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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Permission sought for distributing your MMBasic games

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thwill

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Joined: 16/09/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4026
Posted: 04:05pm 17 Nov 2024
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Hi folks,

I'm still alive and making an asymptotic approach to unveiling MMB4L v0.7-alpha.1, I won't say when since I've missed a couple of intended release dates already .

I would like to accompany the release with a (separate) archive of programs (games) I have tweaked to work with it and would thus like permission from their authors to include the following:

- @Geoffg
    - Pico-Blocks
    - Pico-Man

- @LeoNicolas  
    - Knightmare

- @Martin H
    - 3D Maze
    - 3D Monster Maze
    - Gems-N-Rocks
    - Pico-Frog
    - Pico-Vaders

- @Volhout
    - Circle One
    - Flappy Bird
    - PETSCII Robots

I am aware that at least two of these are not considered "complete" by their authors, but that doesn't bother me if it doesn't bother them.

Best wishes,

Tom
Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures
 
Geoffg

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Joined: 06/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 3194
Posted: 09:04pm 17 Nov 2024
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OK with me.
Geoff
Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net
 
Martin H.

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Joined: 04/06/2022
Location: Germany
Posts: 1113
Posted: 04:57am 18 Nov 2024
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Hello Tom,
that's ok for me
'no comment
 
Volhout
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Joined: 05/03/2018
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 4212
Posted: 06:17am 18 Nov 2024
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Hi Tom,
I feel honoured. Yes, you have my blessing.

Volhout
PicomiteVGA PETSCII ROBOTS
 
Quazee137

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Joined: 07/08/2016
Location: United States
Posts: 567
Posted: 07:25pm 18 Nov 2024
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Eagerly awaiting MMB4L v0.7-alpha.1


 THANKS for this work.

 Quazee137
 
Volhout
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Joined: 05/03/2018
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 4212
Posted: 07:25am 19 Nov 2024
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Tom,

Using MMB4L 0.6 every day now. Very stable. Looking forward to graphics in 0.7, although 0.6 is a big help. Especially since it is very compatible with pico when used without graphics. I can develop the core algorithmms in MMB4L then simple port to pico. Then add UI.

For one project I ported from MMB4L to DOS MMBasic. But then there where some commands missing (i.e. CHOICE, INC) in the DOS version. And the syntax for opening serial ports was different. the DOS version strictly uses the DOS format OPEN COMx:baud,n,8,1 and without parameters the port is in 7 bits. MMB4L defaults to 8 bits, and can use ODD/EVEN.

It would have been easier to port to MMB4W I guess. But MMB4W is a real power beast. It empties my laptop battery in 1.5 hours. This may be related to the graphics framerate Peter wants to achieve. Not suitible for sessions in a certification lab (needs minimum 4 hours shifts). But it is fine on ta desktop.

I am curious how power hungry MMB4L 0.7 will be ..

Volhout
Edited 2024-11-19 17:35 by Volhout
PicomiteVGA PETSCII ROBOTS
 
thwill

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Joined: 16/09/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4026
Posted: 01:41pm 19 Nov 2024
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Hi @GeoffG, @Martin H & @Volhout,

Thanks for the permissions, I will try to do them justice.

  Quazee137 said  Eagerly awaiting MMB4L v0.7-alpha.1


Thank you for the encouragement.

  Volhout said  Using MMB4L 0.6 every day now. Very stable. Looking forward to graphics in 0.7, although 0.6 is a big help. Especially since it is very compatible with pico when used without graphics. I can develop the core algorithmms in MMB4L then simple port to pico. Then add UI.


I'm pleased it is working out for you.

  Volhout said  And the syntax for opening serial ports was different. the DOS version strictly uses the DOS format OPEN COMx:baud,n,8,1 and without parameters the port is in 7 bits. MMB4L defaults to 8 bits, and can use ODD/EVEN.


I think the syntax and defaults match the CMM2, or possibly the PicoMite, whichever was my muse at the time. If not then let me know and I will dig further.

  Volhout said  This may be related to the graphics framerate Peter wants to achieve. Not suitible for sessions in a certification lab (needs minimum 4 hours shifts). But it is fine on ta desktop.

