IDE and click on the "Download" button. You will be redirected to a page where you can choose the version you want to download. The latest version is 11.0.1, released on June 1, 2023.
Choose the version that suits your system (32-bit or 64-bit) and click on the "Download" button again. You will see a dialog box asking you to save the file. Choose a location where you want to save the file and click on "Save". The file size is about 6 MB and the file name is "z80simulatoride11setup.exe".
Once the download is complete, locate the file and double-click on it to run the setup wizard. You will see a welcome screen asking you to choose the language for the installation. Choose your preferred language and click on "OK".
You will see the license agreement screen. Read the terms and conditions carefully and click on "I Agree" if you accept them. You will then see the installation options screen. Here you can choose the destination folder where you want to install Z80 Simulator IDE and whether you want to create a desktop shortcut or not. You can also choose to associate Z80 Simulator IDE with .z80 files. Click on "Next" when you are done.
You will see the installation progress screen. Wait for the installation to finish and click on "Finish" when it is done. You will see a message saying that Z80 Simulator IDE has been successfully installed on your computer.
You can now launch Z80 Simulator IDE from the start menu or the desktop shortcut. You will see the main window of Z80 Simulator IDE with a welcome message and some tips on how to use it.
Z80 assembly language basics
Z80 assembly language is a low-level programming language that directly controls the Z80 processor and its registers, memory, and I/O ports. It consists of mnemonics that represent instructions, operands that represent data or addresses, and directives that control the assembler. Z80 assembly language is case-insensitive and can be written in either uppercase or lowercase letters.
To write and compile Z80 assembly programs using Z80 Simulator IDE, you need to follow these steps:
Create a new file by clicking on "File" and then "New". You will see a blank editor window where you can type your code.
Type your code using the Z80 mnemonics, operands, and directives. You can use comments to explain your code by starting them with a semicolon (;). You can also use labels to mark locations in your code by ending them with a colon (:). For example, this is a simple program that prints "Hello World!" on the screen:
; This is a comment ORG 8000H ; Set the origin address START: ; This is a label LD A, 0EH ; Load A with 0EH (14 in decimal) OUT (01H), A ; Output A to port 01H (video mode) LD HL, MSG ; Load HL with the address of MSG LOOP: ; This is another label LD A, (HL) ; Load A with the byte pointed by HL CP 00H ; Compare A with 00H (end of string) JP Z, END ; Jump to END if A is zero OUT (02H), A ; Output A to port 02H (video data) INC HL ; Increment HL JP LOOP ; Jump to LOOP END: ; This is another label HALT ; Stop the program MSG: ; This is another label DB "Hello World!", 0DH, 0AH, 00H ; Define bytes for the message END ; End of file
Save your file by clicking on "File" and then "Save As". Choose a name and location for your file and click on "Save". Your file should have a .z80 extension.
Compile your file by clicking on "Tools" and then "Assemble". You will see a message saying that your file has been successfully assembled. You will also see an output window showing the assembly listing of your code.
Run your file by clicking on "Tools" and then "Run". You will see a simulation window showing the internal processor architecture, the I/O ports editor, and the peripheral devices interface. You will also see your program output on the screen.
How to debug and test Z80 assembly programs using Z80 Simulator IDE
To debug and test Z80 assembly programs using Z80 Simulator IDE, you need to follow these steps:
Open your file by clicking on "File" and then "Open". Choose your file and click on "Open". You will see your code in the editor window.
Set breakpoints in your code by clicking on the left margin of the editor window. You will see a red dot indicating a breakpoint. You can set as many breakpoints as you want. Breakpoints are useful for stopping the execution of your program at certain points and inspecting the values of the registers, memory, and I/O ports.
Debug your file by clicking on "Tools" and then "Debug". You will see a debug window showing the debug toolbar, the code window, the registers window, the memory window, and the I/O ports window. You will also see a simulation window showing the internal processor architecture, the I/O ports editor, and the peripheral devices interface.
Use the debug toolbar to control the execution of your program. You can use the following buttons:
"Run" to run your program until it reaches a breakpoint or ends.
"Step Into" to execute one instruction and enter any subroutine calls.
"Step Over" to execute one instruction and skip any subroutine calls.
"Step Out" to execute until the current subroutine returns.
"Stop" to stop the execution of your program.
