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A pocket handbook for the Commodore 64

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A Pocket Handbook for the Commodore 64 is a reference book for the Commodore 64 by Peter Gerrard and Danny Doyle, first published in December 1983 by Gerald Duckworth & Co. Ltd, London; the scan is the second impression, April 1984. ISBN 0-7156-1787-7.[1] The numbered pages run to 95, which matches the Open Library record.[2]

The preface calls it "a collection of relevant facts and figures": tables, memory maps, the 6510 instruction set and interface standards, with little running text.[3]

Contents

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Page numbers are from the contents list.[3]

  • Preface, p. 6; ASCII tables, p. 7; BASIC keywords, p. 9; BASIC error messages, p. 12; colour memory, p. 14; conversion tables, p. 15
  • Disk commands, p. 19; disk error messages, p. 21; disk formats, p. 26; Extramon listing, p. 35; flow charting, p. 40; hex/decimal converter, p. 42; hyperbolic functions, p. 43
  • Memory maps, p. 44; memory architecture, p. 51; machine code instruction set, p. 54; mnemonics, p. 74; powers tables, p. 76
  • Cartridge slot, p. 77; joystick slot, p. 78; RS232 standards, p. 79; Centronics standards, p. 86; other output, p. 87
  • Screen memory, p. 89; sound chip registers, p. 90; musical note values, p. 91; sprite memory diagram, p. 93; index, p. 95

Hardware content

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Pages 77 and 78 give the cartridge port and control port pin assignments; the control port table gives +5 V on pin 7, "max. 100 mA".[4] There are no schematics, parts lists or service procedures; Commodore's repair documentation is in the Commodore 64 / 64C Service Manual. The 101-page scan includes the covers and a closing archive page.

Download: Duckworth A pocket handbook for the Commodore 64.pdf (29 MB)

References

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  1. ↑ Peter Gerrard and Danny Doyle, A Pocket Handbook for the Commodore 64 (Duckworth, 1983), title page and copyright page (PDF pp. 2-4).
  2. ↑ Open Library, A pocket handbook for the Commodore 64, record OL15171220M. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Gerrard and Doyle, A Pocket Handbook for the Commodore 64, Contents and Preface, pp. 5-6.
  4. ↑ Gerrard and Doyle, A Pocket Handbook for the Commodore 64, "Cartridge slot" and "Joystick slot", pp. 77-78.
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