...And maybe a way to build new macros ? (not sure how the inbuilt macros are stored, probably in the EPROM ?
Nope, can't be done, as there's no code in the MP-2 firmware for defining new macros.
Those are code in the eprom (like all other code), with the selected
settings stored in volatile memory, i.e. the battery backed-up static RAM.
The only way to add more macros would be to have the actual source code..
Of course, code can be reverse engineered, but I'm pretty sure the MP-2 (and the others) were coded in assembly, and if anyone has ever tried their luck with rev.eng assembly, then Schönes Glück with that, because.. first step would simply result in a long listing of CPU-specific mnemonics - but with no comments, from which all will need to be poked and commented. Painful, very painful, unless you're seasoned in it
I could do it, but it's been a loooong while since I worked in 8080/8085/8031/8051/Z80 assembly. Think I sold my assy reference books in 1983 or so.. Ahh, nope, was in 1986 (pfew, almost lost a stack pointer).
Besides this, an external developments board would be needed, onto which the EPROM would be placed, with cables to/fro the hardware under development; all to allow patching parameters and single step instructions,
think you've found the culprit, place breakpoints, execute until break, nope, not here, so keep hunting, and such.
Real fun doing, it's not that. I used to debug code for 8" floppy drives on the CPm OS, doing head engage, seek, read data, head disengage, and such. Real fun
Stop giving me those flashbacks, folks. It's enough that my memories got sold when Angel became a center fold, but having to go peek'n'poke and dereference those old memory lane structures, locate the breakpoints, and
find my way back home is
quite beyond my capacity.
Soon I'll need to listen to the Tubes "Come fly with me" and see flashes of Re Styles before my hurting eyes again. Sheez kebab..