SpectNet IDE

Visual Studio 2017/2019 integrated ZX Spectrum IDE for the Community

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Tutorials v2
Install SpectNetIDE Create a ZX Spectrum 48K Project Use the Keyboard Tool Create a BASIC Program List the BASIC program Create a Z80 Program Export a Z80 Program Setup ZX BASIC Use ZX BASIC Debug ZX BASIC LOAD a Program Fast (Instant) LOAD The ZX Spectrum Emulator Build Tasks

Tutorials v2 » Create a ZX Spectrum 48K Project

  1. Run the File → New → Project command (Ctrl+Shift+N). In the Create a new project dialog type “ZX Spectrum” in the search box. The dialog displays the ZX Spectrum Code Discovery Project. Select this type, and click Next.

New Zx Spectrum Project

  1. Type MyFirstDiscovery in the Project name field, and then click Create.

Specify project info

  1. The IDE displays a list of available Spectrum models. Select the first Spectrum 48K model (PAL - Normal Speed) from the list, and click Create.

Select Spectrum model

  1. The IDE creates a new project with a few files and folders:

Solution Explorer with the new project

File/Folder Description
Rom The folder that holds Spectrum ROMs
Rom/ZxSpectrum.spconfig This file stores the configuration information about the selected ZX Spectrum model
Rom/ZxSpectrum48.rom The binary ROM file for the Spectrum 48K model
Rom/ZxSpectrum48.disann Disassembly annotations for the Spectrum 48K ROM
TapeFiles Stores .tzx, .tap (and, in the future, other) tape files
Z80CodeFiles The folder to put your Z80 Assembly code files in
Z80CodeFiles/Code.z80asm A simple Z80 Assembly code file
Z80UnitTests The folder to put your Z80 unit tests files in
Z80UnitTests/UnitTest.z80test A simple Z80 unit test file
Z80BasicFiles The folder to put your ZX BASIC files in
Z80BasicFiles/UnitTest.z80test A simple ZX BASIC program file
Annotations.disann Your custom disassembly annotations are saved into this file
  1. As soon as the IDE created the project, you can discover a new submenu, ZX Spectrum IDE, under Extensions:

ZX Spectrum IDE menu

Run the ZX Spectrum Virtual Machine

  1. Run the ZX Spectrum IDE|ZX Spectrum Emulator command. The IDE shows up the emulator tool window. As the title of the tool window indicates, the virtual machine is not started yet.

The Emulator Tool Window

  1. Click the little Play icon in the toolbar of the emulator to start the virtual machine. The ZX Spectrum computer comes to life. As you resize the tool window, the emulator changes its screen size, accordingly.

Spectrum VM started

  1. Type the LOAD "" command into the emulator. Take care that the emulator window is the active one, receiving the keyboard focus, and press the J, and then twice the Shift+P keys again. With pressing Enter, you can execute LOAD "". Th virtual machine starts loading the Welcome.tzx file.

Loading a Game

  1. When the game has been loaded, type the RUN command into the emulator (while the emulator window is the active one, press the R key), and then, press Enter. The program starts, and displays its message:

Welcome in action

You have just scratched the surface! There are many other features you can use in the IDE to discover the structure and internals of ZX Spectrum applications.