#AmigaBasic & ACE
12 messages in this thread
Is there a way to use the PRINT USING in an Amiga Basic program then compile
with ACE without mega errors?
Also I want to use ARRAYS with variable unk sizes how can I do that and compile
with ACE ?
Thanks in advance….
Well the major reason you are getting mega errors using ACE with a Basic
program that contains "PRINT USING" is because that command is not supported in
ACE. The ACE package contains pretty extensive documentation, I would suggest
reading it <g>.
// John – (TechnoJunkie at heart)
\X/ jgager@BMI.NET
>The ACE package contains pretty extensive documentation…..
Yeah I've spent the last three days reading it front to back to front then back
again thanks. PRINTUSING is out and so I'll just have to do the output
formatting the old fashion way <G> blah. Also noted that ACE doesn't support
LPRINT either… but I did finally get me old basic prg rewritten so that its
compatable/compilable finally. Started out with 280+ runtime errors
heh….amazing, it worked just fine in AmigaBasic.
ACE is very nice though and my hat is off to David Benn and all those others
involved in its conception.
Hi Ken.
Sorry for not being around to responding to the "AmigaBASIC & ACE" messages
sooner. I don't get onto CompuServe as often as I used to, but I should be
on again more often now.
Before going any further, I'd like to mention that the ACE mailing list
(via the Internet) is in existence and you are encouraged to join and ask
questions there also. You can subscribe via CompuServe mail to the Internet
by sending the message:
subscribe ace FirstName LastName
to:
Listserver@appcomp.utas.edu.au
> Is there a way to use the PRINT USING in an Amiga Basic program then
> compile with ACE without mega errors?
As John mentioned in his reply to you, PRINT USING is not yet implemented,
but is high on my priority list for the next release which I hope to start
work on in a couple of weeks once things settle down at work a little.
It's odd. I was actually just thinking about starting to write the PRINT
USING run-time code tonight before I read your message. 🙂
> Also I want to use ARRAYS with variable unk sizes how can I do that and
> compile with ACE ?
I'm not sure what "variable unk sizes means" 🙂 Do you want to have arrays
with variable string element sizes or…?
It is possible in ACE to dynamically allocate arrays and to set a specific
size for string array elements. See ref.doc's DIM entry and feel free to ask
questions about this in this forum again. I'll be back here again in a couple
of days.
> Also noted that ACE doesn't support LPRINT either… but I did finally
> get me old basic prg rewritten so that its compatable/compilable finally.
This command is also on my to-do list. It's functionality can easily be
replaced by opening a file to the printer, eg.
LPRINT "hello world"
can be replaced by:
OPEN "O",#1,"PRT:"
PRINT #1, "hello world"
CLOSE #1
> Started out with 280+ runtime errors heh….amazing, it worked just fine
> in AmigaBasic.
I imagine that many of these error messages were bogus, resulting from
comparatively few real problems. Many compilers have this kind of problem
with error messages and ACE is no exception although I admit that I'd like
to improve this side of things. The way an interpreter handles this (and some
compilers) is to stop at the first error and display a message re: that.
Apart from this, I am trying to implement those features still missing from
ACE but present in AmigaBASIC, and am doing so, slowly but surely. There
are also miscellaneous minor differences between ACE and AmigaBASIC and I
am trying to close these gaps also.
> ACE is very nice though and my hat is off to David Benn and all those
> others involved in its conception.
Thanks, and you're welcome.
Regards,
David Benn
Dave,
No, thank -YOU- you have written one hell of a compiler and its becuase of
your work that I'll be able to rewrite a program with a 2.0+ feel compatable
with 1.3 machines. I love the extended commands you've added and look forward
to the future command implementations.
I'd ul a beer your way but it don't seem to fit in my modem <G>
Ken
> No, thank -YOU- you have written one hell of a compiler and its becuase of
your work that I'll be able to rewrite a program with a 2.0+ > feel compatable
with 1.3 machines. I love the extended commands you've added and look forward
to the future command > implementations.
