Messages

1

BBC BASIC / Re: Console Mode editions updated to version 0.48

« on: Today at 05:59:07 PM »

./bbcbasic: /lib/arm-linux-gnueabihf/libm.so.6: version `GLIBC_2.29' not found (required by ./bbcbasic)

That's to be expected when running a pre-compiled binary on an entirely different machine!  You must compile it from source.

2

BBC BASIC / Re: Console Mode editions updated to version 0.48

« on: Today at 05:52:37 PM »

Does your console BASIC run on the RPI Zero W1?

I've no idea, I don't have one.  I don't make available a pre-compiled version for that platform, so you'd need to recompile it from the source code.  I'd be interested to learn what happens if you try.

As regards dependencies, it does rely on compiler extensions and intrinsics supported only by GCC and Clang, but that's not a major limitation in practice.

But the fact that it can successfully be run on the Raspberry Pi Pico, which is little more than a microcontroller, shows that the demands on system resources are not great.

3

BBC BASIC / BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.41a released

« on: Today at 05:44:49 PM »

I have released version 1.41a of BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 - the cross-platform programming language for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Raspberry Pi OS, Android, iOS and in-browser.  The changes in this version are as follows:

• Environment
  
  Updated the version of SDL to SDL 2.32.0 (except the Linux and in-browser editions).
  
  
• BASIC Interpreter / Run Time Engine
  
  Added array slicing, using the syntax: array(first TO [last]) or array(row, first TO [last]).
  
  Compound assignment and array arithmetic now also accept the exponentiation operator '^'.
  
  In the default *HEX32 mode, PRINT~ and STR$~ report an error if the value cannot be expressed as 32-bit hex.
  
  
• IDEs and Utilities
  
  In compiler.bbc, improved the manual selection of multiple embedded files from a sub-directory.
  
  In compiler.bbc, a REM!Resource directive, if present, embeds the resource into a Windows executable.
  
  Added versinfo.bbc utility to create a VERSIONINFO resource suitable for embedding in a Windows executable.
  
  
• Libraries
  
  Updated gfxlib.bbc to add PROC_gfxInvert, PROC_gfxPlotScaleDissolve and PROC_gfxPlotScaleAlphaBlend.
  
  Updated arraylib.bbc to support creating alias arrays from slices of 1D and 2D arrays.
  
  
• Example Programs
  
  Added filters.bbc (in examples/general) and soccerball.bbc (in examples/graphics).
  
  Added spinmaze.bbc (in examples/physics) and bauble.bbc & belier.bbc (in examples/sounds).
  

This version may be downloaded, for all the supported platforms, from the usual location (the Android and iOS editions should be installed from the appropriate App Store).  The GitHub repository has also been updated.

4

BBC BASIC / Console Mode editions updated to version 0.48

« on: March 02, 2025, 04:43:56 PM »

I have updated the BBC BASIC Console Mode editions (BBCTTY) to version 0.48: The main changes in this version are:

• Support for array slicing has been added, using the syntax array(first TO last) or array(row, first TO last).
  
  
• Compound assignment and array arithmetic can now both use the exponentiation operator ^.
  
  
• In the default *HEX32 mode, PRINT~ and STR$~ report an error if the value cannot be expressed as 32-bit hex.
  
  
• Added median.bbc as a demonstration of array slicing (it implements the Quickselect algorithm).
  

The new version can be downloaded from the usual place.

5

BBC BASIC / Re: New: Console Mode editions of BBC BASIC

« on: October 29, 2024, 06:13:14 PM »

I have updated the Console Mode editions of BBC BASIC to version 0.47.  The changes in this version are:

• Global integer arrays are guaranteed to be 4-byte (DWORD) aligned; previously only LOCAL arrays were forcibly aligned.
  
  
• The Raspberry Pi Pico edition now supports access to WiFi networking on the Pico W.
  
  
• The mysqllib library and mysqldem example program are supplied with the Raspberry Pi Pico edition..
  

Version 0.47 may be downloaded from the usual place.

6

BBC BASIC / BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.40a released

« on: July 03, 2024, 04:40:13 PM »

I have released version 1.40a of BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 - the cross-platform programming language for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Raspberry Pi OS, Android, iOS and in-browser.  The changes in this version are as follows:

• Environment
  
  Added a 64-bit Windows binary for direct downloading (it was always possible to build it from source).
  
  
• BASIC Interpreter / Run Time Engine
  
  Integer arrays are now guaranteed to be 32-bit aligned, even if created on the heap.
  
  Minor improvements to outline and filled circle plotting and flood fill.
  
  
• IDEs and Utilities
  
  Fixed compiler.bbc incorrectly crunching the TOP pseudo-keyword.
  
