PropBasic - What is the lastest situation please?

tritonium

Hi
On and off I have been playing with propBasic for a while. I use Geanie and PropBasic ver 1.30 Oct xx, 2012 and I've had lots of fun. But a lot seems to have changed and I would like to find out what is the current situation for the lastest build and IDE.
I believe Bean provided a basic IDE to start but then others started to use other editors (Genie Notepad++ etc) and then SimpleIde- PropBasic Studio- OpenSpin.... and different PropBasic versions depending on the compiler used... something about @@@...???
Anyway-
What is the latest combination of IDE/Basic/compiler to use- or hasn't the dust settled yet??
Dave

Bean

Dave,
The latest version of PropBasic is 1.42 the manual for version 1.29 (just bug fixes since 1.29).
I use SimpleIDE by telling it the file is spin and using the attached batch file named "propbasic.bat".

@echo Building %4

@if exist "%~n4.binary" (
    @del "%~n4.binary"
)

@if "%~x4" == ".spin" (
  @bstc %1 %2 %3 %4
  @if exist "%~n4.binary" (
    @echo returning 0
    @exit 0
  ) ELSE (
    @echo returning 1
    @exit 1
  )
)


@if exist "%~n4.err" (
    @del "%~n4.err"
)
@propbasic .\%4 /B
@if not errorlevel 1 (
  @if not exist "%~n4.err" (
    @bstc -b ".\%~n4.spin"
  @if exist "%~n4.binary" (
    @echo returning 0
    @exit 0
  ) ELSE (
    @echo returning 1
    @exit 1
  )
  )
)
@exit 1

Bean

tritonium

Thanks Bean - I had this info (below) from January this year and wanted to be sure there had been no updates since that I might have missed.

You also need to change Tools->Properties->Spin Folder->Spin Compiler to run this batch file (put the batch file in the "Propeller-gcc\bin" folder.
You'll also need BSTC in that folder too.

http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/149659-PropBasic-How-to-use-PropBasic-in-SimpleIDE-!!!/page5

funkheld

hello, good day.


who is this:
DELAYS_LIB.pbas
TX_RX_LIB.pbas

Ok....found.


thanks

andre.nieuwoudt

Hi Bean,

Where are the latest downloads for PropBasic kept, such as the latest version of propbasic.exe and the latest manual (for V 1.29?)? Are they somewhere central?

I see the the V 1.24 of propbasic.zip next to the SimpleIDE screen snip above (is this the latest version?) but I cannot find an attachment for a manual.

Right now there is something WEIRD going on because I cannot see any further than Page 4 on the "PropBasic: How to use PropBasic in SimpleIDE !!!" thread and it seems like the thread already goes beyond Page 100! I'll try again tomorrow.

Regards
Andre

andre.nieuwoudt

My bad, I looked in the zip file and found manual V 1.29 as well :-)

Are Propbasic V 1.42 and manual V 1.29 still the lastest versions?

Brett Weir

Hey @Bean! Tell me the license for PropBASIC so I can provide native support for it in PropellerIDE!

andre.nieuwoudt

Hi Bean,

I have found two separate attachments for V 1.42. In the one attachment (PropBasic_1_42_PC.zip "http://forums.parallax.com/discussion/156252/propbasic-what-is-the-lastest-situation-please") propbasic.exe is 538KB and the other (PropBasic_1_42.zip "http://forums.parallax.com/discussion/149659/propbasic-how-to-use-propbasic-in-simpleide/p1") propbasic.exe is 712KB. Which of these two is actually the correct file?

Cheers
Andre

VonSzarvas

Hi Andre !

Bean posted this "latest manual" a couple days ago. May be newer than what you have.

http://forums.parallax.com/discussion/163347/propbasic-manual#latest

VonSzarvas

Brett Weir wrote: »

Hey @Bean! Tell me the license for PropBASIC so I can provide native support for it in PropellerIDE!