Glad to hear you like ACE so much. I really hope to get started on the next
release in a couple of weeks. I may even do some preliminary work sooner.
> I'd ul a beer your way but it don't seem to fit in my modem <G>
🙂
It's a nice thought.
Don't forget about the ACE mailing list I mentioned in my last message either.
You may find it to be of benefit.
In any case, feel free to ask any other questions you have about ACE.
Oh and you probably haven't seen this yet, but I have written a program called
ReqEd which allows you to design GUIs (gadgets, text etc in a window anyway)
and have an ACE subprogram produced. People seem to be getting a lot of use out
of it. I really should upload it to CompuServe. I'll do it right away.
I'll put it in the Programmers Utils section of the library.
Regards,
David Benn
>Don't forget about the ACE mailing list I mentioned in my last message
>either. You may find it to be of benefit.
Most definetely
>called ReqEd which allows you to design GUIs (gadgets, text etc in a window
>anyway) and have an ACE subprogram produced.
I'll ck that out asap sounds spiffy <G>
I do have one question, I program Basic obviously…also AREXX I did do a
little Assembly and Machine on the 64&128. Anyway, the question is basically
this, is there an equivalent to the ADDRESS COMMAND function of AREXX in ACE?
Is there a way I can invoke dos commands and pass args their way I guess is
what I'm trying to ask. It's not immediately important but I'll be needing to
know for a future project.
-Ken
Ken
> I do have one question, I program Basic obviously…also AREXX I did do a
little Assembly and Machine on the 64&128. Anyway, the > question is basically
this, is there an equivalent to the ADDRESS COMMAND function of AREXX in ACE?
Is there a way I can invoke > dos commands and pass args their way I guess is
what I'm trying to ask. It's not immediately important but I'll be needing to
know for a > future project.
Yes. I don't do much with Arexx, but read on. 🙂
If what you mean is "can I execute a DOS program with arguments?" then you can
do this:
SYSTEM cmd$
eg.
SYSTEM "c:dir"
or
theCmd$ = "c:dir"
theArgs$ = "ram:"
SYSTEM theCmd$ + " " + theArgs$
ie. you can build up the final command string and then use SYSTEM. See ref.doc
for more about this.
But, if you mean "can I call a dos.library function with arguments?" then you
have to use something like the following:
'..Not strictly necessary for dos.library (and some others) in ACE
LIBRARY "dos.library"
DECLARE FUNCTION Delay(LONGINT ticks) LIBRARY
Delay(100)
LIBRARY CLOSE '..also not necessary for dos.library
or
DECLARE FUNCTION Delay(LONGINT ticks) EXTERNAL
Delay(100)
which uses an ami.lib stub function to call the shared library function
Delay().
Let me know if you need more help on this.
David
=>SYSTEM cmd$
Ack! How did I miss that one? That's the ticket thanks David.
Sure. Let me know if you have any other questions or problems re: ACE.
Rgds,
David
David: I just saw a picture of you the other day, I think it was on your Web
page. Somehow the impression you get of someone in Cyberspace is totally
different in real life <g>. You might let everyone here know about your Web
page since all CompuServe users now have Internet access. Keep up the good
work. In my mind, you are a great example of the best in Amiga programmers.
// John – (TechnoJunkie at heart)
\X/ jgager@BMI.NET
John.
> David: I just saw a picture of you the other day, I think it was on your
> Web page.
Yep, that's the only picture I have made available to Netland AFAIK. 🙂
> Somehow the impression you get of someone in
> Cyberspace is totally different in real life <g>.
I know what you mean. 🙂
> You might let everyone here know about your Web page since all
> CompuServe users now have Internet access.
Sure. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the ACE Home Page is:
http://www.appcomp.utas.edu.au/users/dbenn/
That final "/" is important!
If you follow the link called "David's favourite Web sites" (or similar) you
will find a number of other sites of interest under the Platforms section.
> Keep up the good work. In my mind, you are a great example of
> the best in Amiga programmers.
I'm flattered. Thank you. The Amiga is the kind of machine you just
love to program. 🙂
Rgds,
David