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Post by n00b on Aug 2, 2021 15:07:40 GMT -6
You can go to rcbasic.com to download the latest release now. This was a long time coming but I think it was worth it. First of all, let me just state that this comes with a lot of changes, some of which are going to require you rewrite a lot of your existing code. CHANGES- WindowOpen() has changed quite a bit. The window modes are completely different and it now takes an additional argument for specifying whether or not you want vsync enabled.
There is also a new function added called WindowMode() that can be used to specify the type of window you want to open. Please read the documentation on this as well as look at the examples. - This goes with the previous point but you can now create resizable windows and have highdpi enabled.
- The joystick api now allows you to implement haptic feedback on controllers that support them.
- There are new functions for reading Accelerometers and Gyroscopes on mobile devices
- You can now get the absolute position of the mouse on the display
- A few functions have been renamed:
- Replace and ReplaceSubstr were swapped. This has been annoying me for years but I just never made the change. Now the names of the functions make more since with what they do.
- RCBasic_Android_Interface was changed to Android_JNI_Message.
- RCBasic_IOS_Interface was replaced with Runtime_Utility_Message. It still does the same thing but can be used on any platform without having to modify rcbasic_build.
- There are over 20 new functions
- write, getglobalmouse, globalmousex, globalmousey, getaccel, accelname, numaccels, getgyro, gyroname, numgyros, joyrumbleplay, joyrumblestop, joystickishaptic, writebytebuffer, readbytebuffer, windowevent_resize, setwindowautoclose, setwindowresizable, systemreturnstdout, windowmode, windowflags, restorewindow, updateallwindows, queryaudiospec
- You can now declare multiple variables and arrays with DIM by separating them with a comma.
- You can make multi-line comments. Look in the documentation on comments to see how that works.
- FOR loops were completely overhauled.
- They will no longer loop until the end condition but instead will only loop when between the start and end conditions.
- You can now use arrays as counters in your loop.
- You can now use offset index in a ByRef argument as a counter your loop.
- ByRef arguments can now be passed as an offset index from an array.
Here is an example of what that looks like:
Sub test(ByRef a)
Print a[2]
End Sub
dim x[5]
x[3] = 99
test(x[1]) 'This will output 99
- There were a few bad links in the manual that were fixed.
- You can now put INCLUDE ONCE in a file so that it will only be included once in your build no matter how many other files try to include it. This can be really useful for when you are making a library that makes lots of references to the same files.
- You can now add a number after END to specify the exit code you want your program to end with.
- The CONST keyword was added to allow you to make constant. Constants in RCBasic are constant expressions rather than constant values. Here is an example of how that works:
const my_constant=5
const alt_print=print 'Anything that RCBasic can generate a token for can be put in a constant
- You now have the ability to use environment variables in an INCLUDE string. Here is an example of how that works:
'In this include we are using a environment variable we made prior to compiling called my_lib_path
Include "${my_lib_path}/my_file.bas"
- New constants for different window flags were added - WINDOW_VISIBLE, WINDOW_HIDDEN, WINDOW_FULLSCREEN, WINDOW_RESIZABLE, WINDOW_BORDERLESS, WINDOW_HIGHDPI. You can combine the with OrBit() but it is recommended to just use the WindowMode() function.
- Finally, one of the biggest changes with this release is the inclusion of distribution tool and the android apk tool. You can now choose what platforms you want to port to by selecting "Distribute your program" from the build menu. From that tool you will also be able to adjust various settings on your app including setting your keystore if you are trying to publish to google play or amazon app store. You will even be able to generate a template java file for adding java code to your project on android.
BUG FIXES- Fixed a bug that would cause INCLUDE to fail it was the last line in a file.
- Fixed a bug that would cause android to render a black screen if the app entered the background.
- Box(), BoxFill(), Rect(), and RectFill() now draw the rectangle at the appropriate size.
- Touch events are now reported properly when multiple fingers are pressed.
- Variables that are local to functions are now pushed onto the stack on recursive calls. ( Note: Arrays are not so they will keep there values on subsequent calls ).
