Dasm outputting 0 Kb bin files

[games_player]

I set up the Bbatari basic package with 2600IDE as described in the readme file and I am using Z26 as my emulator. now when I go to compile "Sample.bas", I get a file named "Sample.bas.bin" but it is 0 Kb and Dasm reports that it is compiled.

 

so what am i doing wrong ?.

 

thanks for any help you can give me.

 

setup is : windows xp sp2 build 2600, batari 1.0, latest Dasm, with Modified Autoexec.nt File located in C:\windows\system32

with a system restart thrown in for good measure, build Area is in: C\atari2600\bb.

 

RandallD

[+batari]

I set up the Bbatari basic package with 2600IDE as described in the readme file and I am using Z26 as my emulator. now when I go to compile "Sample.bas", I get a file named "Sample.bas.bin" but it is 0 Kb and Dasm reports that it is compiled.

 

so what am i doing wrong ?.

 

thanks for any help you can give me.

 

setup is : windows xp sp2 build 2600, batari 1.0, latest Dasm, with Modified Autoexec.nt File located in C:\windows\system32

with a system restart thrown in for good measure, build Area is in: C\atari2600\bb.

 

RandallD

There could be a problem with environment variables (you made no mention of them.) Or maybe it's with 2600IDE, as this program was designed for an early version of bB and never updated, and it tries to create its own batch file (2600baside.bat) for compiling (which is incorrect, and must be overwritten with a copy of the one included with bB 1.0.) Also with some versions of Windows, some small changes might need to be made to the batch file (I can't remember what those are offhand, but if you search the forum, you should be able to find out.)

[games_player]

I set up the Bbatari basic package with 2600IDE as described in the readme file and I am using Z26 as my emulator. now when I go to compile "Sample.bas", I get a file named "Sample.bas.bin" but it is 0 Kb and Dasm reports that it is compiled.

 

so what am i doing wrong ?.

 

thanks for any help you can give me.

 

setup is : windows xp sp2 build 2600, batari 1.0, latest Dasm, with Modified Autoexec.nt File located in C:\windows\system32

with a system restart thrown in for good measure, build Area is in: C\atari2600\bb.

 

RandallD

There could be a problem with environment variables (you made no mention of them.) Or maybe it's with 2600IDE, as this program was designed for an early version of bB and never updated, and it tries to create its own batch file (2600baside.bat) for compiling (which is incorrect, and must be overwritten with a copy of the one included with bB 1.0.) Also with some versions of Windows, some small changes might need to be made to the batch file (I can't remember what those are offhand, but if you search the forum, you should be able to find out.)

 

hi there Mr. Quimby,

 

yes I have set the Environment variables as Stated above , and I am using the latest version of everything except 2600 IDE, so I will try to use crimson Editor instead as you have stated that 2600 IDE makes a broken batch for compiling.

for the info on 2600IDE. I will try it when i come home from work tonight.

 

RandallD

[SeaGtGruff]

yes I have set the Environment variables as Stated above , and I am using the latest version of everything except 2600 IDE, so I will try to use crimson Editor instead as you have stated that 2600 IDE makes a broken batch for compiling.

for the info on 2600IDE. I will try it when i come home from work tonight.

I've gotten it to work with 2600IDE before, but it can be quirky to get it working correctly, due to the batch file issue. Once you finally get everything situated and working, it's okay after that, but it's getting it working the first time that's difficult. Also, if I remember correctly, the batch file might need to be in the same directory where your program code is, or maybe it has to be in your startup (initial) folder-- I forget the specifics, although if you search for some of my older posts, you should be able to find where I talk about the batch file issues.

 

Also, be careful with your directory path names, because in general a directory path with a space in it can cause problems.

 

Crimson Editor does work better, though-- not to diss 2600IDE by any means, because it's fine at what it does and it filled an early need; but Crimson Editor is just a much more robust, full-featured IDE, and has been under development for a longer period of time, plus you can configure it for multiple types of compiles, multile emulators, etc. For example, I have Crimson Editor set up with "tools" to compile bB programs, compile assembly programs, run programs in Stella, run programs in z26, and run programs with the modified version of z26 that works with 4A50 bankswitching, etc.

 

Michael

[games_player]

yes I have set the Environment variables as Stated above , and I am using the latest version of everything except 2600 IDE, so I will try to use crimson Editor instead as you have stated that 2600 IDE makes a broken batch for compiling.

for the info on 2600IDE. I will try it when i come home from work tonight.

I've gotten it to work with 2600IDE before, but it can be quirky to get it working correctly, due to the batch file issue. Once you finally get everything situated and working, it's okay after that, but it's getting it working the first time that's difficult. Also, if I remember correctly, the batch file might need to be in the same directory where your program code is, or maybe it has to be in your startup (initial) folder-- I forget the specifics, although if you search for some of my older posts, you should be able to find where I talk about the batch file issues.

