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DotBASIC Plus -- New BASIC
Post by mrloadstar on Feb 7, 2007, 8:32pm

We all know there are several BASIC Extensions -- and each has its charm. But most require an initialization program which performs a warm start, and the language needs a full reset to return to BASIC 2.0.

But now, LOADSTAR offers what can be THE Ultimate BASIC Extension: DotBASIC Plus. DB+ brings 90 DotCommands (and counting) to BASIC -- from Print At to SIDPlayer to Multi-select Scrolling Menus.

But here's the good part: DB+ uses programming objects -- relocateable ML routines that are collected and linked (something like "includes" in C or C++). Therefore, the memory overhead is limited to the commands actually necessary.

This gets even better, because by following DB+'s ML protocol, any ML coder can create command objects -- which can share data and even call each other. If .SPR is not the best Sprite command, someone can write .SPRT with a better design.

The linking technique allows us to offer Enhanced SIDPlayer, Grafstar, SHP Graphics load/unpacker, and High-Res Scripter. These -- when included -- use mucho memory. But their capabilities are certainly worth it.

And lastly, with one DotCommand and a couple of Pokes, DB+ disappears and the machine is completely ready to "Return to LOADSTAR."

RIGHT NOW, we need three beta testers to take DotBASIC Plus and its documentation and spend some time giving it "whatfor!" We need to discover if the docs are accurate or overly opaque; if everything works as advertised; and reviewers' considered opinions about DB+.

Please respond to me directly (), letting me know how advanced your programming skills are (we need at least one newbee). You will need to spend 10-20 hours playing around with DB+. And you must be willing to share your experience by email before March 15 (The IDEs of March!).

For your efforts, you will receive either Nickel Games or The Compleat LOADSTAR Home Tower on CD-ROM -- plus LOADSTAR issues 248-256 as they are published.

DB+ Beta comes on a D81 -- completely menued and documented.

Are you ready to become
a new pioneer of the C-64?


Dave
Re: DotBASIC Plus -- New BASIC
Post by pinacolada on Feb 8, 2007, 3:12pm

Ooh! I'd like to volunteer to pick apart the docs... I think of myself of having a decent command of English 'n stuff. Plus I like documentation, both reading and writing. Okay, so I'm weird. :)
Re: DotBASIC Plus -- New BASIC
Post by schema on Feb 8, 2007, 4:17pm

DotBasic 1.0 really impressed me the first time I saw it! I'm sure this new version is even better. Unfortunately, I've just got way too much going on right now to spend quality time with it. But, great work as always Dave!
Re: DotBASIC Plus -- New BASIC
Post by mrloadstar on Feb 8, 2007, 7:15pm


Quote:
DotBasic 1.0 really impressed me the first time I saw it! I'm sure this new version is even better.

Thanks for the thumbs-up. That first DotBASIC was Event Driven -- a technique that was nice, but proved clunky. So I dropped that, plus the required visual design before doing any coding.

What I have done is enabled multi-character command names. And the list of commands in the library just grew by two more today.

Dave
Re: DotBASIC Plus -- New BASIC
Post by pinacolada on Feb 10, 2007, 4:11pm

This is really darned impressive, Dave. I've tackled documentation a wee bit so far, I have a work in progress so far, some proposed changes and stuff... ummm... nothing really ready to show yet though. It'll take a few days.

I loaded up the LS Presenter and have some ideas about it as well. Since it seems to be written in DotBASIC itself, maybe I can learn the language by adding some stuff I'd like to see. :) As well as go through the tutorials, clarifying stuff (I'm a great guinea pig here, since I only messed around with DotBASIC 1.0 for two days or so).

How about an "instring" feature? :) Or is there one already, it's so hard to tell, looking at the commands...

SIDPlayer music and hi-res graphics, that is very cool.
Re: DotBASIC Plus -- New BASIC
Post by mrloadstar on Feb 10, 2007, 9:49pm


Quote:
I loaded up the LS Presenter and have some ideas about it as well. Since it seems to be written in DotBASIC itself, maybe I can learn the language by adding some stuff I'd like to see. :)


Sorry -- QuikMenu presenter is in old DB 1.0 -- and while has some similarities, is not compatible. But do take a look at how the 

 100 .DO: .MA : .UN L2%


works -- the all powerful Do-Loop. (.MA is still "Mouse Ask" and puts mouse info into variables.)



