DotBASIC Plus released for the C64 (fwd)

[RobertB]

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
From:    Dave Moorman
Date:    Tue, March 17, 2009 5:29 pm
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Finally, DotBASIC Plus is ready for distribution! We have a web site where the manual and D81s can be downloaded for just $10. A CD-ROM and a color-printed manual are also available...

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LOADSTAR is pleased to offer the ultimate software development package for the Commodore 64: DotBASIC Plus.  DB+ provides the means to create sophisticated, modern-looking programs in BASIC and is at the same time perfect for the programming novice.

Included with DotBASIC Plus is a 80-page reference guide.  The guide includes detailed DotCommand descriptions, as well as an extensive series of tutorials, screenshots, reference charts, and a complete index.

Features:
• Over 100 new DotCommands added to BASIC, including a powerful do loop, commands for stashing/restoring memory, playing SID music, and displaying custom character sets, sprites, and hi-res graphics.
• Programs written with DotBASIC Plus automatically support a mouse in port 1 and a joystick in port 2.
• Easily create windows, drop-down menus, even scrolling menus and text boxes.
• Easily extendable.  New DotCommands can easily be created and added to the DotBASIC library.  The manual includes a chapter on this.
• DB+ includes a suite of impressive design tools to help you create custom screens, sprites, and text files.

DotBASIC Plus is very affordable and can be purchased at

http://8bitcentral.com/dotbasic

On the website, you can learn more about DB+, see screenshots, download sample DB+ programs, and read an excerpt from the manual.  A forum has also been created where DotBASIC users (and the merely curious) can ask questions, read tutorials, and download updates.

We all know that the C-64 is the ultimate hobbyist computer.  At LOADSTAR, we believe that DotBASIC Plus is the ultimate hobbyist computer language.  Join us at http://8bitcentral.com/dotbasic and make the power and sophistication of DotBASIC Plus your own.

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Dave Moorman and Alan Reed

[SmallCleverDinosaur]

This looks impressive And $10 is probably a bargain.

Robert, do you know anything more about DB+ than what can be found on their website? For one thing, it seems to be a compiling language, but they don't mention that anywhere on the site. I downloaded this D64 which contains a set of games. When loading the game "MINESWEEP.PKD" into VICE it only had one line: "10 SYS2061". So it's definitely a ML-program. But how was it created?

Also, the fact that you can run DB+ programs on your C64 without actually owning DB+, makes it quite useful.

[airship]

Oooh...oooh...oooh! I really like the way it uses REM as an INCLUDE statement so you only link the code for the commands you need! This is MUCH more modern and elegant than the old 'include a huge library' method used by many pseudocode compilers.

SmallCleverDinosaur asked his compiler question on the DotBASIC forums and it has been answered: No, it doesn't compile. But you should check out the forums and the other DotBASIC pages for video tutorials and other great info.

This looks like it's more really excellent stuff from LoadStar.

[SmallCleverDinosaur]

This looks like it's more really excellent stuff from LoadStar.

Oh yes, this is a great tool!

If by compiling you mean turn everything into kick-ass ML, the answer is No. DB+ uses BASIC Interpreter techniques -- and relies on BASIC's variable handling. This is really a bear to translate into pure ML.

Our LOADSTAR Philosophy is to use ML where ML is useful -- then script the whole program with DotBASIC. For example, one really does not need ML speed to wait for a keystroke.

DB+ does help with responsiveness with the Do-Loop, probably the single most useful DotCommand! When we use a GOTO to loop back in a program, the BASIC Interpreter has to go to the very beginning of the program and wade through all line numbers up to the one given in the GOTO command. In DB+, the location of the .DO command is stuffed into the processor stack (much like the location of a GOSUB is handled). When .UN or .WH is encountered and the comparison calls for a loop, the location of the .DO is copied off the stack and into the BASIC program counter (and the line number is updated). If loop falls through, the .DO information is purged from the stack.

Mr. Loadstar (Dave Moorman)

Well, DB+ isn't a compiling language, but as you can see it uses the C64 BASIC interpreter as a sort of a runtime module. That together with their Linker and Packer utilities as well as the faster commands (faster than ordinary C64 BASIC, like the Do-Loop) probably makes any program written for the C64 much faster. Even those that doesn't use any DB+ commands. And, it gives you portability, i.e run DB+ programs on C64's that hasn't got DB+.