ASM beginner gets 24 compiler errors on hello world...

Hey guys. I've wanted to learn ASM for a while and every time I try, I always get flooded with tons and tons of errors, no matter whose code I use. I have downloaded TASM 3.1 and I am currently following the tutorial located here:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~smit/asm01001.htm#firstprg

I have basically recopied the whole source code SciTE, a code editor, and tried compiling with both "tasm test.asm" and "tasm -b test.asm" but it returns many many many errors that I have no clue how to fix. Could someone indicate me how in hell it cannot understand a single symbol inside the code ?

Here's the code:

Code:

---

.model small
.stack
.data
message db "Hello world", "$"

.code

main proc
        mov ax, seg message
        mov ds, ax
       
        mov ah, 09
        lea dx, message
        int 21h
       
        mov ax, 4c00h
        int 21h
main endp
end main

---

And here's the junk it outputs:

Quote:

---

TASM Assembler. Version 3.1 February, 1998.
Copyright (C) 1998 Squak Valley Software
tasm: pass 1 complete.
projects/test.asm line 0001: unrecognized directive. (.MODEL)
projects/test.asm line 0002: unrecognized directive. (.STACK)
projects/test.asm line 0003: unrecognized directive. (.DATA)
projects/test.asm line 0004: Label not found: (message)
projects/test.asm line 0004: label value misalligned. (message)
projects/test.asm line 0004: unrecognized instruction. (message)
projects/test.asm line 0006: unrecognized directive. (.CODE)
projects/test.asm line 0008: Label not found: (main)
projects/test.asm line 0008: label value misalligned. (main)
projects/test.asm line 0008: unrecognized instruction. (main)
projects/test.asm line 0009: unrecognized instruction. (MOV)
projects/test.asm line 0010: unrecognized instruction. (MOV)
projects/test.asm line 0012: unrecognized instruction. (MOV)
projects/test.asm line 0013: unrecognized instruction. (LEA)
projects/test.asm line 0014: unrecognized instruction. (INT)
projects/test.asm line 0016: unrecognized instruction. (MOV)
projects/test.asm line 0017: unrecognized instruction. (INT)
projects/test.asm line 0018: Label not found: (main)
projects/test.asm line 0018: label value misalligned. (main)
projects/test.asm line 0018: unrecognized instruction. (main)
projects/test.asm line 0019: Label not found: (end)
projects/test.asm line 0019: label value misalligned. (end)
projects/test.asm line 0019: unrecognized instruction. (end)
tasm: line 0019 No END directive before EOF.
tasm: pass 2 complete.
tasm: Number of errors = 24

---

Can anyone please help me ? I'd be very grateful !
Thanks.

I'd consider moving up to a more modern assembler and more modern assembly programming. At the very least, let DOS die. :)

The TASM version I have is version 5.3, and I have it packaged with Borland's command line tools.

The following assembles and runs perfectly, and of note, it uses C functions (which allows you to spend more time studying the actual language):

Code:

---

.586
.model flat

extern _printf:near
public _main

.data
        msg_hello        db        "Hello, world!",10,0
.code

_main proc
        push offset msg_hello
        call _printf
        add esp, 4
        xor eax, eax
        ret
_main endp
end

---

could have to do with the spacing. It looks like he's inserting tabs between label and instruciton and arguments. As petty as it sounds, I've used a couple assembly languages that require proper spacing such as this to assemble.

Replaced the tabs with spaces but I get the same output. As for the newer compiler, does anyone have a clue where I can find one ? I've googled a bit but I don't get much results =/

http://winasm.chat.ru/

When used in combination with Borland's C/C++ compiler, it can be pretty nifty to write C programs that call routines written in assembly.

Edit: Looks like they link to a missing page.... Oh well.

Edit2: Supposedly you can get it right from Borland's website for free, but their site sucks for finding this stuff out.... The "Order now" button on one page of their site is great. Takes you to a page where you can select your country/region and then leave your contact info for some sales rep to get in touch with you. Looks quite archaic. :)

Has nobody here ever heard of nasm?

Yeah, the version number is pre 1.0, but that's because the nasm folks are a bunch of chickens. It's been around, and stable, for years and years. It's free and cross platform and it supports the object format of your choice. Who would prefer some commercial anachronism to that?

It's a case of personal preference. NASM can be hyper-anal about certain things which may grind against you, especially if you were raised on MASM, which is the devil's own as far as weird directives go.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SMurf

It's a case of personal preference. NASM can be hyper-anal about certain things which may grind against you, especially if you were raised on MASM, which is the devil's own as far as weird directives go.

---

Maybe, but I doubt he was "raised on MASM" since he claims to be just starting to learn.

I think I'll just give up on ASM for ever.. Ahah. I've never actually managed to compile a single damned program. I've tried every stupid compiler I could download and tried code from dozens of place around the net and *******NONE******** ever compiled.

Perhaps a stupid question, but did you try MASM?

I don't know, I know I've tried TASM and NASM. I've probably tried MASM and every other compiler in the world. ASM doesn't like me =(

http://masm32.com/

The problem is that I need to follow a tutorial to learn the language... And there are so many different damned versions of the language that I never seem to find a tutorial whose code compiles under the compiler I have =/ Do you know of any good links on ASM ? Googling has only turned crap for me as of me. =/