  Improved the accessibility of touchide.bbc on an Amazon Fire TV Stick.
  
  
• Libraries
  
  Modified aagfxlib.bbc to improve B?zier curves and arcs which have arrow endcap(s).
  
  Modified pdflib.bbc to support multiple-page PDFs (with thanks to Svein Svensson).
  
  
• Example Programs
  
  Added truchet.bbc and vampire.bbc in examples/graphics.
  
  Restored functionality lost from sheet.bbc when it was originally ported from BB4W.
  

This version may be downloaded, for all the supported platforms, from the usual location (the Android and iOS editions should be installed from the appropriate App Store).  The GitHub repository has also been updated.

7

BBC BASIC / BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.39a released

« on: February 27, 2024, 03:58:26 PM »

I have released version 1.39a of BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 - the cross-platform programming language for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Raspberry Pi OS, Android, iOS and in-browser.  The changes in this version are as follows:

• Environment
  
  Updated SDL2 to version 2.30.0 and SDL2_ttf to version 2.22.0 (Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS).
  
  Increased the initial value of HIMEM to 32 Mbytes above PAGE.
  
  Increased the maximum heap size, in 64-bit editions only, to 4 Gbytes (heap pointers are 32-bits so this is the largest possible size).
  
  
• BASIC Interpreter / Run Time Engine
  
  Extended VDU 19 to be able to set colours with an alpha (opacity) value.
  
  Added *FX 19 as a synonym for *REFRESH.
  
  
• IDEs and Utilities
  
  Modified the 'compiler' to support wildcards in REM!Embed directives.
  
  Modified SDLIDE for compatibility with 'self-examining' programs.
  
  
• Libraries
  
  Added PROC_slice() and PROC_redim() (etc.) to the arraylib library.
  
  Modified the gpiolib library for compatibility with 64-bit PiOS and the Raspberry Pi 5.
  
  
• Example Programs
  
  Added smithchart.bbc, an antialiased Smith Chart graticule, in examples/graphics.
  
  Added keywords.bbc, a list of one-line keyword descriptions, principally for the Android and iOS editions.
  
  Added server_multi.bbc (in examples/general, desktop editions only) which can accept up to 8 concurrent connections.
  
  Added gpiotest.bbc (in examples/general, Raspberry Pi only) to test the gpiolib library.

This version may be downloaded, for all the supported platforms, from the usual location (the Android and iOS editions should be installed from the appropriate App Store).  The GitHub repository has also been updated.

8

BBC BASIC / Re: BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.37a released

« on: November 13, 2023, 03:37:49 PM »

Does the Windows version support COM/OLE?

Yes, BBC BASIC for Windows is supplied with the COMLIB library, and that library requires only a trivial modification to run in the Windows edition of BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 as well.

There's an example program which uses that library to access the TTS (Text To Speech) functionality in Windows, which has a COM interface.

I also know of one user who uses it to automate Microsoft Office products like Excel, using their ActiveX interface.

9

BBC BASIC / BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.38a released

« on: November 13, 2023, 03:32:23 PM »

I have released version 1.38a of BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 - the cross-platform programming language for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Raspberry Pi OS, Android, iOS and in-browser.  The changes in this version are as follows:

• Environment
  
  Updated SDL2 to version 2.28.5 (Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS).
  
  Updated the DejaVuSansMono font to include Hebrew.
  
  In iOS it is no longer necessary to disable the Smart Punctuation setting.
  
  
• BASIC Interpreter / Run Time Engine
  
  Added a new entry to the internal function table: @fn%(21) points to the RedefineChar function which can be used, for example, to redefine a character in MODE 7.
  
  Improved error reporting if a malformed DEF FN or DEF PROC statement is present in the program.
  
  Fixed 64-bit floats 'underflowing' to give a negative number or a 'Number too big' error rather than zero.
  
  
• IDEs and Utilities
  
  Modified SDLIDE to increase the number of point sizes that can be selected in the Set Font dialogue.
  
  Modified crossref.bbc, searchin.bbc, memmon.bbc, macrorec.bbc and addconst.bbc to scale their output windows in accordance with the guiscale setting in sdlide.ini.  This should improve legibility in High DPI situations.
  
  Added settab.bbc (in examples/tools/) which configures the Tab key to move to a specified column in the SDLIDE program editor.
  
  
• Libraries
  
  Modified dlglib.bbc so that a static control can be hidden by setting the WS_VISIBLE flag, and to remove some of the limitations of a list box with the LBS_USETABSTOPS style.
  
  Modified editbox.bbc to support user-settable tab stops (added PROC_seteditboxtabs).
  
