Programming the Z80

Programming the Z80 has been designed as an educational text and as a self-contained reference book. As such, it can be used as a complete introductory book on programming, ranging from the basic concepts to advanced data structure manipulations. It also contains a comprehensive description of all the Z80 instructions as well as its internal operation, and should provide a comprehensive reference for the reader who is already familiar with the principles of programming, but wishes to learn the Z80. This book is the result of extensive experience by the author in the field of education and programming. As such, it has been designed to be clear and easy to read. All concepts are explained in simple yet precise terms, building progressively towards more complex techniques. The reader will gain not only an understanding of programming in the language of the Z80 but also a detailed understanding of the way a microprocessor such as the Z80 actually executes instructions. The reader will follow the flow of execution between the various registers and along the buses. This is indispensible for effective programming at machine level in the world of microprocessors. Because programming is not just the skill of coding an algorithm into a programming language but also the art of designing appropriate data structures, an extensive chapter on data structures is presented which both introduces the concepts and actual application programs. The reader will find there lists, tables, binary trees, and the required algorithms. After reading this book, the reader should have acquired all the basic skills required to program not just at the elementary level, but in most practical cases.