This sounds like amazing news is on it's way !!

Bean

Brett Weir wrote: »

Hey @Bean! Tell me the license for PropBASIC so I can provide native support for it in PropellerIDE!

Brett,
I hadn't really thought about that, but I guess the MIT License would be fine. Same as the OBEX.
Whatever is the easiest for you.
Let me know if there is anything I can do to assist.

Bean

David Betz

Bean wrote: »

Brett Weir wrote: »

Hey @Bean! Tell me the license for PropBASIC so I can provide native support for it in PropellerIDE!

Brett,
I hadn't really thought about that, but I guess the MIT License would be fine. Same as the OBEX.
Whatever is the easiest for you.
Let me know if there is anything I can do to assist.

Bean

Is PropBASIC now open source? Where can I find the source code?

Bean

David,
Does the MIT license mean that I MUST release the source code ?
I am just wondering, I hadn't really planned on releasing the source code, but I can.

What I would like to do is transfer ownership of PropBASIC source code to Parallax if they are interested. So I don't want to make it open source just in case.

Bean

David Betz

Bean wrote: »

David,
Does the MIT license mean that I MUST release the source code ?
I am just wondering, I hadn't really planned on releasing the source code, but I can.

What I would like to do is transfer ownership of PropBASIC source code to Parallax if they are interested. So I don't want to make it open source just in case.

Bean

I'm not sure if you can release binaries under the MIT license. I've only seen it used for source code. Why would making it open source prevent you from transfering it to Parallax? They seem to be using open source for most of their new work anyway.

andre.nieuwoudt

Hi VonSzarvas,

Thanks for the pointer to the latest manual

Regards
Andre

andre.nieuwoudt

Bean, David,

If releasing PropBasic under the MIT license means that we will now have somewhere CENTRAL where we can check for the latest version of PropBasic and the manual as well as a Version History of PropBasic changes, this is an EXCELLENT idea! Perhaps this is just what is required to take PropBasic to the next level as a to-be-take-seriously contender to C and SPIN. Although if I where Bean, I would also be reluctant to make the source code public.

If not, Bean, perhaps you can post the latest versions on the Parallax OBEX?

Or perhaps we can have a single thread dedicated to PropBasic updates?

As I have stated before, the ONLY reason I use and buy propeller chips (take note Parallax) is because of PropBasic and there are many of us who owe Bean a kindness for the development, but trying to find the latest version of something in umpteen threads is really a hit-and-miss affair.

But as so many of us have stated and requested so many times over the years: Please Parallax, get your act together and take over PropBasic!! I understand C is more important to you because of the Arduino threat, but I am sure there are thousands of people who have migrated (or want to migrate) from Basic Stamps or PICBASIC or PICAXE Basic or Basic Micro Basic, etc. etc to Propeller, or Newbies just starting out with a Propeller, who DO NOT WANT TO LEARN SPIN OR C!

Andre

Mickster

andre.nieuwoudt wrote: »

Bean, David,

If releasing PropBasic under the MIT license means that we will now have somewhere CENTRAL where we can check for the latest version of PropBasic and the manual as well as a Version History of PropBasic changes, this is an EXCELLENT idea! Perhaps this is just what is required to take PropBasic to the next level as a to-be-take-seriously contender to C and SPIN. Although if I where Bean, I would also be reluctant to make the source code public.

If not, Bean, perhaps you can post the latest versions on the Parallax OBEX?

Or perhaps we can have a single thread dedicated to PropBasic updates?

As I have stated before, the ONLY reason I use and buy propeller chips (take note Parallax) is because of PropBasic and there are many of us who owe Bean a kindness for the development, but trying to find the latest version of something in umpteen threads is really a hit-and-miss affair.