  Modified mode7lib to improve compatibility with 64-bit systems (previously, if you were unlucky, it could fail with a 'Number too big' error).
  
  
• Example Programs
  
  Added timerdem.bbc (in examples/general) which is a simple, and frankly rather boring, example of the use of the timerlib library!

This version may be downloaded, for all the supported platforms, from the usual location (the Android and iOS editions should be installed from the appropriate App Store).  The GitHub repository has also been updated.

10

BBC BASIC / BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.37a released

« on: September 01, 2023, 05:48:22 PM »

I have released version 1.37a of BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 - the cross-platform programming language for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Raspberry Pi OS, Android, iOS and in-browser.  The changes in this version are as follows:

• Environment
  
  Updated the Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS editions to SDL 2.28.2.  SDL2 has now entered a maintenance phase, with new developments focussing on SDL3.
  
  Updated the Android edition to target Android 14 (API level 34), which is a requirement of the Play Store (and the main reason for this unscheduled release).
  
  
• BASIC Interpreter / Run Time Engine
  
  Paths and file names may now include a comma, so long as they are enclosed in quotes (a comma is treated the same as a space in that regard).
  
  Fixed an issue when entering accented characters using the Alt Gr key.
  
  Added a new system variable @cache% which points to the font cache, for example to allow defining custom glyphs.
  
  
• IDEs and Utilities
  
  Modified SDLIDE so that keyboard input (and pasting from the clipboard) work as expected in ANSI mode.
  
  Modified SDLIDE so that File... Compare can be interrupted by pressing the ESCape key.
  
  Updated BBCEdit to version 0.40.0 (thanks to Andy Parkes), amongst other changes this accepts the input of accented characters using the Alt Gr key.
  
  
• Libraries
  
  Modified arraylib.bbc to add PROC_pcopy() (and variants) to copy part of one array into another array.
  
  Modified dlglib.bbc and editbox.bbc to scale scroll bars in proportion to other GUI elements.
  
  Fixed a minor memory leak in shaderlib.bbc.
  
  
• Example Programs
  
  Added calculator.bbc in examples/general (yes I know everybody writes a calculator, it's an obvious application for the EVAL function, but this is my take).
  
  Modified dibley.bbc, dropperz.bbc and triples.bbc to scale their output on a window resize.
  
  Modified Ceefax.bbc to improve the formatting of hyphenated text.
  

This version may be downloaded, for all the supported platforms, from the usual location (the Android and iOS editions should be installed from the appropriate App Store).  The GitHub repository has also been updated.

11

BBC BASIC / Re: BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.36a released

« on: August 01, 2023, 08:42:17 AM »

Updated the 'compiler' to create a standalone EXE file in Windows!

In response to a user request, I have updated the Windows edition (only) to v1.36b.  In this version standalone executables behave more like those created by BBC BASIC for Windows, in that libraries and DLLs are deleted after the program has terminated rather than been left lying around on the disk.

The practical outcome is that load time may be slightly increased, because the libraries and DLLs must be extracted every time the program is run, but it's less wasteful of disk space and - in the case of a program which needs no resource files such as sprites or music - admin privileges are not needed to run the program in a write-protected directory.

12

BBC BASIC / BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.36a released

« on: July 31, 2023, 09:35:35 AM »

I have released version 1.36a of BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 - the cross-platform programming language for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Raspberry Pi OS, Android, iOS and in-browser.  The changes in this version are as follows:

• BASIC Interpreter / Run Time Engine
  
  Updated the Windows and MacOS editions to use SDL 2.28.1.
  
  Updated the iOS edition so that the virtual back button is recreated if required, also fixed VAL not working with a unary minus in iOS.
  
  
• IDEs and Utilities
  
  Updated the 'compiler' to create a standalone EXE file in Windows!  You can still create a ZIP archive if you prefer by explicitly adding .zip to the application bundle filename.
  
  Updated SDLIDE.bbc to support bi-directional text (e.g. right-to-left scripts like Arabic and Hebrew in a quoted string).  This requires SDL2_ttf 2.20.0 or later.
  
  Updated SDLIDE.bbc to support window resizing when comparing programs.
  
  
• Libraries
  
  Updated webgllib.bbc to support emissive materials and alpha-blending without external code, and to increase the maximum number of lights from 5 to 8.  Also created a functionally-equivalent library for BBC BASIC for Windows.
  
  Updated script.bbc to support positioning the text caret (cursor) and selecting (hilighting) text.  Also created a functionally-equivalent library for BBC BASIC for Windows.
  
  Updated arraylib.bbc to support MOD and SUM operations on a partial-array.
  
  Updated filedlg.bbc to support changing the filter by entering '*.ext' as the filename.
  
