should i try basic for the prop ?

whiteoxe · 2013-04-04 21:41

Hi, im back, its been a year since i used the propellor language, found it reasonably hard but was making good progress but my memory aint what it used to be so i can start again and probably pick it up a lot quicker but that BST has me intrigues, i have used basic for picaxe... this question will have no simple replies but I will be greatful for any responses.

regards Mike.

Mike Green · 2013-04-04 21:54

Which Basic? What do you want to do with it?

There's PropBasic and FemtoBasic. You can run CPM using a Z80 emulator and there are several Basics for that. All are different, have different advantages and disadvantages.

whiteoxe · 2013-04-04 22:31

Thanks Mike, your responses are lightning, must have an app on your iphone letting u know you are needed

I am just getting back to microchips and have a couple of projects in mind, whether i use picaxe or props, one is involving smart cards, which a few years ago i tried to figure out but now that parallax has them ill be using them, as i have bought them here, for that i think i will use the obex or the libraries provided. I am using mainly windows but do use ubuntu on occasion because the drivers for some of my printers and scanners work better than the windows, example, windows tells me i am out of ink, so i boot ubuntu and i can print, it is strang

Id tell you more but i have to go now to toowoomba, I just am curious about using BST for windows, or linux ? Was it developed because its easier ?

Thasnks

LoopyByteloose · 2013-04-05 01:18

Basic is okay, but are you really being a bit timid when you have GCC that is well supported.

In C, all the elements of Basic are included, and there are a few more features that allow better data handling. Added to that, there are the libraries that permit you to extend your computing into specific focused topics.

Everyone starts with Basic or something like it, but there is a time to consider getting rid of the 'training wheels'

For me, I did a comparison of all the commands in Parallax's PBasic and in Ansi C. It became clear that it wasn't too hard to migrate... even if I only wanted to use the commands that are equal to PBasic.

Yes, there are printers and scanners that are NOT supported in Linux, one has to use Apple or Windows. Fortunately, I've managed to get rid of all the hardware that isn't Linux friendly and adjusted to my prime choice being Linux.

Windows telling you that your out of ink, yet in Linux you can print? Not sure there is anything to say.

I am using BST in Windows7 Starter and Ubuntu Linux without problems, but I rarely go to the Windows7.

whiteoxe · 2013-04-05 02:13

Loopy Byteloose wrote: »

Basic is okay, but are you really being a bit timid when you have GCC that is well supported.

In C, all the elements of Basic are included, and there are a few more features that allow better data handling. Added to that, there are the libraries that permit you to extend your computing into specific focused topics.

Everyone starts with Basic or something like it, but there is a time to consider getting rid of the 'training wheels'

For me, I did a comparison of all the commands in Parallax's PBasic and in Ansi C. It became clear that it wasn't too hard to migrate... even if I only wanted to use the commands that are equal to PBasic.

Yes, there are printers and scanners that are NOT supported in Linux, one has to use Apple or Windows. Fortunately, I've managed to get rid of all the hardware that isn't Linux friendly and adjusted to my prime choice being Linux.

Windows telling you that your out of ink, yet in Linux you can print? Not sure there is anything to say.

I am using BST in Windows7 Starter and Ubuntu Linux without problems, but I rarely go to the Windows7.

Loopy, i cant program C

I think i was not clear, in ubuntu my printer drivers and scanner work better than in windows.... eg. in windows i get out of ink, the black , but in ubuntu it prints black and all other colours !!!!

is Pbasic different to BST ?? Ill still use the esoteric prop language for some thinks because of the obex. I have a new dell laptop with win 8, dont like it a lot but ill keep it !!!! but i think i can get a win 7 theme for it ?

thanks loopy, regards Mike

LoopyByteloose · 2013-04-05 04:41

Hi,
Fair enough, you desire Basic... not C. The Propeller has at least two options... PropBasic and FemetoBasic.

Regarding printers and scanners, Linux will not support the combined printer, fax, copier machines as HP and others have never provided the information to make them work. And I got rid of a scanner that was unsupported in Linux as it was rather slow and annoying.