"Reset" to reset the processor and clear all breakpoints.
Use the code window to see your code and the current instruction pointer. You can also edit your code and reassemble it by clicking on "Tools" and then "Assemble".
Use the registers window to see the values of the registers and flags. You can also edit them by double-clicking on them.
Use the memory window to see the values of the memory locations. You can also edit them by double-clicking on them.
Use the I/O ports window to see the values of the I/O ports. You can also edit them by double-clicking on them.
Use the simulation window to see the internal processor architecture, the I/O ports editor, and the peripheral devices interface. You can also interact with them by clicking on them.
Z80 Simulator IDE advanced features
Z80 Simulator IDE has some advanced features that can enhance your Z80 development experience. Some of them are:
How to use the graphical interface and the netlist-level simulator
The graphical interface of Z80 Simulator IDE allows you to see and manipulate the internal structure of the Z80 chip and its signals. You can access it by clicking on "View" and then "Graphical Interface". You will see a window showing a schematic diagram of the Z80 chip with its components, pins, buses, and signals. You can zoom in and out, pan, select, move, rotate, copy, paste, delete, and align any component or signal. You can also add labels, text boxes, shapes, lines, curves, and images to annotate your diagram. You can save your diagram as an image file by clicking on "File" and then "Save As Image".
The netlist-level simulator of Z80 Simulator IDE allows you to simulate your Z80 program at the netlist level, which means you can see how each transistor, gate, flip-flop, register, etc. behaves as you run your code. You can access it by clicking on "Tools" and then "Netlist-Level Simulator". You will see a window showing a list of all components and signals in your diagram with their names, types, values, and states. You can also see a waveform viewer that shows how each signal changes over time. You can control the simulation rate, pause and resume the simulation, set breakpoints on signals or components, view statistics and logs, and export data to CSV files.
How to use the basic compiler, assembler, disassembler, and debugger
The basic compiler of Z80 Simulator IDE allows you to write Z80 programs in BASIC language and compile them into Z80 assembly code. You can access it by clicking on "Tools" and then "Basic Compiler". You will see a window showing a basic source editor where you can type your BASIC code using keywords, variables, operators, functions, and statements. You can also use comments to explain your code by starting them with a REM keyword. You can also use labels to mark locations in your code by ending them with a colon (:). For example, this is a simple program that prints "Hello World!" on the screen:
REM This is a comment 10 PRINT "Hello World!"
To compile your BASIC code into Z80 assembly code, click on "Compile" and then "Compile". You will see a message saying that your code has been successfully compiled. You will also see an output window showing the assembly listing of your code. You can save your assembly code as a .z80 file by clicking on "File" and then "Save As".
The assembler of Z80 Simulator IDE allows you to write Z80 programs in assembly language and assemble them into machine code. You can access it by clicking on "Tools" and then "Assembler". You will see a window showing an assembler editor where you can type your assembly code using mnemonics, operands, and directives. You can also use comments to explain your code by starting them with a semicolon (;). You can also use labels to mark locations in your code by ending them with a colon (:). For example, this is a simple program that prints "Hello World!" on the screen:
; This is a comment ORG 8000H ; Set the origin address START: ; This is a label LD A, 0EH ; Load A with 0EH (14 in decimal) OUT (01H), A ; Output A to port 01H (video mode) LD HL, MSG ; Load HL with the address of MSG LOOP: ; This is another label LD A, (HL) ; Load A with the byte pointed by HL CP 00H ; Compare A with 00H (end of string) JP Z, END ; Jump to END if A is zero OUT (02H), A ; Output A to port 02H (video data) INC HL ; Increment HL JP LOOP ; Jump to LOOP END: ; This is another label HALT ; Stop the program MSG: ; This is another label DB "Hello World!", 0DH, 0AH, 00H ; Define bytes for the message END ; End of file
To assemble your assembly code into machine code, click on "Assemble" and then "Assemble". You will see a message saying that your code has been successfully assembled. You will also see an output window showing the assembly listing of your code. You can save your machine code as a .bin file by clicking on "File" and then "Save As".
The disassembler of Z80 Simulator IDE allows you to convert machine code into assembly language. You can access it by clicking on "Tools" and then "Disassembler". You will see a window showing a file selector where you can choose a .bin file that contains machine code. Click on "Open" and you will see an output window showing the assembly listing of the machine code. You can save the assembly code as a .z80 file by clicking on "File" and then "Save As".
