Raspberry BASIC

Author Topic: BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.23a released  (Read 2198 times)

Richard Russell

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BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 version 1.23a released
« on: July 09, 2021, 01:19:32 PM »
I've released version 1.23a of BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0 - the cross-platform programming language for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi OS, Android, iOS and in-browser.  The changes in this version are as follows:

  • BASIC Interpreter / Run Time Engine

    An experimental build for the 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS has been added (with many thanks to Simon Willcocks who wrote the AArch64 assembler which made it possible).  This runs more than twice as fast as the 32-bit Pi OS edition!

    On a MODE change, the window will be centered only if it would otherwise extend beyond the edge of the desktop.

    If SDL's message system is unavailable (which it currently is on 64-bit Pi OS), fatal errors will be reported in a MODE 7 window.

  • IDEs and Utilities

    Extended SDLIDE.bbc so Ctrl+Backspace is delete word left and Ctrl+Delete is delete word right.  Alt (Option) may be used instead of Ctrl, for compatibility with Apple Macs.

    Extended the Cross Reference utility to report mismatched quotes, parentheses and braces.

    Fixed a couple of minor bugs in the Cruncher, one of which could cause the output file to be larger than it needed to be.

    Updated BBCEdit to version 0.38.1, with thanks to Andy Parkes.

  • Libraries

    Added msgbox.bbc which provides support for Message Boxes, similar to those available in Windows.

    Updated filedlg to save and restore the VDU state (e.g. colours, viewports).

    Updated the Box2D libraries to be compatible with the 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS.

    Extended sdldebug.bbc and timerlib.bbc to include a 64-bit ARM (AArch64) version of the assembler code.

  • Example Programs

    Extended hello.bbc to include a 64-bit ARM (AArch64) version of the assembler code.

    Simplified telstar.bbc by using the built-in MODE 7 font in BBCSDL (and MODE7LIB in BB4W).

    Updated several examples to replace SDL's message boxes with BBC BASIC-created ones.

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).