Core workflow
- 01
Start from the task-oriented guide, then open Reference for exact values.
- 02
Use troubleshooting by symptom: identify the failed layer before applying a remedy.
- 03
Record hardware and independent-emulator results separately from build output.
OPERATIONS & REFERENCE
Keyboard shortcuts
Command-S saves the project; Command-B builds; Command-K opens contextual AI. Use the menus to confirm shortcuts in the current editor. Navigate offers Quick Open, Command Palette and source navigation. F1 in assembly opens instruction help; runtime key input requires runtime focus.
Supported file formats
Keep .zxproj for editable project state, .bas and .asm for source, .tap for tape blocks, .scr for a flat Spectrum screen and .bin for CODE data. PNG/JPEG are conversion inputs; standard PCM WAV supports the tape workflows. A PDF listing is a reading artifact, not a program.
48K memory map
ROM occupies $0000–$3FFF. RAM starts at $4000; the display uses the bitmap plus attributes there. BASIC, system state, UDG, stack and your CODE need a non-conflicting layout. Always inspect project placement before reusing an example address.
128K bank model
The 128K map combines fixed areas with a paged RAM window. Treat a resource’s bank and logical address as a pair. Loader, routine, debugger and assertion contracts must agree; a source-level address alone does not establish the active ROM or RAM bank.
Spectrum character notation
Use the IDE’s canonical embedded-character/control representation when a byte has no ordinary printable equivalent. Toggle source notation to inspect it. Avoid substituting visually similar Unicode glyphs in listings that must preserve Spectrum byte identity.
TAP block format
A normal TAP stores length-prefixed header/data blocks with checksums. BASIC and CODE headers carry different loading metadata. Inspect the exported sequence using the project’s tape tools and compare it to loader expectations rather than treating TAP as a raw BASIC text file.
Troubleshooting
Identify the layer first: save permission, syntax, stale generation, tape order, runtime behavior or provider connection. Preserve work, reproduce with the smallest input, and record the exact message. For an AI diagnosis, provide current source and actual observations rather than an unexplained screenshot or a generic “broken”.
Release evidence boundaries
A successful build, a passing project test, an observed integrated run and an independent hardware test answer different questions. Record each honestly. Public download availability, signing/distribution decisions and future Advanced capabilities remain separate from implementing a tool in the development version.
Review checks
Claims name the target and evidence level.
File sizes, ranges and checksums match the artifact being inspected.
Boundaries
Release readiness also depends on signing, notarization, privacy and redistribution rights.
Planned Advanced capabilities are never included in current reference tables.