 

Also, be careful with your directory path names, because in general a directory path with a space in it can cause problems.

 

Crimson Editor does work better, though-- not to diss 2600IDE by any means, because it's fine at what it does and it filled an early need; but Crimson Editor is just a much more robust, full-featured IDE, and has been under development for a longer period of time, plus you can configure it for multiple types of compiles, multile emulators, etc. For example, I have Crimson Editor set up with "tools" to compile bB programs, compile assembly programs, run programs in Stella, run programs in z26, and run programs with the modified version of z26 that works with 4A50 bankswitching, etc.

 

Michael

 

 

Hi there Mr. Rideout ,

 

I have installed Crimson Ed, man this editor is a programmers dream come true !m I mean WOW it has every thing and the

kitchen sink to boot . Well i am gonna search for some of your older posts to see how to set this up with bb, thanks to you and Mr. Quimby for being so helpful .

 

Edit: got it setup and running now , works great !

 

RandallD

Edited February 16, 2008 by games_player

[SeaGtGruff]

I have installed Crimson Ed, man this editor is a programmers dream come true !m I mean WOW it has every thing and the

kitchen sink to boot .

There are a few things Crimson Editor doesn't have that would be nice, like a hex editing mode, or file comparison, but you can get separate freeware programs for those, and then you should be able to set up tools for them in Crimson Editor.

 

Also, Crimson Editor doesn't have any 2600-specific tools, like a playfield editor or player sprite editor, which 2600IDE does have.

 

Anyway, I'm glad you got it working now!

 

Michael

[games_player]

I have installed Crimson Ed, man this editor is a programmers dream come true !m I mean WOW it has every thing and the

kitchen sink to boot .

There are a few things Crimson Editor doesn't have that would be nice, like a hex editing mode, or file comparison, but you can get separate freeware programs for those, and then you should be able to set up tools for them in Crimson Editor.

 

Also, Crimson Editor doesn't have any 2600-specific tools, like a playfield editor or player sprite editor, which 2600IDE does have.

 

Anyway, I'm glad you got it working now!

 

Michael

 

Hi Mr.Rideout,

 

Can't a playfield editor be wrtten in say some version of basic for windows and then just spit out sprite data as 1's and 0's ?, should be possible with Just basic (www.Justbasic.com), I think Attendo used an older form of Rapid Q for the 2600 IDE.

 

I may take a crack at building an app for sprites and playfields. using the above program.

 

RandallD

[SeaGtGruff]

Can't a playfield editor be wrtten in say some version of basic for windows and then just spit out sprite data as 1's and 0's ?

Yes, a playfield editor and a player editor can be written as one or two separate programs, then integrated into Crimson Editor using the Tools menu. I've never checked out JustBasic, but I used to program in QuickBasic, and I have FreeBasic installed (it's sort of like a free, updated version of QuickBasic).

 

One of the problems with 2600IDE's playfield editor is that it outputs a series of pfpixel statements, which isn't as efficient as using pfhline and pfvline-- although since the playfield statement was added to batari Basic, that would certainly be the preferred form of output.

 

Michael

[games_player]

Hi there Mr.rideout,

 

Below is a picture of the Initial sprite Editor it is essentially the same as Attendo's version.

Is there any thing else you can think of that it needs ?.

 

 

later on this will be merged with the playfield editor when all the features for this are done.

 

things left to do:

 

1. output file to clipboard so it can be pasted in to code from Crimson.

2. Add suggested features.

 

Next project will be the playfield editor and that will be based on TIA Paint 1.0 since it is feature complete.

 

I will be posting source code as well as a binary to the sprite editor in a couple of days or so (got a day off coming the 19).

 

so let me know if there is anything you can think of that might be nice for the sprite editor and i will put it in for ya.

 

RandallD

[SeaGtGruff]

Below is a picture of the Initial sprite Editor it is essentially the same as Attendo's version.

Is there any thing else you can think of that it needs ?.

 

There are a few things I can think of...

 

(1) A sprite doesn't have to be 8 lines. In batari Basic, a sprite can be as short as 1 line, or as tall as 256 lines. You can't display 256 lines at once, but a very tall sprite can still be useful-- e.g., you could scroll it vertically. And the 256-line limit is mostly a timing issue, to avoid page crossings, although I don't think batari Basic can compile sprite definitions that are longer than 256 bytes. So it would be best if you give the user a field for entering the desired height-- 1 to 256-- and then give them a grid with that many lines. That might require a window with a vertical scroll bar, since you won't be able to fit 256 grid rows in the window.