Quote:
As well as go through the tutorials, clarifying stuff (I'm a great guinea pig here, since I only messed around with DotBASIC 1.0 for two days or so).

How about an "instring" feature? :) Or is there one already, it's so hard to tell, looking at the commands...


Yep! WAY too many commands to search through. .INSTR is not present yet. I am working on it now -- figuring out a way to let it be case-sensative/case-insensative. Might just create two command names. It is really easy to do -- having two command names yet one shared code.


Quote:
SIDPlayer music and hi-res graphics, that is very cool.


Yeah. Time to let anyone have access to the power of the C-64!

Dave
Re: DotBASIC Plus -- New BASIC
Post by pinacolada on Feb 13, 2007, 4:23pm


Quote:

Sorry -- QuikMenu presenter is in old DB 1.0 -- and while has some similarities, is not compatible. But do take a look at how the 

 100 .DO: .MA : .UN L2%


works -- the all powerful Do-Loop. (.MA is still "Mouse Ask" and puts mouse info into variables.)


Oh, got'cha. Well, maybe I could update it. :)


Quote:
Yep! WAY too many commands to search through. .INSTR is not present yet. I am working on it now -- figuring out a way to let it be case-sensative/case-insensative. Might just create two command names. It is really easy to do -- having two command names yet one shared code.


Maybe I could include an alphabetical index. Sounds handy to me already...

Good on you for the INSTRing command. I'd make use of it! I was thinking of making use of it because of the text in square brackets in the T.* files; is that supposed to kick the enclosed text into highlighted colors? (From the partial text of an email I'm working on sending you, but a sneak peek anyways:)

Is the text in brackets supposed to be displayed in a highlight color? I notice that in places in the documentation... If that's the case, perhaps we could build in an intercept that checks for [[ (to escape in case we need an actual bracket in documentation)... and then... I might be wrong, but did the original LoadStar Presenter use multicolor mode for its highlight feature?



Quote:
Yeah. Time to let anyone have access to the power of the C-64!

Definitely! Woohoo! :)
Re: DotBASIC Plus -- New BASIC
Post by pinacolada on Feb 24, 2007, 4:36pm

Okay, I emailed you a progress report, such as it is.
Re: DotBASIC Plus -- New BASIC
Post by mrloadstar on Feb 25, 2007, 10:26pm

I got your stuff -- thanks for the ideas.

To the rest of you -- If you have programmed in BASIC, DotBASIC Plus will kick you into high gear. Here is just one example --

Object Oriented Sprites. Commands not only set image, color, x,y, and all the switches, but allow sprite #1 to be relatively attached to sprite #0, #2 to #1, etc. Put #0 in a particular location, #1 and #2 will be placed in their relative positions. A super Sprite (4 wide, 2 tall) is a cinch!

Email me at



Dave
Re: DotBASIC Plus -- New BASIC
Post by pinacolada on Mar 14, 2007, 1:06pm

Happy Pi Day!

So, what's the verdict, Dave? :)
Re: DotBASIC Plus -- New BASIC
Post by pinacolada on Apr 25, 2008, 2:41am

Hey there. I made some changes to the original documentation last year, I think it was, and uploaded them to Alan Reed. He had a PDF file of your version of the updated docs (which were further along than mine), with the intent to add my instructions (the tutorial on making buttons and scrolling menus) into the beginning. But I haven't heard from him (emailed him a while back), was wondering if you wanted the files?
Re: DotBASIC Plus -- New BASIC
Post by mrloadstar on Dec 15, 2008, 5:07pm

Sorry for the long delay (MONTHS). DB+ is solid, and Alan Reed has edited a complete manual with 100 commands. Comes with 2 1581s full of everything you need. I will have the print version ready this week (I hope -- taken too long I know). Electronic version also on the way.

Dave