Beta BASIC Opus Discovery 3.0D

[PeterJ]

I received this enquiry via email. Let me know if you can help. Thanks.

Peter

I’m an old user of Spectrum and Beta Basic. Now, I still use them with the emulator Fuse for Mac. I’m desperately looking for the version of Beta Basic 3.0 (&/or 4.0) adapted to the Opus Discovery Disc System. Its name was Beta Basic 3.0D. Could you help me, or know somebody who could ? Many thanks in advance !

[+3code]

https://trastero.speccy.org/cosas/FLeon/Betab30d.zip

From El Trastero del Spectrum web. It's a hack of the 3.0D demo version published in a disk magazine, but is the same.

Edit: seems they launched a 4.0D too, aparently.

[PeterJ]

Thank @+3code. I will let him know.

[zx_if1]

Hello
I'm happy for that
Now I have to say about it

BB30D has some interesting sentences

Endif
Syntax: IF XX: Sentences: ENDIF

10 If XX
20 Sentences
30 Endif

is an IF multilines but without Else or Elseif

Default.

Select the drive to be used by default
Default = M - select the drive 1
Default = M1 - The same
Default = M2 - drive 2
Default = T - Select tapes

This allows Cat, Save, Load, Verify, Merge or Erase
without the parameter of drive

Add too:

Save x to y; {drive;} "name"
Save fragments of the list to disc

Save Data {drive;} "Name"
Save only the variables of the program

EOF (x)
It works to capture the end of a sequential file

Using$, char and number
They can be used with sequential or direct files

On Error captures disc errors

Now with a 128K or +2
Type first USR 0 in 128k
load now the BB30D

type now format 6, "ramdisc"
Then type default=M6
and ready you can use the beta basic 3 with the RAM disc

[morane]

@ zx_if1

Hi. I repeat here the private message I sent you:

" I just download BB30D.opd for Opus Discovery on the site of Trasteros del Spectrum (page of Fleon). I wished this program to be able to use Beta Basic with the emulator Fuse for Mac en 48k mode. I knew that it was a demo hacked, but it doesn’t work for me. I can run the demo, and even enter the program with a BREAK and tape commands in Beta Basic that work, but it doesn’t accept any program line that I type in. I get the message Non sense in Basic. Is there something to do first that I don’t know ? I would be very happy to have a version that truly runs, because Spectrum + BB + Opus seems to me the best of Sinclair. Thanks in advance.

Very best regards. "

[morane]

I must add that I know the use of Opus Discovery, because I got one in the 80’s. I still have the user manual .

[zx_if1]

Hello
in my opd version exist the files

bb30demo
BB30D
betabasicdemo
excom
readme

you need Load *1,"BB30D"
ask you with
"Drive #?" you press 1 to load it

BB30d is the full version not demo
I use that
you can load all you want
type and save all you like

[+3code]

Gracias, nice work. I love your texts, an unvaluable source of information.

[+3code]

Only to complete the information (for no Spanish-speakers): a "demo version" was published in an Opus disk magazine (issue 22) from an users club called SDC (Spectrum Discovery Club). The disk images are from the Hal Varese website. That "demo version" was really the normal version but with a few POKEs placed in the loader file to disable some features.

So F. León reverted those POKEs to obtain this version. A great work. Tnks.

[zx_if1]

Hi +3code

yes I fiound the hal varese web and download these opd files
when I find the BB30d demo was a real surprise to me
I search next how modify it and the answer was the bb3 manual that ask you POKEd the program if you want give a bb3 program to a friend. I PEEK in these address and find that I want
the next was history

Now you can save an ordinary bb3 tape versio to disk
but you obtain:
no ENDIF
DEFAULT no work good
Cat no work... only if you type as CAT "m",1
not SAVE slicing programs
nor SAVE DATA variables only
You have type the OPUS Disc syntax
ON ERROR no capture disk errors
any disk error and the BB3 go OFF
thats it

[+3code]

Sadly they never released a +3 version, none of the best alternative BASICs (Beta BASIC, MegaBASIC, Laser BASIC) has a +3 version. Sad.

[zx_if1]

About +3
I do a curious experiment to try
I copy the bb4 with multiface 128 to tape
next I load that tape into a +3 and next use M3 to save a copy to disk
you have because that a bb4 working in a+3 but...
without PLAY only BEEP and BEEP!
neither RAM disc CAT! can crashed all

is more a very tape version of the bb4 as a bb3 with all extra bb4 sentences

you can use that tape with +2a and +d too
well I try it all in REALS emulator and work ok

I dont know if anybody do that before
I write about it all in el trastero if anybody want look it

[+3code]

The Outlet Magazine published too something: https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/2 ... ectrum/BB3

But it's a real pain to use it. A pity 8 P

[zx_if1]

Hi
try my version of copy bb4 to use into +3
then tell me your oppinion about it
maybe I try the outlet version and next write my conclusions of it

[+3code]

A +3 version without "native" disk access is a bit pointless (to me). I tried time ago your Logo, attempting to load the source codes from disk (https://foro.speccy.org/viewtopic.php?f ... 585#p53585), it looked more promising, but actually I've not very much time to all that experiments.

Tnks

[morane]

Thanks Francis ! Now 3.0D works fine !

[morane]

Hi. Some questions to zx_if1 :

1. Does BB30D run on the 128 K ?
2. In my opd version exist the files:

BB30demo
BB
BB30D
BBd.cod
demo.bb3
excom
readme

in yours:

BB30demo
BB30D
betabasicdemo
excom
readme

I suppose demo.bb3 = betabasicdemo. But what is BB ? and what is Bbd.cod ? what is loaded from Drive #1 ?

3. How to use excom ?

4. Finally, what files are really essential ?

Many thanks

[zx_if1]

Ok
bb3demo is the original program I found in an opd file
BB is the original machine code for BB3demo not patched
I POKEd it and modify to create BB30D as basic loader
BBd.cod is the machine code BetaBasic program loaded by bb30d
BB30d is the correct and functional BB 30d for Opus
demo.bb3 is the program that is loaded by bb3demo to exemplarize the Bb features

about excom
you need load leer.bas that is a basic program that explained about excom and the way to use it

essential only BB30D... is all that you need LOAD

[morane]

OK

[zx_if1]

hi morane
yes and not

you can use bb3 with 128k but no in 128k basic
you insert the bb3 disk
next in 128k basic you type usr 0 ( never 48 basic from menu nor specttrum command -- only usr 0)
once in basic 48k you LOAD BB30D
then you type FORMAT 6,"RAMDISC"
following of DEFAULT=m6 if you want
and you have BB30D + 128k RAMdisc in 48k mode
you have not CAT! or SAVE! but
you can do CAT 6 or CAT only if you default to m6
in this way you can copy or save ramdisk to disk or inverse
SAVE LOAD MERGE ERASE MOVE all to RAMdisc operations added to opus disc too
is a good replace to BB4d

[morane]