- FPS() now has its own internal timer for each window.
- A Delay was added to Update() to decrease CPU intensity.
- ArraySize() and ArrayDim() are now parsed like normal functions rather than macros.
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Post by johnno56 on Aug 3, 2021 7:33:25 GMT -6
Well... Look likes I have a LOT of reading to catch up on. That is quite a bit or work! Well done!!
Is it too soon to request a tiny feature for the next release? A neural interface... My typing skills are equivalent to a drunken monkey wearing boxing gloves... If that's too much then perhaps a natural voice recognition system... Always wanted one of those since 1993 but were far too expensive... Oh dear... Rambling again... Either too tired or lacking in caffeine...
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Post by n00b on Aug 3, 2021 11:44:57 GMT -6
I would recommend using the online manual available on this forum for the time being. I am still in the process of improving the documentation so I will be updating that one regularly. A lot of new stuff went into this release and I did the bare minimum on providing examples for some of it.
Also, I dropped support for any linux distro's released earlier than Ubuntu 20.04. This is also most likely the last release that will have 32-bit support as no major linux distro I know of is still supporting 32-bit architecture in there official releases.
It's funny that you mentioned voice recognition because I was actually thinking about adding voice recording in this release but I would have had to push this release off until the end of the year or possibly next year.
Also, if you want access to all the new tools on linux then make sure you run the rcbasic_geany_config.sh script or you can just put the new filetypes.rcbasic file in your geany filedefs folder and rename it to filetypes.freebasic like before. I have put a lot of work into making it easier for developers to port there code to other platforms when would really like some feedback on how well those tools work. I made it a goal to write all those tools in rcbasic to make it easy for others to study and/or modify them as much as they want.
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Post by rosy on Aug 3, 2021 14:42:29 GMT -6
Is the mouse scaling to the window already?
Will programs written on the old version work on the new version?
All the linuxes that I have used recently are still 32-bit versions: Debian, MX, Sparky, Bunsenlabs ...
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Post by n00b on Aug 3, 2021 15:49:15 GMT -6
Is the mouse scaling to the window already? The mouse position should be getting reported correctly. Let me know if you run into any issues with that. Will programs written on the old version work on the new version? You will have to change some of your code. If you were using any of these functions then check the documentation on them and make the neccesary changes: * WindowOpen * WriteLine * Replace * ReplaceSubstr Everything else should be the same. All the linuxes that I have used recently are still 32-bit versions: Debian, MX, Sparky, Bunsenlabs ... I can't comment on the last 3 but Debian does not have updated SDL2 libraries. I wasn't able to build this current version for 32-bit with updated SDL2 libraries which wasn't too big of a deal right now because a lot of the newer features I was using was specific to android so it will depend on what features I choose to add in the future. More than likely I will only be doing bug fixes for the next year so it probably won't be a problem. |
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Post by johnno56 on Aug 3, 2021 16:52:28 GMT -6
Ah. Ahead of you on the manual. I only access the manual via online and have done so for some years now... After installing "Pi" I also ran the geany config...
So far, the only issue I seem to have, is forgetting to add the vsync parameter to my existing code... lol
Interface and voice additions are part of a wish-list... and should not be take seriously... Back in my "Windows days" (pre 2005) I had voice control software installed. Very limited commands and required some time to "train" the program... which reminds me of...
1993 is a reference to a PC Show that was held here in Melbourne. Voice Recognition was being demonstrated. The unfortunate problem - a DOS application. The demonstrator, confident in the programs ability to accept any voice, made a serious mistake. He gave the microphone to a young man. Most of the people there were nerds... He spoke as clearly as he could... "Format C Enter". When the PC displayed the message "Are you sure?"... He replied, "Y"... End of demonstration. The young man continued his tour of the show... Everyone else just chuckled and moved on... So funny... But probably not so much for the demonstrator...
Obviously my system has been compromised... Levels of caffeine are dangerously low... as is evident by the recent bout of nostalgia...
