Need help with Propeller Backpack Example Code

marcwolf

Hi folks (and Phil)
I am starting to program my Backpack and am using the Overlay demo code to understand all of th flags etc.
I have run into an understanding issue with this line

Defwin, 10, 40, DBL|2, $f, 0, 8|TPT,1

Now I can understand as far as Create a Windows #10 with 40 columns Double Height but then the rest fails me. I have read through the documents but the DefWin does not have that many options. So I am wondering what the rest are doing



Any explanation greatly appreciated.
Dave

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

Ah, you left out part (highlighted below):

DEFWIN, 10, 40, DBL|2, [b]CHGCLR[/b], $f, _0, 8|TPT, 1

Does it make more sense now? If not, let me know, and we can discuss it further.

-Phil

marcwolf

Ah.. Makes perfect sense now
Unfortunately it got lost in the PBasic to PicAxe conversion

Many many thanks for that.
Dave

marcwolf

Hi Phil

I am trying to format a screen on the Prop Backback and I am not sure if it is possible. I am puzzle re the horizontal window placement

I have 2 windows for lists. One will list information down the left hand side of the screen and the other doen the right hand side.

No matter what I seem to do with the APNDSP, or the MOVWIN commands I just cannot get them to be side by side. Neither window is overlapping the other and there shoud be plenty of space between them.

Many thanks
Dave

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

With the overlay, you cannot place two windows side-by-side. They must be separated vertically by at least one horizontal line. This is explained in the overlay manual at the top of page 8.

-Phil

marcwolf

Hi Phil
I did read that, just needed to clarify it re what I am trying to do, and wether there was any other way to approach the task i.e. Defining a window and then moving it into position etc.

Likewise I can see no way to bold/reverse a single character to highlight it as all operations are on a window level too i.e.

[HTML]
<TABLE>
<TR><TD>

---

STATUS

---

</TD><TD> ----COMMANDS----</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>X-Axis </TD><TD>12345.67 </TD><TD>LEFT </TD><TD>Act-Left</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>Y-Axis </TD><TD>5676543 </TD><TD>RIGHT </TD><TD>Act-Right</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>LAT </TD><TD>12345.678</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>LONG </TD><TD>135324</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
[/HTML]

Sorry - no way to format tables in this editor.
Just checking.
Many thanks for your help and advice. It really is greatly appreciated.
Dave

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

Right: you cannot alter text characteristics on a byte-by-byte basis; it has to apply to the entire window. The reason for both restrictions is that there is not enough time in the PASM code during a scan line to switch gears that fast.

-Phil

marcwolf

Thanks for that Phil. I sort of expected that the poor Prop be spinning its cogs like crazy doing all that work. It's really a tribute to your programming skills in getting it to do this much.

One way I can see around the formatting issue is to modify the character set. If the characters used are the same as in the terminal version of the code then I could use some of them and do a reverse bit image. That way the Prop would not be asked to do any extra work.

At least we are working with a monospaced font (unlike this editor) so I could write out the table format by character positioning.

Many many thanks for your help Phil.
Take Care
Dave

marcwolf

Hi Phil
After looking through all of the Spin code supplied with the Prop Backback I could not find the Character set used.

Is it in the Spin code or is it in another location that is accessable by a developer (Firmware etc)

Many thanks
Dave

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

It's in the Propeller chip's masked ROM.

-Phil