Here’s some Matlab/Octave code for your MLX simulator

I am embarrassed that after writing 72,650 words about MLX 2.0 for last week, I left something out. Specifically, I didn’t include code for your own simulation of the checksum routine on a more modern platform. Here’s a function that carries out the calculations of the Commodore 64/128 or Apple II versions of MLX 2.0. It’s written in Octave, the open-source Matlab-like numerical computation routine. If you can read this, though, you can translate it to whatever language you find convenient.

function [retval] = mlxII (oneline)
   z2 = 2;
   z4 = 254;
   z5 = 255;
   z6 = 256; 
   z7 = 127;
 
   address = oneline(1);
   entries = oneline(2:9);
   checksum = oneline(10);
   
   ck = 0;
   ck = floor(address/z6);
   ck = address-z4*ck + z5*(ck>z7)*(-1);
   ck = ck + z5*(ck>z5)*(-1);
#
#	This looks like but is not the sum mod 255.  
#	The 8-bit computers did not have a mod function and 
#	used this subtraction instead.
#	
   for i=1:length(entries),
     ck = ck*z2 + z5*(ck>z7)*(-1) + entries(i);
     ck = ck + z5*(ck>z5)*(-1);
   endfor
#
#	The checksum *can* be 255 (0xFF), but not 0 (0x00)!  
#	Using the mod function could make zeroes appear
#       where 255's should.
#
   retval = (ck == checksum);
endfunction

This reproduces the code as it was actually coded. Here’s a version that relies on Octave or Matlab’s ability to use modulo operations:

function [retval] = mlxIIslick (oneline)
   factors = 2.^(7:-1:0);

   address = oneline(1);
   entries = oneline(2:9);
   checksum = oneline(10);
   
   ck = 0;
   ck = mod(address - 254*floor(address/256), 255);
   ck = ck + sum(entries.*factors);
   ck = mod(ck, 255);
   ck = ck + 255*(ck == 0);

   retval = (ck == checksum);
endfunction

Enjoy! Please don’t ask when I’ll have the Automatic Proofreader solved.