Spectrum Computing

PeterJ wrote: ↑Sat May 19, 2018 11:36 am Use the Goggle drive link that was provided for SpecBAS. That works fine.

it works but i can't open anything other than the main folders, even when double clicking

Go to Dunnys message on Page 1 where you'll see a box saying 'Whoops there was a problem with the preview' and click on the Download button. It does work, I just tested it. You'll be presented with a file called SpecBas .zip

ZXDunny wrote: ↑Sat May 19, 2018 9:59 am

MrPixel wrote: ↑Fri May 18, 2018 10:56 pm No luck. the site gives me a 404 error for the windows version.

Is that for Boriel's ZXBASIC or my SpecBAS?

your specbas

Yeah, I'm not seeing the problem tbh. It's right there in the post. As said, you need to download the zip file, if the embedded gdrive plugin confuses you.

ZXDunny wrote: ↑Sun May 20, 2018 9:01 am Yeah, I'm not seeing the problem tbh. It's right there in the post. As said, you need to download the zip file, if the embedded gdrive plugin confuses you.

i got it from a different site. works great

MrPixel wrote: ↑Tue May 22, 2018 2:19 am

ZXDunny wrote: ↑Sun May 20, 2018 9:01 am Yeah, I'm not seeing the problem tbh. It's right there in the post. As said, you need to download the zip file, if the embedded gdrive plugin confuses you.

i got it from a different site. works great

Then yours is out of date

MrPixel wrote: ↑Fri May 18, 2018 10:56 pm No luck. the site gives me a 404 error for the windows version.

Try this link:
drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0B6gXsz43xir_eV9JbWhUZ1Rxc0k

got it. i don;t see the point though.

What point is it that you don't see? This is a polite enquiry NOT a sarcastic remark!

The point of not using an out of date version?
Because if so, you should realize that SpecBAS is under development, it keeps getting better and the more people try it and ask questions about 'how do I do this' or 'why is this happening?' then the better it will get.

The point of using it at all?
Well I'm doing my best to come to grips with it because it resembles Sinclair Basic which is a huge relief if you're used to using that Basic. Want to find out how bloody awful a Basic dialect can be? Try VisualBasic if its even still around and hasnt been burnt at the stake.

If you do have some familiarity with Sinclair Basic, if perhaps you always wanted to get more out of it without having to resort to learning machine code, SpecBAS gives you that sort of power and speed.

If you go to the SpecBAS website:-
http://www.zxspectrum4.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=6
you can see various tutorials and examples which are, in my opinion, pretty convincing demonstrations of what can be done with it.

I'd be the first to admit that I'm having a wee bit of a struggle getting to grips with it but I've gotten lots of help from Paul Dunn who created it and ASH-II who seems to be involved with getting BASin to work with it - I might not be right about the details but he's been very helpful to me. It would be great if more people got involved as we can all help each other. Cheers Mike.

Could there be an export to tape?

Hikoki are you asking me that question?

Because if so I don't understand it. All I can say is that I save my files without extensions EG:- Save "tank4' and then open that with Notepad set to Allfiles and then I can paste the code here or wherever.

Also- ONLY if its Sinclair Basic commands not any of the extended functions - I can load it into an emulator such as BASin and then save it as a snapshot. Import the snapshot into an emulator that will save to tape! A rather convoluted process and I'm sure you'll get a better answer from someone more knowledgeable!

However the really important point is that SpecBAS output really isn't meant to be run on any Spectrum or clone, its solely for PC use only. That doesnt mean that its impossible to use strictly Sinclair Basic commands to create a program to be used on a Speccy or emulator thereof but its kind of pointless.

Better is the other way round. You can take a Sinclair Basic program thats dreadfully slow and import it into SpecBAS and see it fly. Bear in mind the obvious pitfalls though, such as the different PLOT and PRINT positions, a few similar differences and addresses if you're POKEing or PEEKing, stuff like that but theoretically it can be done. I'd wait for Dunny or ASH-II to comment though because I'm not sure about what I've said.

I mean most of us are more interested in the original machine so it would be great to translate SpecBas code to machine code. Anyways I'll play with SpecBas eventually.

Yeah, taking SpecBAS code and translating it to z80 won't happen. Unless your BASIC code strictly only uses commands and functions from Sinclair BASIC would that work and tbh you'd be better off pasting it into BASin. If you use any of SpecBAS's other strengths - sprites, 256 colour graphics, updated commands and functions then I'm afraid that even tightly coded z80 won't run at any acceptable speed.

llewelyn is correct - it's great for running slow Sinclair BASIC code blisteringly fast, but nothing more speccy-related than that.

(unless you're in it for the nostalgia of coding in BASIC like the 80s, but with modern speeds).

well one idea would be to create a subset of different Basic commands : Sinclair Basic, Boriel, compilable SpecBas, full SpecBas. So the IDE could be set to work only on either of these modes. The ultimate tool for all the Speccy Basic dialects.
Who knows if this could be useful to code in fast Basic right from some bare emulator for the Pi.. perhaps using two Pis communicating with each other.. I know, these things probably won't happen..

hikoki wrote: ↑Thu May 24, 2018 8:24 pmI know, these things probably won't happen..

And you'd be right!

ZXDunny wrote: ↑Fri May 25, 2018 12:12 am

hikoki wrote: ↑Thu May 24, 2018 8:24 pmI know, these things probably won't happen..

And you'd be right!

No worries! if the IDE is as good as Basin it'll be useful to throw any Sinclair Basic program to see how could be expanded in a feasible compiled version. Trying to find a SpecBas <-> ZXBasic workflow looks like fun to me.