Propeller BASIC compiler
CumQuaT
Posts: 156
Hi all,
I'm looking for a BASIC compiler for the Propeller, but please read on before telling me about PropBASIC.
I can understand some people may be confused with the title of this post... I'm not after software that compiles BASIC code into SPIN code and then throws it on the Prop for me, I'm wondering if anyone knows of a SPIN program that actually works with a keyboard & screen to allow the Prop to run AS a BASIC compiler.
I only ask since I was reading up on the Hydra (which I believe is Propeller based) and read that it has it's own in-built TinyBASIC variant on there that you can actually work with ON the device. Is this freely available or something that you can only get by purchasing the Hydra? And even if it is free, will it only work with the Hydra?
Anyway, thanks in advance. Hopefully someone knows an answer to my conundrum!
I'm looking for a BASIC compiler for the Propeller, but please read on before telling me about PropBASIC.
I can understand some people may be confused with the title of this post... I'm not after software that compiles BASIC code into SPIN code and then throws it on the Prop for me, I'm wondering if anyone knows of a SPIN program that actually works with a keyboard & screen to allow the Prop to run AS a BASIC compiler.
I only ask since I was reading up on the Hydra (which I believe is Propeller based) and read that it has it's own in-built TinyBASIC variant on there that you can actually work with ON the device. Is this freely available or something that you can only get by purchasing the Hydra? And even if it is free, will it only work with the Hydra?
Anyway, thanks in advance. Hopefully someone knows an answer to my conundrum!
Comments
There are several different versions.
Bean
FemtoBasic works with a PS/2 keyboard and either a TV display or a VGA display as the console and will work with a Hydra, Demo Board or Protoboard with the Accessory Kit (or anything similar).
DongleBasic uses a PC terminal program (like the Parallax Serial Terminal) and the serial port used for programming and is intended to run on minimal Propeller hardware.
BoeBotBasic uses a PC terminal program either over the serial programming port or via an xBee wireless link. It also supports the BoeBot chassis with two wheel servo motors and a PING))) ultrasonic distance sensor and its matching servo-driven bracket. It will use an HM55B compass attached through an I/O port expander as described in the documentation.
There are a few more specialized versions, but these are the major ones.
All of these are fairly slow because they're interpreters written mostly in Spin processing minimally processed source code. They're very useful for testing, interacting with people (also slow). They provide access to the I/O pins and the special registers (like the counters) so they're used to exercise hardware. They can use an attached SD card for storage of programs and data as PC compatible files and you can also attach more EEPROM and use that for storage.
Technically that is not a "compiler". It is an "interpreter". But we know what you mean
Bean