Originally, the Propeller in Linux required BST (which stands for Brad's Spin Tool) whose creator was not a Parallax paid programmer. It is a good tool, I like it. But nowadays, Parallax has created an application called Simple IDE that is supposed to work with Windows, Apple, and LInux. I don't have any experience using it.

PBasic was the Basic language for the BasicStamps, and did not migrate to the Propeller. The two forms of Basic that are available on the Propeller were mentioned above. I learned PBasic, so it is what I compared C to. I've not used Basic in any form on the Propeller.... just Spin, PASC, C, and Forth.

Forth is another fun and easy choice. I really like that it is interactive.

Best of luck to you.

All my computers came with Windows (XP, Vista, and W7Starter), but I have loaded Linux in a dual boot on the same. I prefer Ubuntu Linux for nearly everything.

whiteoxe · 2013-04-05 04:58

Loopy Byteloose wrote: »

Hi,
Fair enough, you desire Basic... not C. The Propeller has at least two options... PropBasic and FemetoBasic.

Regarding printers and scanners, Linux will not support the combined printer, fax, copier machines as HP and others have never provided the information to make them work. And I got rid of a scanner that was unsupported in Linux as it was rather slow and annoying.

Originally, the Propeller in Linux required BST (which stands for Brad's Spin Tool) whose creator was not a Parallax paid programmer. It is a good tool, I like it. But nowadays, Parallax has created an application called Simple IDE that is supposed to work with Windows, Apple, and LInux. I don't have any experience using it.

PBasic was the Basic language for the BasicStamps, and did not migrate to the Propeller. The two forms of Basic that are available on the Propeller were mentioned above. I learned PBasic, so it is what I compared C to. I've not used Basic in any form on the Propeller.... just Spin, PASC, C, and Forth.

Forth is another fun and easy choice. I really like that it is interactive.

Best of luck to you.

All my computers came with Windows (XP, Vista, and W7Starter), but I have loaded Linux in a dual boot on the same. I prefer Ubuntu Linux for nearly everything.

Thanks Loopy, Il look into those languages, as i said before i will still use spin for a couple of things. I knew brad develepoded BST but ill also lok into simple ide. Also, im using ubuntu more and more. its a great linux distro as youd know. Mike. thanks,

Heater. · 2013-04-05 05:11

The question might be, why BASIC rather than Spin?

If you have a general idea of programming gleaned from BASIC then learning Spin is not hard and has many advantages.

whiteoxe · 2013-04-05 05:32

I think thats good, the repy. I was not that bad with spin, im just always too curious about everything. learning basic for the prop would likly take me lnger than to go back to spin. I use virtual machines, to run a few different OS. mater of none of it except ubuntu i am ok at. especially with the obex. thanks heater.

Duane C. Johnson · 2013-04-05 05:52

Hi Loopy;

Loopy Byteloose wrote: »

Forth is another fun and easy choice. I really like that it is interactive.

FemtoBasic is fully interactive too.
Commands entered at the command prompt are directly executed.

I don't think there are any others that are fully interactive.

Back in the day there was Pilot and LOGO. But I don't think these are on the Prop yet.

When developing hardware my language of choice is Mike Green's FemtoBasic. Very capable of doing most anything, just a bit slow though.
FemtoBasic is quite easy to write and understand.
Once I like how things work I may translate it into SPIN for speed.

BTW, if a special function or command is needed it the can be added to FemtoBasic fairly easily.

Duane J

whiteoxe · 2013-04-05 06:11

Duane C. Johnson wrote: »

Hi Loopy;
FemtoBasic is fully interactive too.
Commands entered at the command prompt are directly executed.

I don't think there are any others that are fully interactive.

Back in the day there was Pilot and LOGO. But I don't think these are on the Prop yet.

When developing hardware my language of choice is Mike Green's FemtoBasic. Very capable of doing most anything, just a bit slow though.
FemtoBasic is quite easy to write and understand.
Once I like how things work I may translate it into SPIN for speed.

BTW, if a special function or command is needed it the can be added to FemtoBasic fairly easily.

Duane J

thank you Duane, can u give me a link to download fem ? regards, mike

Duane C. Johnson · 2013-04-05 08:22

There are several variations depending on your needs and hardware in the OBEX. See:
FemtoBasic

Duane J

should i try basic for the prop ?

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