#Assembler vs Forth
8 messages in this thread
Have you used the f83 that was posted here? I tried it, but it consistently
GURU's on me. I'll admit that I don't have a `working knowledge' of FORTH, but
I'd like to understand more about it w/o having to spend $100 on it. The first
problem I noticed, was that after following the instructions to a tee in order
to create a file of my own screens, I couldn't avoid GURU'ing. It
First… 10 create aca.blk
open aca.blk
1 edit
I enter the editor, it attempts to draw the (currently empty) screen, and
immediately GURU's. Any ideas? Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Al Arthur 76446,545
UUCP: philabs!nyit!aca
Are you _sure_ about the line "10 create aca.blk"? It can't be right,
because CREATE is not for creating files. Let me bring it up and check …
aha! BIG booboo in the readme file. I believe what you want is "create-file"
instead. That really needs to be fixed. I'll try to do something about it.
Jon
Yes, it seems that the docs are incorrect. Unfortunately, I realized after I
wrote you, that I made a typo. I had originally used `create', but then
realizing that was to create a variable, I found the word `create-file'. In my
frustration, I wrote the wrong word for you. In any case, it still GURU'd ass
soon as I gotr into the editor. It was then that I tried again, but entered
the editor with `editor' and found the word `install'. I typed the following:
10 create-file aca.blk
editor
open aca.blk
install
done
file aca.blk
1 edit
This seemed to work (by trial-and-error), though I don't exactly know why.
I'd think that perhaps memory must be allocated and cleared before I try to
edit. What do you think?
How is it that I create (edit) shadow screens for my code? It would be
kinda' nice if I could add a little documentation to my code, especially since
I am such a novice and probably won't remember how to do something 5 minutes
after I originally figure it out. 🙂
<continued>
I'm home sick today, but I'm not completely out of it. I'm sitting here
taking my first real look at F83 so I can help you out, switching between Forth
and Whap as I write this (don't you love multitasking?).
To answer your question about shadow screens, try this. Type "l" to list the
current screen. Type "a l" to switch to the shadow screen and list it. Typing
"a" again will toggle back to the source screen.
Since you say you're guru'ing in the editor, I'll send this off to you before
trying it. I'll dump all the source, try the editor, and continue this once
I've got a handle on it.
Jon
Okay, here's what I just did.
10 create-file test.blk
open test.blk
1 edit
It seems to work fine. ^C then pops me back out of the editor. I'm not sure
why, if you're switching to the editor vocabulary before invoking edit, it
would cause a GURU. Sounds like a bug if that is what is causing your problem.
Jon
<continuation>
Incidentally, would you happen to have any interesting forth code that I
could play with? So far, all I have are the silly examples in Leo Brodie's
book, and the code for the utilities, both which I wouldn't consider to be good
examples of day-to-day application code. I'm trying to get a feel for Forth.
Just one more ironic point: when I was a Sophomore in college, I wrote a
Forth interpreter in VAX MACRO, without really understanding Forth as a
language. I was given the rules and behavior of each word. Just shows that you
can write programs to a spec without needing to know the purpose behind the
whole thing.
I would suggest that you mosey on over to the Forth forum (where I sysop) and
check out LIB3. There is a lot of Amiga source code there, written in
Multi-Forth, but you could port it to F83 if you're ambitious.
If you want to use F83 as opposed to a commercial Forth package like
Multi-Forth of JForth, you might also want to get C.H. Ting's "Inside F83" from
FIG. Appelman's F83 isn't exactly the same, but most of the info will carry
over. It will reduce your heartburn while learning, I'm certain.
Jon
Jon,
Thanks so much for your assistance. I'll check over what I'm doing again
and try out the Forth forum. I had a Professor in college that was very active
with some Forth groups. It was his idea for my project of the forth
interpreter back then (~6years ago). I wouldn't be surprised if he were a
regular of the forum.
Thanks again,
Al
CI$ – 76446,545
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