 

(2) In connection with (1) above, it might be helpful to show the row number beside each row of the grid.

 

(3) Since there are two player sprites in the standard batari Basic kernel, and six player sprites in the multisprite kernel, it would be best to let the user indicate which sprite is being defined. For example, either you could have a group of radio buttons for player0 through player5, so the user can select which of those sprites is being defined; or you could have a group of check boxes, so the user can select more than one sprite at a time-- and then the grid data would generate the same shape data for each of those selected sprites.

 

(4) In connection with (3) above, the most efficient way to define two or more player sprites with the same shape is to define just one player, and then copy the settings in that player's pointerlo, pointerhi, and height variables to the variables for the other sprites, rather than actually defining the same shape in ROM multiple times.

 

(5) Although batari Basic displays the sprites upside-down from the way they're defined in ROM, it would be helpful if you let the user draw the sprite rightside-up. Then you can output the data upside-down for insertion into batari Basic.

 

(6) It might be nice to have a few basic "drawing" functions, such as lines, rectangles, filled rectangles, ovals, filled ovals, connected lines, filling an enclosed area, as well as copying and pasting an area, selecting an area and then flipping it horizontally or vertically or rotating it 90-180-270 degrees, inserting one or more new rows between two existing rows, deleting two or more rows, etc.

 

(7) A player can be reflected horizontally, so it might be helpful to have two grids side by side-- one normal, and the other reflected-- and any pixel you turn on or off in one grid would automatically update the other grid as well, to help the user design sprites that look good when they're reflected. (Maybe it's just me, but I've noticed that sometimes when I draw a shape that looks good one way, it looks a bit "off" when I reflect it, so I end up having to make some adjustments to it.)

 

(8) An Atari 2600 pixel isn't square. The actual aspect ratio will depend on two factors-- how many color clocks wide the pixel is, and how many scan lines tall the pixel is. The approximate aspect ratio of the smallest possible pixel (1 color clock wide and 1 scan line tall) is roughly 5:3-- although Atari 2600 emulators tend to use an aspect ratio of 2:1. In batari Basic, the display uses a 2-line kernel, and the smallest pixel is roughly 5:6, since the pixel is two scan lines tall. Also, players can have one of four width settings-- each pixel can be 1 color clock wide, 2 color clocks wide, or 4 color clocks wide. So it might be helpful to let the user specify the player's width setting, and then display the grid with the appropriate width, so the grid's boxes have the correct aspect ratio.

 

(9) An alternative to (7) and (8) would be to use one grid, with square grid boxes, but display what the sprite will look like when it's reflected, as well as when it's single-wide, double-wide, and quadruple-wide.

 

(10) A sprite can be multicolor (at least in the standard kernel), so it would be helpful to let the user choose the color of each row, and then generate the output for the color data along with the shape data.

 

(11) It could be helpful to have an option for a grid with 16 pixels across, so the user can design a wider sprite that will be formed by positioning player1 beside player0.

 

(12) Or if the user wants to create a multicolored sprite by drawing player0 on top of player1, it could be helpful to have a grid where the pixels in each row can be either the player0 color or the player1 color. This might be a little tricky, though, because there's no reason why the two players need to be the same width, or aligned to the same horizontal position.

 

(13) It might be nice to have a special grid with 48 pixels across, for defining a 6-player wide shape that could be displayed in place of the score, such as a title or other message. The score digits are only 8 lines tall, so the grid would be 48x8. And the output would be different than for a player statement-- it should probably be formatted like the graphic shapes in the scoretable, so it can be inserted into a custom score_graphics.asm file. For that matter, you would probably want to let the user define all 10 or 16 digits. (There are only 10 digits-- 0 through 9-- but up to 16 "digits" can be defined for the score, such as for a space, a colon, or other characters.)

 

(14) It might be nice to have the ability to save "sprite definition" files, so they could be loaded back into the editor later and then modified.

 

Those are just some ideas you might want to think about, and you don't have to implement all of them at once, or at all. It would probably be easier for you to start with just the basic functionality, and then add new features over time. But at the very least, I suggest that you strongly consider (1) right now, rather than limiting the user to only 8x8 shapes.

 

Michael

Edited February 17, 2008 by SeaGtGruff

[games_player]

Hi again MR. Rideout,

 

Just got home from work and thought I would pop in for a sec to see if any added anything to the list .

 

and boy howdy did you , a Resizable grid is doable for sure as well as numbering the grid, mirroring, upside down, flip Ect.

 

I thought about those right away and then I thought Wait a Sec maybe they only wanted somthing like Attendo made because he had asked and the 2600 IDE was the result. I am thankful for the input Mr. Rideout. Well i am gonna start from scatch and create a new interface and go from there.

 

RandallD