But as so many of us have stated and requested so many times over the years: Please Parallax, get your act together and take over PropBasic!! I understand C is more important to you because of the Arduino threat, but I am sure there are thousands of people who have migrated (or want to migrate) from Basic Stamps or PICBASIC or PICAXE Basic or Basic Micro Basic, etc. etc to Propeller, or Newbies just starting out with a Propeller, who DO NOT WANT TO LEARN SPIN OR C!

Andre

I totally agree with this entire post. In fact, I was about to propose a "PropBasic Awareness" sticky but I guess this can't happen until PropBasic is officially supported.

I too, am only interested in the Prop, so long as I can use PropBasic.

On another note: I had to smile to myself, the other day when I was looking at some PIC assembly code. They actually use "GOTO" instead of "JMP". :-D

andre.nieuwoudt

Yeah, price to performance to programming nothing beats a Propeller and PropBasic!!!

I have been following the development of PropellerIDE and SimpleIDE and I have tried them both and they show promise. I sincerely hope that one of them comes to fruition because that can then become a "home" for PropBasic.

I am still using (FREE!!) Notepad++ ver. 6.1.8 (old version - the newer versions have a very complex syntax highlighting setup) and I have set up syntax highlighting as well as shortcuts to compile quiet, compile with list, load RAM, load EEPROM, open Viewport and open Parallax Serial Terminal. I am also still using the Basic Stamp IDE and I am also using the Basic Micro IDE, and using Notepad++ with the shortcut keys is no slower than any of these other "dedicated" IDEs. In fact, with the compiler switches Bean has added, I don't even need Viewport for seeing syntax errors any more.

I must say, though, the one thing I REALLY miss is the ability to see a Memory Map and Variable Usage. Unfortunately changing all the "@@@' to "@" in a SPIN file so that you can look at it with Propeller Tool does not always work. As Bean has stated in other posts, he might have to "De-Tune" PropBasic to produce a "standard" SPIN file (or not?) and herein lies the challenge.

So if anybody is interested I can post the Notepad++ ver. 6.1.8 setup.exe file as well as the XML files for syntax highlighting and shortcuts.

Somebody also mentioned that one of the first SPIN libraries ever written was to provide PBasic functionality and I see Johnny Mac has re-posted all his PropBasic libraries. I posted a host of libraries and sample programs and templates yonks ago on the old site. I considered sticking them on the OBEX, but, once again, unless you go and search on the OBEX, nobody will know that they are even there. But, perhaps the OBEX is the right place after all and we just have to start using it and make the fact known to everybody that this is where we post PropBasic updates and samples and libraries and that OBEX is not only for SPIN!. This new site is far too fragmented with too many threads to be useful for any form of version tracking of anything.

I will investigate the OBEX because the one thing would really appreciate is to be notified of any new postings. I have checked my profile settings and bookmarked all the threads which I think I should be watching (never mind the new threads which are created all the time) but this new forum site does NOT notify me of anything.

andre.nieuwoudt

Something else which came to mind. Should Bean change PropBasic to use "@" instead of "@@@" (not trying to suggest anything, because surely it will undo a lot of work which Bean has done), we would probably be able to use original Parallax software like Propellent and Propeller Tool again. Admittedly they are aged, so yes, it would be nice if PropellerIDE could be made to support PropBasic. I am holding my thumbs very tightly that something solid will develop (unlike BST and Viewport) and that PropBasic finds a permanent home - Bean really deserves for something like this to happen.

Bean, thank you for sticking with PropBasic all these years and not giving up on it. We are lost without you.

Bean

Thank you guys for all the kind comments.

More than anything I want Parallax to officially support PropBasic. Otherwise I don't see PropBASIC taking off.
I don't want any money or anything, I just don't want to see all my effort wasted.

I have no problem making the source code available, but maybe Parallax doesn't want that (at least not right away) so I'd rather hold off on that.
I'd rather transfer ownership of the source code to Parallax, and then they can do whatever they want.

P.S. The source code is in Delphi / Lazarus if anyone cares.

Bean

Rsadeika

More than anything I want Parallax to officially support PropBasic.

