Recent Posts

21

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

« Last post by Richard Russell 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.

22

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

« Last post by Richard Russell 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).

23

BBC BASIC / BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.32a released

« Last post by Richard Russell on August 20, 2022, 04:24:55 PM »

I have released version 1.32a 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
  
  Fixed a minor issue affecting returned ON MOUSE coordinates when @panx% is negative.
  
  
• IDEs and Utilities
  
  Updated SDLIDE to support keyword abbreviations (but you are recommended not to use them!).
  
  
• Libraries
  
  Added mysqllib.bbc for queryimg a MySQL database (not compatible with the in-browser edition).
  
  
• Example Programs
  
  Added mysqldem.bbc (in examples/general) to demonstrate the mysqllib library by querying a public database

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).

24

BBC BASIC / BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.30a released

« Last post by Richard Russell on May 08, 2022, 11:15:40 AM »

I have released version 1.30a 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
  
  OS Filing System errors now update the SDL error string, for the convenience of BASIC programs.
  
  iOS edition only: Reduced size of the back button on iPads.
  
  iOS edition only: Reinstated the ability to create a home screen icon to run a specific BASIC program (which stopped working at some point).
  
  
• IDEs and Utilities
  
  The Compile utility no longer quits if an embedded file cannot be found.
  
  Touch IDE: The background may now be selected from a choice of eight colours.
   
  Android and iOS only: added the ability to disable or enable fullscreen mode.
  
  
• Libraries
  
  Updated gfxlib to accept negative inter-character spacing values (@vdu.w.d&).
  
  
• Example Programs
  
  Added bugs.bbc (in examples/games), written by David Williams in 2006 based on the Flash game Ladybug Sumo.
  
  Added pageturn.bbc (in examples/graphics) which is a BBCSDL conversion of the old BB4W demo.
  

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).

25

General Discussion / Raspberry Central

« Last post by John Spikowski on April 24, 2022, 08:59:17 PM »

I recently moved from Anacortes north to Lynden WA which is 5 miles from the Canadian boarder. Lynden has over 8,000 acres of Raspberry farms serving 70% of the US market.

Lynden has a population of 12,500 people.

26

BBC BASIC / BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.29a released

« Last post by Richard Russell on March 26, 2022, 10:59:22 PM »

I have released version 1.29a 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
  
  Added support for Serial I/O (e.g. EXT# returning the number of bytes waiting in a serial input buffer).
  
  Fixed a minor graphics bug which could cause fill operations to fail if an odd-value relative coordinate was supplied.
  
  
• IDEs and Utilities
  
  Updated searchin.bbc to avoid it being confused by an Acorn-format tokenised program.
  
  Improved error reporting if SDLIDE.bbc fails to create a temporary file.
  
  
• Libraries
  
  Optimised aagfxlib by calling SDL2 API functions by address rather than by name.
  
  
• Example Programs
  
  Added conway.bbc (in examples/general), a version of Conway's Game of Life in which the calculations are performed by the GPU.
  
  Added video.bbc (in examples/general) as a proof-of-principle demonstration of playing a video, albeit uncompressed and with no sound.
  

Important note for Android users: the Code Signing Certificate has been updated, and because the company from which I have previously obtained them has closed down the new certificate has a different ID.  You will need to uninstall BBC BASIC before you can install v1.29a; take care to backup (e.g. to a PC) anything you need in @usr$.

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).

27

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

« Last post by Richard Russell on March 18, 2022, 06:14:06 PM »

I have updated the Console Mode editions of BBC BASIC to version 0.41.  The changes in this version are:

• Added support for serial I/O, for example the EXT# function returns the number of characters waiting in the input buffer.
  
  
• Added a new example program animal.bbc which is the famous 'guess the animal' program, which learns from its mistakes (sort of).
  

Version 0.41 may be downloaded from the usual place.

28

BBC BASIC / BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.28a released

« Last post by Richard Russell on February 10, 2022, 04:52:49 PM »

I have released version 1.28a 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 SDL2_ttf to version 2.0.18 (Windows edition only); note that this changes the appearance of some fonts, especially in small sizes.
  
  ARM and 64-bit versions brought into line with 32-bit x86 versions in a couple of minor respects.
  
  
• IDEs and Utilities
  
  Updated about.bbc to be compatible with SDL2_ttf version 2.0.18 or later (in reporting the version of FreeType).
  
  
• Libraries
  
  Updated imglib.bbc to support displaying animated GIFs (there is an updated BB4W library too).
  
  Updated gfxlib.bbc to include PROC_gfxGaussianBlur3x3 (also updated gfxlib_docs.pdf).
  
  Updated dlglib.bbc to behave better with SDL2_ttf version 2.0.18 or later.
  
  
• Example Programs
  
  Added anigif.bbc (in examples/graphics) to illustrate displaying an animated GIF.
  
  Modified telstar.bbc so that F11 sends a carriage-return character to the line.
  
  

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).

29

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

« Last post by Richard Russell on January 24, 2022, 06:36:17 PM »

I have updated the Console Mode editions of BBC BASIC to version 0.40.  The changes in this version are:

• Fixed a bug in the handling of @% whereby setting the field width (LS byte) to zero didn't have the correct effect.
  
  
• Hexadecimal addresses passed to *commands are now assumed to be unsigned.  This fixes a problem (on 32-bit editions only) when the address is in the top half of the memory map.
  
  
• Fixed a warning issued by GCC 11 related to the way the pseudo-random number prand is handled.  This doesn't affect operation.
  
  
• Added a new example program solve.bbc which is a console version of the program of the same name supplied with the GUI editions (it solves simultaneous equations by inverting a matrix).

Version 0.40 may be downloaded from the usual place.

30

BBC BASIC / BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.27a released

« Last post by Richard Russell on December 30, 2021, 05:17:13 PM »

I've released version 1.27a 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
  
  Treat hexdecimal pointers in *LOAD commands etc. as unsigned numbers.
  
  Disable ON ERROR when in AUTO line-entry mode (64-bit and ARM editions only).
  
  
• IDEs and Utilities
  
  The compiler utility can now build a 'web application' bundle to deploy online using https://wasm.bbcbasic.co.uk/bbcsdl.html?app=<URL of web bundle>.
  
  Fixed a race-hazard in the debugger which could cause a rare crash during variable listing.
  
  
• Libraries
  
  Updated gfxlib and gfxlib_docs.pdf to add PROC_gfxPlotColumnListScale, PROC_gfxPlotRowListScale and FN_gfxLoadTextureSwapRGB.
  
  Updated audiolib to add PROC_mixCancel (truncates a sound effect) and PROC_mixSoundLevel (plays a sound effect at a specified level).
  
  
• Example Programs
  
  Added candle.bbc (in examples/graphics), an animation of a burning candle, adapted from a program by David Williams.
  
  Added compiler directives to a few examples so they run as web applications without modification.
  
  

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).