I am curious how power hungry MMB4L 0.7 will be ..


As I recall MMB4W thrashes the processor like a high-performance videogame even when sitting at the BASIC prompt. MMB4L v0.6.0 is more forgiving using only (on my laptop) a small fraction of the CPU time under those circumstances; this may simply be because MMB4L briefly sleeps its process if the program asks for an input character and none is available. In addition MMB4L will often make a series of micro sleeps when you use the PAUSE command whereas I think MMB4W just spins the processor.

In theory with MMB4L v0.7.0 provided you don't use the graphics (or audio) it should not be any more "power hungry" than v0.6.0. However if you start the graphics up then I suspect it will be similar to MMB4W unless you have some PAUSEs in your code.

Note that a significant way that MMB4L v0.7.0 will differ from MMB4W is that it continues to use the Linux terminal as its console instead of creating a graphics window for that purpose; currently PRINT will always go to the console and you need to use TEXT to write to a window. Working with it is a bit like using a serial terminal (the console) connected to a Pico with an LCD (the graphics window).

Best wishes,

Tom
Edited 2024-11-20 00:07 by thwill
Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures
 
Volhout
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Joined: 05/03/2018
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 4212
Posted: 02:06pm 19 Nov 2024
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Hi Tom,

Opening serial ports:

MMB4L synctax is similar to picomite. Only you use /dev/ttyUSBx in stead of COMx, and lacks the INV option. B.t.w. I run MMB4L at 921600 baud and no issues.
DOS MMBasic tries to mimic MSDOS/GWBASIC syntax, that is strict in single character definitions.

MMB4L:



Volhout
Edited 2024-11-20 00:07 by Volhout
PicomiteVGA PETSCII ROBOTS
 
JohnS
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Joined: 18/11/2011
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3797
Posted: 02:20pm 19 Nov 2024
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Is the part "If any one parameter is left out ..." correct?

I'm thinking it ought to be OK to omit params so long as the right number of commas are used for MMB4L to cope.

John
 
thwill

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Joined: 16/09/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4026
Posted: 02:35pm 19 Nov 2024
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  JohnS said  Is the part "If any one parameter is left out ..." correct?

I'm thinking it ought to be OK to omit params so long as the right number of commas are used for MMB4L to cope.


I'm not sure, and to be honest I'm not going to test it just at the moment when there is only one user other than myself who seems quite happy . The difference may be that the comspec$ is a string to be interpreted not a series of MMBasic language tokens.

Best wishes,

Tom
Edited 2024-11-20 00:36 by thwill
Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures
 
JohnS
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Joined: 18/11/2011
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3797
Posted: 02:45pm 19 Nov 2024
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No problem - I was just wondering if the manual needed correcting.

John
 
thwill

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Joined: 16/09/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4026
Posted: 02:55pm 19 Nov 2024
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  JohnS said  No problem - I was just wondering if the manual needed correcting.

John


The image @Volhout posted is from either the CMM2 or PicoMite manual I think, though the MMB4L README says something similar: https://github.com/thwill1000/mmb4l/blob/main/README.md#open

Best wishes,

Tom
Edited 2024-11-20 00:56 by thwill
Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures
 
Volhout
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Location: Netherlands
Posts: 4212
Posted: 02:58pm 19 Nov 2024
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Tom, John,

In Linux you can create an alias for /dev/ttyUSBx using symlinks in /etc/udev/rules.d/
So it is totally possible to create an alias called COM1

Volhout
Edited 2024-11-20 00:59 by Volhout
PicomiteVGA PETSCII ROBOTS
 
LeoNicolas

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Joined: 07/10/2020
Location: Canada
Posts: 479
Posted: 10:02am 20 Nov 2024
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Tom, it's ok for me. My game is to be played  
 
thwill

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Joined: 16/09/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4026
Posted: 10:50am 21 Nov 2024
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Thank you @LeoNicolas, that makes me 4 for 4 on permissions so the ball is all in my court now.

Best wishes,

Tom
Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures
 
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