Table of Contents
Range Checking a Byte
Approach by White Flame
In checking for the range [x,y), instead of performing 2 comparisons the idea is to subtract x to align the range to [0,y-x). This then allows us to perform a single unsigned comparison to check both ends of the range.
Any numbers lower than the original range will have wrapped the byte into the high values ⇐255, and any number higher than the original range will still be too large.
; Check .A for the range [10,100) sec sbc #10 ; start of the range cmp #90 ; length of the range bcs fail ; result needs to be 0-89 to pass the original 10-99 check ... ; .A is in range here, and Carry is clear
Approach by Lee Davison
For all of these we assume that the byte to be tested is in A and that the start and end values, n and m, are already defined. Also that 0 < n < m < $FF.
If you don't need to preserve the byte in A then testing the byte can be done in five bytes and only six cycles. This sets the carry if A is in the range n to m.
CLC ; clear carry for add ADC #$FF-m; make m = $FF ADC #m-n+1; carry set if in range n to m
Obviously, if the state of the carry flag is always known before executing this code, you can skip the CLC as well and adjust the routine accordingly.