  Updated utf8lib.bbc to add FN_umidx() which behaves like MID$ with only two parameters.
  
  Added the DejaVuSans-Oblique.ttf font, which gives better results than slanting the standard font (desktop editions only).
  
  
• Example Programs
  
  Added Hello_Box2D.bbc in examples/physics/samples/.
  
  Added analyser.bbc, an audio spectrum analyser, in examples/general (desktop editions only).
  
  Updated kerning.bbc (in examples/general/) to work around an apparent bug in the Harfbuzz shaping engine.

This version may be downloaded, for all the supported platforms, from the usual location (the Android and iOS editions should be installed from the appropriate App Store).  The GitHub repository has also been updated.

13

BBC BASIC / BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.35a released

« on: April 06, 2023, 11:42:19 AM »

I have released version 1.35a of BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 - the cross-platform programming language for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Raspberry Pi OS, Android, iOS and in-browser.  The changes in this version are as follows:

• BASIC Interpreter / Run Time Engine
  
  Non-file devices (e.g. serial ports) now use unbuffered I/O on all platforms, not just Windows.
  
  Fatal errors set the exit code (%ERRORLEVEL% in Windows) to 512 rather than zero, although this normally won't affect Linux.
  
  Fixed a bug causing PLOT 68 to plot something, when it shouldn't!
  
  Fixed READ crashing if there are no DATA statements (ARM and 64-bit editions only).
  
  
• Example Programs
  
  Added blacksmith.bbc and carousel.bbc in examples/sounds/.
  
  Added welcome.bbc, from the BBC Micro Welcome Disc, in examples/general/ (this is sensitive to the PLOT 68 bug).
  

This version may be downloaded, for all the supported platforms, from the usual location.  The GitHub repository has also been updated.

14

BBC BASIC / BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.34a released

« on: February 07, 2023, 12:36:48 PM »

I have released version 1.34a of BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 - the cross-platform programming language for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Raspberry Pi OS, Android, iOS and in-browser.  The main changes are as follows:

• BASIC Interpreter / Run Time Engine
  
  Updated the version of SDL to 2.26.2 (Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS editions) or 2.24.2 (in-browser edition).
  
  Updated the version of SDL_ttf to 2.20.1 (Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS editions) or 2.0.15 (in-browser edition).
  
  Updated the version of SDL_net to 2.2.0 (Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS editions).
  
  
• IDEs and Utilities
  
  Added the addconst utility (desktop editions only) to scan a program and create a list of SDL constant declarations on the clipboard.
  
  Updated SDLIDE to include addconst in the Utilities menu (slot 5).
  
  Updated the compiler utility to include hidden files in a Linux bundle, and to support the use of labels without having to disable any crunch options.
  
  
• Libraries
  
  Added script.bbc to support the Harfbuzz text-shaping engine available in SDL2_ttf 2.20.1.
  
  Updated pdflib.bbc to improve the 'hardcopy' capability (which now behaves similarly to *HARDCOPY in BB4W).
  
  Updated dlglib.bbc to fix the recently-reported crash on scrolling a listbox too far with the mouse wheel.
  
  
• Example Programs
  
  Updated pdfdemo.bbc to demonstrate the new capabilities of the pdfib library.
  
  Updated unicode.bbc to use the new script library for rendering Arabic text.
  
  Updated tower.bbc to use the SDL_RenderGeometry() API, available in SDL 2.0.18 and later.  This may mean it will no longer run in Linux, depending on the version of SDL available from your repository.
  

This version may be downloaded, for all the supported platforms, from the usual location.  The GitHub repository has also been updated.

15

BBC BASIC / BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.33a released

« on: October 28, 2022, 09:56:35 PM »

I have released version 1.33a of BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 - the cross-platform programming language for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Raspberry Pi OS, Android, iOS and in-browser.  The changes in this version are as follows:

• BASIC Interpreter / Run Time Engine
  
  The *FLOAT 80 command has been enabled in ARM editions, because although they do not support 80-bit floats the
  command is needed to be able to write a 64-bit integer to a data file without loss of precision.
  
  
• IDEs and Utilities
  
  Fixed compiler.bbc failing to upload a web bundle for testing, more than once per session.
  
  
• Libraries
  
  Added FN_readlinesocketM() to socklib.bbc, for use when multiple concurrent connections are open.
  
  
• Example Programs
  
  Modified Ceefax.bbc to restore functionality of the Sport index after a change to the BBC website.
  

This version may be downloaded, for all the supported platforms, from the usual location.  The GitHub repository has been updated (used to build the MacOS, Raspberry Pi, Android, iOS, 64-bit Linux and in-browser editions, currently).