Amiga ROM Kernel Reference Manuals

[Beakster]

Hi,

I've been doing alot fo Java the last few years at Uni and want to get into abit of Amiga C programming so I can write some apps for OS4 when it comes along.  Just afew questions:

Whats the deal with the Kernel reference manuals?  I heard they are the equivalent of JavaDoc for Amiga C programming, are they available in digital format, are they free and where can I get them?

Is v3.0 the latest version of the kernel manual, are there any significant changes for progaming OS4?

Do I need to know anything that isn't in the kernel reference manuals for programming classact applications?

Which GCC archive should I download for all the compiler stuff and do all the include files I need come with GCC or do I have to buy them from Amiga Inc?

Also can anyone recommend some good tutorial websites for Amiga programming?

Thanks

[T_Bone]

I'm not sure if they're free or not, I've seen them on the web (google finds them) but I'm not sure if they're legally obtained that way. They may only be legal on dead trees.

[tormedhammaren]

Hi,

The RKRM's can't be compared to javadoc, they're more like "The Java Tutorial".

RKRM's 3. edition consits of:
Amiga ROM Kernel Reference Manual: Libraries
Amiga ROM Kernel Reference Manual: Devices
Amiga ROM Kernel Reference Manual: Includes and Autodocs
Amiga Hardware Reference Manual (not really a part of this series, but a good way to learn about the Amiga hardware)

The last edition of the RKRM is the third. The RKRM's are not free. Currently they are available in html/amigauide on the Amiga Developer CD V2.1 which you still can buy. The paperback version is my preferred version of the RKRM's. The last edition of the RKRM's was released in 1991-1992 and covers the AmigaOS release 2.

The Amiga Developer CD V2.1 can be bought from schatztruhe.de. This is a must have for any learning AmigaOS developer.

About GCC. On i n n o i d e a you can download a complete development kit (UAE hardfile or a tgz-archive for real Amiga) consisting of GCC v2.95.3, make, ... . I haven't tried it out my self, I built up my own from geekgadgets, but I belive it's good. Then you can play around with OS 3 a bit before OS4 arrives.

You asked about changes for programming OS4. Vel, OS4 isn't out yet. And I'm going to wait to learn to program for it until it arrives.

You asked about tutorial web sites for Amiga programming. I can recommend this mailing list for you: amiga-c. You need to register to use it. Else, you should look around in the amiga.org AmigaOS Developer forum archive. Many people have asked this kind of questions...

[downix]

The RKM's *were* free for awhile, on the old amiga.com website.  However, that dissapeared awhile ago.

[odin]

Perhaps it's still on the wayback machine?

On another note, I vaguely remember something about new ARKRM's being produced for OS4. Anyone know more about that?

[kgrach]

Well here is the problem. The right to publish The Book versions of the ARKRM belong to Addison/Wesley. So unless someone can convince AW to sell the rights or publish the new manuals. The only way you can currently buy the ARKRMS is on CD. The developer CD is well worth the money so I really recomend it.
If you program according to the manuals you won't get into trouble when AOS4.0 comes.

The problem some developers have is that they NEVER even attempted to follow the rules and thier program busted with ever update to the OS.
If you follow the ARKRM's your programs should work fine under AOS3.9,4.0,and Morphos.

[PhatBoiCollier]

I got 2 of the 3rd Edition RKRM (Libs and Devs) on ebay!   :-D

Also got the old Abacus "System Programmers" and "Machine Language" books.

And if you dont happen to have C/C++ on the miggy, well I got that too (SasC/C++ 6.50 with manuals and Language Reference)!

Phatboi's EBay sales!

[Thomas]

downix wrote:
The RKM's *were* free for awhile, on the old amiga.com website.  However, that dissapeared awhile ago.

No. What was free to download was the NDK (Native Developer [update] Kit). It contains the C and Assembler include files, the autodocs (function-specific descriptions) and some tutorials about new functions in OS3.9. But it does not contain any manuals.

You really have to read the kernel manuals in order to write programs fully conforming the AmigaOS guidelines and being compatible to future OS releases.

Also on the developer CD there are tutorials about new functions in OS2.x and 3.x in more details than the NDK.

Bye,
Thomas

[voxel]

Hi tormedhammaren :-)

you forgot the last one :
RKRM, User Interface Style Guide. All you need to know for designing beautifull Intuition Guis with Amiga look and feel :-)

:-)

[Plaz]

Looks like schatztruhe.de is out of the amiga market. I didn't see anything on their site but cell phones. I did find another site that sill had the CD. I put a link below. I have a copy of the old 2.1 Autodocs I picked up about 10 years ago. But not only are they totally out of date, I found them teribly hard to learn from as a C newbie back then.

Dev CD 2.1 for OS3.5 at Softhut.com

PLaz

[CD32Freak]

You can find the AMIGA Developer CD V2.1 in the Amiga/Software section  of the Schatztruhe Shop or on eBay, but be quick...9 hours to go :-D

[uncharted]

The RKMs are an amazing resoruce. Yes it's old, but the amount and quality of information is excellent and the majority is applicable to modern systems.

I'm fortunate in that my university has a complete set in the reference library that I look at quite often.  It really is best to read it in book form. I have the AmigaGuide versions present on the 3.5 NDK, and frankly they're not a patch on having the real book. :-(

[Minuous]

Actually the "User Interface Style Guide" and the "AmigaDOS Manual" are both missing from the Developer CD 2.1. But they are available in softcopy on the web, you should be able to find them with a search engine, or PM me if really stuck.