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Post by bethleem on Aug 7, 2021 3:45:19 GMT -6
What about android target? It seems to be disappear from the download section...
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Post by rosy on Aug 7, 2021 8:18:15 GMT -6
Starteditor throws "no geanyportable." Error. In windows 7
Probably wrong path, 2x wants to enter the directory "rcbasic_win"
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Post by n00b on Aug 7, 2021 10:23:31 GMT -6
What about android target? It seems to be disappear from the download section... Under the build menu in geany click the "Distribute Your Program" option. You need to make sure you have followed all the instructions in Setup_Instructions.txt for setting up for Android.  Starteditor throws "no geanyportable." Error. In windows 7 Probably wrong path, 2x wants to enter the directory "rcbasic_win" I am not sure why that is happenning but I never tested I never tested it in windows 7. You should be able to get it to work by following these instructions: 1. Download this file: rcbasic_win.zip (3.2 KB) 2. Open filetypes.freebasic 3. On lines 78 and 81, change [RCBASIC_INSTALL_DIR] to the location you have rcbasic extracted to. 4. Save the file and inside your rcbasic directory, place it in the Geany\Data\settings\filedefs folder. 5. Place the start_ed.bat file at the base of your rcbasic install directory (ie. where start_editor.exe is at) 6. Run start_ed.bat |
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Post by rosy on Aug 7, 2021 14:20:40 GMT -6
i have:
FT_01_CM=rcbasic "C:\\Users\\omega\\Desktop\\rcbasic_313\\rcbasic_win\\rcbasic\\tools\\dist\\rcbasic_android\\gen_key\\gen_key"
FT_01_WD=
FT_02_LB=Distribute Your Program
FT_02_CM=rcbasic "C:\\Users\\omega\\Desktop\\rcbasic_313\\rcbasic_win\\rcbasic\\tools\\dist\\app_build_gui" "%d" "%f"
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Post by n00b on Aug 7, 2021 22:01:37 GMT -6
rosy Are those tools working for you?
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Post by rosy on Aug 8, 2021 7:15:33 GMT -6
I changed these paths, copied start_ed.bat from version 3.13, editor started, compiler probably too, I haven't tested any further.
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Post by aurel on Aug 8, 2021 10:44:57 GMT -6
I can say only that when i fixed path in my AurelEdit_RCB version all things work fine on
my windows 7 computer
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Post by rosy on Aug 18, 2021 13:49:11 GMT -6
I decided to test it in Linux MX 19. The installation was not so easy, e.g. hidden files were treated as if they were not there at all. Another problem - I had programs on a FAT32 disk with a .BAS suffix - Geany wouldn't compile them, because they had to have .bas, and it turned out that in FAT32 you can't just change BAS to bas.
I don't like that old programs have to be patched with WindowsOpen. There should be a separate command to change the VSYNC mode.
And NOTE: The game PING-PONG does not work properly. Under Linux the racket definitely does not follow the mouse pointer and the game is not playable. It also does not play music from a .MID file.
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Post by n00b on Aug 19, 2021 15:02:15 GMT -6
I decided to test it in Linux MX 19. The installation was not so easy, e.g. hidden files were treated as if they were not there at all. Another problem - I had programs on a FAT32 disk with a .BAS suffix - Geany wouldn't compile them, because they had to have .bas, and it turned out that in FAT32 you can't just change BAS to bas. That is a geany specific issue. RCBasic itself is just a command-line program so you can use it with any editor you want if you don't like geany. I don't like that old programs have to be patched with WindowsOpen. There should be a separate command to change the VSYNC mode. In SDL2, the VSYNC option is set when the renderer for a window is created so it had to be part of the WindowOpen() command. And NOTE: The game PING-PONG does not work properly. Under Linux the racket definitely does not follow the mouse pointer and the game is not playable. Can you let me know what version of SDL2 is installed on your machine? I have heard that there were some issues with the latest version of SDL2. It also does not play music from a .MID file. If you are porting to the web, it will only play *.ogg and *.wav files. |
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