This is a cool programming “framework” that was adapted for the C64, and was intended to allow programmers and users to easily create and use programs across multiple platforms freely. This interesting project was first brought to my attention by Perifractic over at RetroRecipes (YouTube channel). He also got a hold of an original manual, scanned it and sent it up to Internet Archive....
Replicated, corrected and reformatted from https://opencbm.trikaliotis.net/ on 7/16/2025
Courtesy of Zippy Zap @ Lemon64 forums: Has built-in function keys, uses wedge style commands with @ and >. so >$ is directory (or @$) > or @ reads the error channel. Does not have a fast loader. Command Action @ or > Read error channel >$ or @$ Load disk directory LOAD”PRGNAME” (with or without ,8 or ,9) Load file from disk @8...
Today, we can change and swap the kernal about and try out new things a lot faster and easier than it used to be.
We’ll go over the different levels of things that can be done, from experimenting with simple kernal code changes to options for swapping out the installed and in-use version!
f1: LIST: + CHR$(13)f2: OLD + CHR$(13)f3: RUN: + CHR$(13)f4: Toggles something? ON/OFF (maybe fastload?)f5: LOAD + CHR$(13)f6: SAVE”f7: @$* + CHR$(13)f8: LOAD + CHR$(13) I also found a couple more: CTRL + f1: @N* + CHR$(13)CTRL + f7: Disable Function Keys Now before you go pressing CTRL + F1 be warned, THIS WILL FORMAT THE DISK IN DRIVE 8, and give it a label...
Command Action @ Read the disk drive error channel @C:newfile=file Copy a file on the same diskette @I Initalize the disk drive @N:diskname,ID Format a NEW diskette @N:diskname Short NEW @Q Disable the JiffyDOS commands @R:[newname]=[oldname] Rename A File @S:[file1],[file2]… Scratch a file (files) @UJ Reset the disk drive @V Validate a disk @$ Display a disk directory @#device Set the default device number...
PiffyDOS – Programmers JiffyDOS JiffyDOS from CMD has almost become a de-facto standard for the Commodore world. It’s compatibility, speed and features makes it the natural choice for users today. I found it very interesting how CMD managed to squeeze everything into that 8kb of ROM and started to disassemble the code. With the Omicron re-assembler I got about 100k of text that i...
Prologic DOS and Prologic DOS Classic (version 1.6) was a quick loader that included a module on the 1541 floppy disk drive and a module for the user port or expansion port of the C64. The whole thing was connected via a parallel cable and supposedly ensured that an acceleration of 200 times the normal speed could be achieved. It was distributed by Jann...
Here is a curated list of known C64 kernal and character ROMs. The list will be updated whenever new information becomes available. Some require additional hardware or mods, some do not. Details are provided wherever possible.