I'm making this thread for any questions I have while making my AlphaCS shell.


https://sites.google.com/a/pvlearners.net/clrdraw/

First question: I've been considering using ZSTAXE (by thepenguin77) to help me run MirageOS programs. The problem is that my program will be completely dependent on the user having zStart on their calculator. Are there any axioms (or anything that I could use in an Axe program) currently that could help me with this?  If somebody would make me one, I will gladly include them in my credits.

The first thing is that MirageOS provides functions to ASM programs, which functions are directly hard-coded in the shell. The second thing is that MirageOS is an app, so all functions address are relative to $4000 IIRC. So if you don't provide MirageOS functions at the correct addresses, just don't run MirageOS programs.

I wonder if you couldn't just load a RAM page into $4000 ("memory bank A") to somehow get around that. They're just jumps to the corresponding routine.

Another option might be to check if a program is a MirageOS program and if it is, once you've loaded it in RAM, replace all calls (and jps just for good measure) to ion/mirage routines. But that's a bit more complicated 'cuz you could be changing things you don't wanna change (data or even other instructions). But i think in general you won't come across that issue very much. Anyway, you could just subtract $4080 from the call address and check if it's divisible by 3. If it is and less than 113*3 (there are 113 routines listed in mirage.inc, each points to a jp instruction, which is 3 bytes), change it to where you store your jump table. I'm not sure how feasible this is or if it's even possible, but it might be the start of looking for a workaround that doesn't require zStart (which can already run MirageOS programs, so you'd essentially have two shells on your calc ).

I really like the interface to your program, btw. It looks really nice!

I just finished adding custom icons to programs, but my program has gotten so cumbersome that Axe says "APP TOO BIG" and won't compile. I still want to include a simple settings menu and folders. Any tips for optimizing my code?

You could compile as a program and use something like crabcake to allow it to be >8kb

well, I can see a lot of optimisation, especially is some structure like :

If value=0
0->D
Else
1->D
End

wich can be optimisated as :

If value
1
End
->D

every

If value=0
can be change to
!If value

You can is some case use the hl register, like in this case :

value->r1
If r1=-1
...
to :

value->r1
!If +1
...

this is little tips, I will see if more  better optimisations can be done in structure of the program

EDIT : this topic may help you to optimize your code : http://ourl.ca/8520

I'm cutting the embed custom icon feature to have more room in my program (but don't worry, I plan to have it in future versions!), so instead I am going to have default icons for Axe SRC, Basic, ASM, and mirage OS / DoorsCS programs. I am making the Axe SRC icon the same icon doors and mirage use (the axe on top of the black box).

If you have any suggestions for the Basic icon, ASM icon, or mirage OS / DoorsCS icon, please post them here  must be 16 by 16 black and white!

I've been looking into that http://ourl.ca/19799.new;topicseen#new but IDK if I can do it   although Runner112 was still very helpful.