Author Topic: MLC 68k: Progress (Read 3921 times)

tifreak · « **on:** November 06, 2006, 05:17:00 am »

Our esteemed programmer bfr has been hard at work, slaving away over a hot computer to dish us out some progress on MLC 68k, and he has succeded to get the interpreter to start accepting some commands. Here are some qoutes:

"MLC's first command with an argument, that is at least moderately complicated has been added: STOP! No, it doesn't stop the program or something like I first thought when I was programming in MLC for the TI-86. It stands for STOre Picture. This command stores the current contents of the screen in a buffer that you get to name. w00t, so that means you can do something like this:

#STOP mybuffer

Note that the name can only be up tp 8 characters. This command also doesn't use a complex string parser or anything - it just uses the all of the characters up to a newline or whitespace character, and the maximum is 8. The maximum amount of pictures that one can have is 5, but I can increase that (or decrease that) if you all feel that more (or less) are needed. I'm probably going to increase that amount.

This can be compared to: StorePic 1 in TI-BASIC on the TI-83+, or StoPic mybuffer in TI-BASIC on 68K calculators. The MLC version is better though because it's faster, supports grayscale pictures, and the names don't have to be numbers (on 68K calculators, the names don't have to be numbers either, but...).
"

"I added RCLP, which is like RecallPic in TI-BASIC for the TI-83+ (I think it's RecallPic, isn't it?). RCLP didn't take much work because I basically copied the code from STOP and slightly modified it.

I'm going to try to get a screenshot up of a demo MLC program. It's going to use a command called AAAA which really isn't an MLC command, but it'll be there just for the demo. It just writes some zeros and stuff on the screen. When I finish the TEXT command though, it won't be needed."

There are also four other commands that the interpreter recognizes: CLRS (CLeaR Screen), PAUS (PAUSe), DRAW, and HALT. Here is an explanation of them:

"
CLRS. It clears the screen.

PAUS and DRAW. Commands may also begin with "#" (for compatibility with other versions of MLC) or "|" (for easy access on 68K calculators, but no compatibility. Maybe in the converter, I could make it convert "|" into "#"). PAUS obviously pauses the program, waiting for any key press, not just enter. DRAW updates the screen, because all drawing commands are drawn to hidden buffers. This makes MLC programs automatically double-buffered.

HALT. It stops execution of the program.
"

What awesome progress, keep up the good work!! :king:

Edit: forgot to post the screenshot:

user posted image

necro · « **Reply #1 on:** November 06, 2006, 05:53:00 am »

...maybe it should be STRP instead of STOP...

Netham45 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 06, 2006, 07:54:00 am »

is there an 83+ version of this?

Alex · « **Reply #3 on:** November 06, 2006, 09:54:00 am »

It's time for the 89 to start getting the good stuff
<3 bfr

- Alex

spengo · « **Reply #4 on:** November 06, 2006, 11:03:00 am »

woot- looks like pwnage

Radical Pi · « **Reply #5 on:** November 06, 2006, 11:30:00 am »

Progress is always good. Now make the 83+ version catch up with this!

bfr · « **Reply #6 on:** November 06, 2006, 04:07:00 pm »

QuoteBegin-tifreak8x+-->

QUOTE (tifreak8x)

slaving away over a hot computer

Thanks for posting this, tifreak8x, and thanks for all of the support.

I could make it #STRP, but that would make it not compatible with other versions of MLC. I could make it support both, which would make it slightly slower and larger, or I could just make the MLC converter do a little more work when converting. I'll set up a pole (probably not today though because I really have to get going soon).

I also might include an option that lets MLC programs not have to use #DRAW all of the time to update the screen. It can become a bit (only a bit

) tedious if double-buffering is unneeded but #DRAW still has to be used.

Liazon · « **Reply #7 on:** November 06, 2006, 04:56:00 pm »

Is it possible to get the makers of the other MLC versions to change it?

bfr · « **Reply #8 on:** November 06, 2006, 05:00:00 pm »

I could probably change MLC 88 myself, but I'd have to talk to Madskillz and the maker of the Casio AFX version to get them the change it. It's possible though.

Remember that this would also make older MLC programs not compatible.

tifreak · « **Reply #9 on:** November 07, 2006, 02:38:00 am »

Meh, I don't see what the problem is. I vote leave it as is, since the original ones were that way.

And you are very welcome bfr.

I figured since dragon__lance retired, and xlibman isn't around, it fell to me to start makin the news post... >.<

necro · « **Reply #10 on:** November 07, 2006, 03:39:00 am »

you don't have to change it, it just seems more logical. I hope to see progress!

Author Topic: MLC 68k: Progress (Read 3921 times)

Alex

spengo

Liazon