I have to refresh my memory, but wasn't this brought up and discussed last year around late spring early summer? In fact, I think I remember Parallax noting that PropBasic would be added to Propeller IDE. I thought this was all a done deal, and I was expecting the next release of Propeller IDE to have PropBasic. What the heck is going on? It sounds to me like Parallax is loosing interest in PropBasic, again.

Ray

andre.nieuwoudt

Hi Bean,

Please put me out of my misery. Please can you post the latest version of PropBasic here, again? The propbasic.exe 1.42 you posted in this thread is not the same as the propbasic.exe 1.42 in the SimpleIDE thread and I have spent hours compiling programs with the two different 1.42 versions versus 1.30 to see if anything gives an error. So far no errors, but I could catch up on some sleep if you could post the latest version again?

Regards
Andre

andre.nieuwoudt

I have written a host of PropBasic Libraries which I posted on the old forum site a few years back. I am in the process of reviewing the sample programs and will post them soon on this thread: http://forums.parallax.com/discussion/163372/propbasic-libraries

hatallica

Mickster wrote: »

I too, am only interested in the Prop, so long as I can use PropBasic.

Amen. Bean - truly a saint for his benevolent works - is almost singlehandedly responsible for me continuing with microcontrollers as a hobby. Granted my contribution to Parallax revenue is intermittent and small ... not so much as a drop in the bucket. As a business, I cannot justify them allocating even a moment towards my wants, but I will be delighted if they do.

jones

I'll continue to use PropBasic whether Parallax supports it or not, but without official support Bean's efforts will never have the impact that they could, and that's unfortunate.

Bob Lawrence (VE1RLL)

re:P.S. The source code is in Delphi / Lazarus if anyone cares.

Cool!!

pmrobert

It would be great if Parallax decides one way or the other soon so Bean can get resolution of his wishes. I really hope they officially accept it - it's a phenomenal concept and implemented very, very well and I feel would be an excellent addition to the toolbox. Either way, it certainly looks like it won't go the way of BST. I would love to have source access just for the ability to add support for more than two counters per cog to facilitate modded FPGA P1V Props... Thank you, Bean, your work is appreciated very much.

Brett Weir

Whoa, I did not see that this topic had been updated! Sorry, guys.

Thanks, @Bean. MIT license is fine. It basically states you can do whatever you want, including building proprietary software with it, as long as you include a copy of the MIT license and copyright notice. Very simple and straightforward.

If you don't mind, I'm going to go ahead and post the PropBASIC source that I have to the Parallax GitHub and start messing around with it. If the version I have isn't the most up-to-date, we can patch it later.

Brett Weir

So here's a starting point:

http://developer.parallax.com/propbasic/

@Bean, I set up a group on GitHub, but you'll have to be added to the Parallax organization. But just go ahead and make pull requests until then if you want to make changes. I'll accept them.

I uploaded version 1.44 of PropBASIC and 1.43 of the manual, and put up a linux build. It shouldn't be too much trouble setting up automated releases for Lazarus, but packaging needs to be figured out. For example, Debian doesn't allow static executables.

It's still going to be awhile before PropellerIDE can fully support PropBASIC alongside Spin, but maybe I can put together a "PropBASIC Preview" before then.

Bob Lawrence (VE1RLL)

@Brett Weir
re:So here's a starting point:
http://developer.parallax.com/propbasic/

Thanks! ! Brett.

It after 3am but a curious mind has to have a look LOL

It downloaded fine. Using Lazarus I can open most units individually but there is an write error when I open the project file. propBasic .lpi and when I abort that I get a PropBasic.lpl write error All I see in the directory is a PropBasic.lps file.

A great start none less.

andre.nieuwoudt

Hi Brett, Bean,

This is most excellent news. It would be awesome if you could get releases working for propbasic.exe for Windows, and thank you very much for you work in getting something like this of the ground and implemented :-D

Regards
Andre