Author Topic: MLC 68k (Read 26478 times)

bfr · « **on:** September 16, 2006, 06:08:00 am »

Well, I'm going to try to make a version of MLC for 68k calculators. Unfortunately, I don't know 68k assembly very well, and to my knowledge, that is the only way to make a 68k Flash App. I do know C though, and I can still make MLC in it, but it probably will be just a tiny bit slower, and not a Flash Applications. I am really busy during the week, and am kind of busy on the weekend, so unfortunately, progress is going to be really slow. Also, since this is another thing to work on, this probably will slow down progress on Omnimaga - The RPG (btw I've gotten some awesome tiles for it, but I'm asking permission to use them).

EDIT: I decided to post a summary of the progress here

Progress:

Parsers: 3/5
Commands: 1/20
Variables/VAT: 2/5

Plan (note that the order may change, some steps may be combined and intertwined, etc.):

- Finish parsers and VATs; will take *some* time

- Add many commands; will take *some* time

- Talk to programmers of MLC for Casio calculators, and try to fix any incompatibilities; won't take too long

- Beta testing and optimization;

-- Release MLC 68K 1 -> Hopefully by the end of the summer of 2007, maybe sooner or later

- Finish the MLC converter; will take quite a while

- Finish MLC sprite and tile-map editor; will take a while

- Work on an editor for MLC 68K 2; will also take a while

- Slightly change the parsing of MLC commands to work with editor, thus creating smaller and faster programs; won't take very long

- Possibly make new commands...any suggestions?

-- Release MLC 68K 2 -> Hopefully by end of the summer of 2008, maybe later

Liazon · « **Reply #1 on:** September 16, 2006, 07:15:00 am »

I think what you need is to design MLC 68k to be like PreOS and HW3_Patch, I forget the term, but it means that it's a program that's kind of always running in the background.

It should probably act like a parser like xlib.

DJ Omnimaga · « **Reply #2 on:** September 16, 2006, 07:55:00 am »

that sound nice, I hope you can manage to do it ^^

Demon · « **Reply #3 on:** September 16, 2006, 08:11:00 am »

QUOTE

I think what you need is to design MLC 68k to be like PreOS and HW3_Patch, I forget the term, but it means that it's a program that's kind of always running in the background.

TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident), I think, is the word you may be looking for - correct me if I'm wrong.

Liazon · « **Reply #4 on:** September 16, 2006, 12:24:00 pm »

ya, that's what I meant, TSR. iirc, if it's a TSR, it's not really an APP, but you still will need to do it mostly in ASM.

Do 68k flash apps still need to be sent to TI in order to be signed, or did they release the app signer? Kevin Kofler told me that TIGCC does not support apps though.

DJ Omnimaga · « **Reply #5 on:** September 17, 2006, 02:25:00 am »

i think it should be made a normal program, in C if possible. of course you can add your asm knowledge too if you desire

bfr · « **Reply #6 on:** September 22, 2006, 12:25:00 pm »

Since this should probably go in this thread...

QuoteBegin-Liazon+-->

QUOTE (Liazon)

perhaps require a special MLC heading so that MLC games can still be made with the basic editor. MLC will have to search for basic programs with these headers. This alone may be enough

Actually, there is already a special header (which is "MLC:", without the quotes). Also, at the moment, the user can edit MLC programs in the text editor or the TI-BASIC editor. But I might end up choosing one or the other. What would you all prefer? The text editor or the TI-BASIC editor?

Liazon · « **Reply #7 on:** September 23, 2006, 03:05:00 am »

That's a good question. I've never programmed much in 89 basic, so I dunno. Is there an advantage for one or the other, and how come the AMS allows you to use both??

bfr · « **Reply #8 on:** September 23, 2006, 05:33:00 am »

Well, the text editor is kind of like the TI-BASIC editor; naturally, it would let me use either one. I think TIGCC has some functions specifically for the text editor though, so I might use the text editor, but on the other hend, I might not even need those functions. For now though, MLC 68K programs are planned to be edited in the text editor.

bfr · « **Reply #9 on:** September 23, 2006, 09:41:00 am »

MLC 68K now detects MLC programs.

Here is a screenshot:

user posted image

Right now, the only way to run an MLC program is as an argument. I'll work on the other stuff later, such as letting MLC programs be selected from a list and ran.

Liazon · « **Reply #10 on:** September 23, 2006, 12:02:00 pm »

awesomeness!!! I knew you could do it.

bfr · « **Reply #11 on:** September 23, 2006, 02:10:00 pm »

QuoteBegin-elfprince13+-->

QUOTE (elfprince13)

@bfr: contact me if you need help with a parser. I can't code the routines to handle the commands, but I can help with some basic stuff like the parsing itself and probably control structures.

I've come to that part. All MLC commands are prefixed with "#", and probably for a reason They probably tell the parser the difference between a command and a variable. So, I guess the parse should check for "#" first, and then if it encouters it, then it should compare it to a list of commands or something, or else, treat it as a variable or something. Hmmm...variables will be interesting. I'll have to make my own variable-allocation table or something...or ues TI-BASIC variables, which might be slower to access.

DJ Omnimaga · « **Reply #12 on:** September 23, 2006, 04:17:00 pm »

sound nice, keep in mind if you use the #$%&@ char you'Ll need alternative for z80 version as those cant be accessed from BASIC editor

bfr · « **Reply #13 on:** September 23, 2006, 04:34:00 pm »

Hmmm...this poses some complications for the TI-83+ version. Should all of the versions be changed, or should their be a convereter that converts the "#" to whatever the TI-83+ would use?

EDIT: This is starting to get a bit off-topic of MLC 68K, but I guess it's fine if we get back on topic soon.....

Ranman · « **Reply #14 on:** September 23, 2006, 04:42:00 pm »

The TI BASIC editor may impose other limitations too -- I don't know.

If you go with the text editor, then you may not have any limitations.

Author Topic: MLC 68k (Read 26478 times)

Liazon

Demon

Liazon

Liazon

Liazon