Assembler Programming Under Etos

This document serves as a technical manual for assembly language programming under the ETOS operating system. It provides detailed instructions for developers working with PDP-8 assemblers (PAL8, SABR, RALF, or MACREL) within the ETOS/OS/8 environment.

Key information provided includes:

• Instruction Sets and IOTs: Comprehensive lists and explanations for Terminal, Extended Memory, Time Sharing, Card Reader, and Line Printer IOTs, along with guidelines for their use.
• System Functions (SYSCAL): A detailed breakdown of extended system functions (Functions 0–22), including technical specifications for parameters and sample calling sequences for operations like time-of-day reporting, job management, and memory allocation.
• Channel Management: Documentation on handling ETOS files via Channels, including command syntax for file operations (READ, WRITE, ENTER, LOOKUP, EXTEND, REDUCE, DELETE, RENAME, CLOSE, INQUIRE) and corresponding Assembler CHANIO instructions.
• Error Handling and Appendices: Extensive tables detailing error messages for SCALE commands, OS/8 programs, and COS programs, along with character code conversion tables and a glossary of technical terms.