DazzleStar Hint Syntax

Hints are a new extension to the DazzleStar "breaks" file, to allow giving hints for the code scanner.

+AAAA

Add "AAAA" (code address) to the list of auxiliary (hidden) entry points or functions. These are only scanned when the menu item Disas->Scan Hints is selected, or if the Disas->Apply Hint option is used to add it.

*AAAA,X

All calls to the function (at address) "AAAA" have inline parameters as described by "X". Inline paramaters directly follow the call instruction but must be interpreted as data, not instructions. These are only used during code scanning to insert breaks around the parameters. The following are valid forms for "X":

number

A 'B' break of number bytes in length.

-number

A 'B' break of either number or number+1 bytes in length. First byte bit 7 is "0" if an additional byte is present. This option exists to aid in disassembly of DZ.COM and is probably not a general programming style.

Z

Parameter is a NUL-terminated string ('0' break).

$

Parameter is a '$'-terminated string ('$' break).

B

Parameter is a bit7-terminated string (bit 7 is "1" on last byte of string) ('7' break).

L

Parameter is a single 'L' break (label).

N

First byte is the length (plus one) ('B' break).

These hints are only used by the code scanner. They enable the Disas->Scan Hints menu item, and result in insertion of breaks when a matching instruction is scanned. Note that the Disas->Apply Hint option adds a single hint, but will scan the program to apply that hint.

Note that hints are not case-sensitive. All addresses (e.g. "AAAA") are hexadecimal. For programs with multiple segments, addresses may have a fifth digit in order to uniquely identify them to their segment. Segment numbers are specific to the particular program being disassembled.