The debugger of Z80 Simulator IDE allows you to run and debug your Z80 programs step by step. You can access it by clicking on "Tools" and then "Debugger". You will see a window showing a file selector where you can choose a .z80 file that contains assembly code. Click on "Open" and you will see a debug window showing the debug toolbar, the code window, the registers window, the memory window, and the I/O ports window. You will also see a simulation window showing the internal processor architecture, the I/O ports editor, and the peripheral devices interface. You can use the debug toolbar to control the execution of your program, set breakpoints, view statistics and logs, and export data. You can use the other windows to inspect and edit the values of the registers, memory, and I/O ports.
How to use the external simulation modules and the I/O ports editor
The external simulation modules of Z80 Simulator IDE allow you to simulate various devices that can be connected to the Z80 processor via I/O ports. These devices include LCD displays, keyboards, sound chips, timers, counters, etc. You can access them by clicking on "Tools" and then "External Simulation Modules". You will see a window showing a list of available modules with their names, descriptions, and I/O port addresses. To use a module, select it from the list and click on "Load". You will see a new window showing the simulation interface of the module. You can interact with it by clicking on it or using keyboard shortcuts.
The I/O ports editor of Z80 Simulator IDE allows you to edit the values of the I/O ports that are used by the Z80 processor and the external simulation modules. You can access it by clicking on "View" and then "I/O Ports Editor". You will see a window showing a table of 256 I/O ports with their addresses, names, and values. You can edit the values of the I/O ports by double-clicking on them or using keyboard shortcuts. You can also use the search function to find a specific I/O port by its address or name.
Conclusion
Z80 Simulator IDE is a powerful and user-friendly application that provides Z80 users and educators with a graphical development environment for Windows with integrated simulator (emulator), basic compiler, assembler, disassembler, and debugger. It allows you to create, edit, run, and debug Z80 assembly programs on your PC without requiring any physical hardware or external devices. It also allows you to learn how Z80 works at the netlist level, which means you can see the internal structure of the chip and its signals as you run your code. It also supports external simulation modules that can be used to simulate various devices such as LCD displays, keyboards, sound chips, etc.
If you want to learn more about Z80 Simulator IDE, you can visit the official website where you can find more information, documentation, examples, tutorials, and support. You can also download the latest version 11 of Z80 Simulator IDE from there. You can also check out the Z80 Heaven website where you can find more resources, forums, and projects related to Z80. You can also join the Z80 Simulator IDE Facebook group where you can interact with other Z80 enthusiasts and share your feedback and suggestions.
We hope you enjoyed this article and found it useful and informative. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. We would love to hear from you and help you with your Z80 development journey. Thank you for reading and happy coding!
FAQs
What are the system requirements for Z80 Simulator IDE?
Z80 Simulator IDE requires Windows XP or later (32-bit or 64-bit) with .NET Framework 4.0 or later installed. It also requires at least 512 MB of RAM and 50 MB of free disk space.
Where can I find more examples and tutorials for Z80 Simulator IDE?
You can find more examples and tutorials for Z80 Simulator IDE on the official website under the "Examples" and "Tutorials" sections. You can also find more examples and tutorials on the YouTube channel of the developer.
How can I update or uninstall Z80 Simulator IDE?
To update Z80 Simulator IDE, you can download the latest version from the official website and run the setup wizard. It will automatically detect your existing installation and update it accordingly. To uninstall Z80 Simulator IDE, you can use the "Uninstall" option in the start menu or the control panel.
What are some alternative or similar tools to Z80 Simulator IDE?
Some alternative or similar tools to Z80 Simulator IDE are:
ZEsarUX: A ZX Spectrum emulator for Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Raspberry Pi, etc. that supports Z80 emulation and debugging.
Z88DK: A cross-platform development kit for Z80-based computers that includes a C compiler, an assembler, a linker, a library manager, etc.
Zilog Developer Studio II: An integrated development environment for Zilog microcontrollers that includes an assembler, a linker, a simulator, a debugger, etc.
How can I contact the developer or report a bug?
You can contact the developer or report a bug by sending an email to zilogic@zilogic.com. You can also use the "Contact" option on the official website or the "Feedback" option in the application. dcd2dc6462