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Visual bB 1.0 - a new IDE for batari Basic


jwierer

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Well, the problem is I am creating the image in GiMP. Problem is I don't know what it will look like in the titlescreen kernel until I physically paste all the data in and compile. So, 90% or greater of my image might look good, but if I could easily edit the output a few pixels here and there I could fix my problems. I guess really I need to use a different font. Here's a sample of a Return of the Living Dead I was doing (those aren't the colors I'd be using):

 

post-6095-12854778617_thumb.png

 

as you can see I need to touch some things up. Obviously it looks fine in GiMP. I'm trying to use horror looking fonts. This is my first attempt at making something, so probably next time I'll try using a thinner font and see how the output of that one looks

 

For this one, you can see I need a few pixels to make the H look decent, and a few pixels to make the V look decent.. same thing with the E's.

Edited by yuppicide
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Now that the title kernel is final, I've been thinking of creating a title wizard that would have you assemble the different images and then just output the code and create everything for you, but it still wouldn't do what you are suggesting. I thinking you're actually much better off creating the image in any of the the hundreds of free graphic editors out there. It would be much easier to resize, cleanup, change to black and white in something like GIMP and then convert it to code.

Yeah, creating the images using Gimp or Paint Shop Pro or whatever paint program they want to use is the easy part. The hard part is copying and pasting all of the data. If you fixed it so we could load an image, then instantly get the code to use, that would save a lot of time. If it doesn't look right, the bB user can just edit the image in their favorite paint program, save it, load it into your converter again and try the new code. Simple.

 

Once you upgrade your graphics converter, making a title screen will be a lot more fun. :thumbsup:

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Well, the problem is I am creating the image in GiMP. Problem is I don't know what it will look like in the titlescreen kernel until I physically paste all the data in and compile. So, 90% or greater of my image might look good, but if I could easily edit the output a few pixels here and there I could fix my problems. I guess really I need to use a different font. Here's a sample of a Return of the Living Dead I was doing (those aren't the colors I'd be using):

 

post-6095-12854778617_thumb.png

 

as you can see I need to touch some things up. Obviously it looks fine in GiMP. I'm trying to use horror looking fonts. This is my first attempt at making something, so probably next time I'll try using a thinner font and see how the output of that one looks

 

For this one, you can see I need a few pixels to make the H look decent, and a few pixels to make the V look decent.. same thing with the E's.

 

What dimensions are you using in GiMP? If you limit the size to the pyhiscal limits of the title screen you shouldn't get the resizing artifacting, which it looks like what is happening.

 

-Jeff

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Yuppi, If you have the resolution right, then I have a feeling your image has some pixels that are just a bit different than the background color.

 

in Gimp try going to the menu "Image->Mode->Indexed...", and under "Generate optimum palette" enter 2 for the maximum number of colors.

 

If it looks good, then continue with the rest of the process. What you get out of Img2Code and the Titlescreen Kernel will look the same as your image.

 

Jeff, you have my guarantee that the layout/labels in my bitmap files isn't going to change now, so feel free to code a solution! I agree with the others that it would be a great improvement in the titlescreen creation process! :thumbsup:

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First off thanks again for everything guys.

 

Well, the first image I tried I did use indexing and set it to 2 colors, but with this one I forgot. Eitherway, this is only two colors also..

 

Here's what I did..

 

I made a file that was 9600 x 4800. Background was white. I drew my text on it in black. I cropped my image so there's nothing around the edges. I then resized it to 96 x 48 and saved as bmp. Loaded it in IMG2CODE.

 

I don't mind the pixels around the text.. that's actually kind of cool if you ask me. I just wanted to make some of the letters actual recognizable.

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I then resized it to 96 x 48 and saved as bmp. Loaded it in IMG2CODE.

You missed a step. Every time I resize an image down that far, I have to do some work on it first. You have to clean it up by hand before you load it into the graphics converter. What you see in your paint program is pretty much what you're going to get. If it looks like crap in your paint program, it's going to look like crap on the Atari.

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... but it looks good in my paint program.. take a look:

 

roldsm.bmp

 

It's probably because it's a thick font or too many letters I bet.

 

I then resized it to 96 x 48 and saved as bmp. Loaded it in IMG2CODE.

You missed a step. Every time I resize an image down that far, I have to do some work on it first. You have to clean it up by hand before you load it into the graphics converter. What you see in your paint program is pretty much what you're going to get. If it looks like crap in your paint program, it's going to look like crap on the Atari.

Edited by yuppicide
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... but it looks good in my paint program.. take a look:

I should have added that it needs to look good without anti-aliasing:

 

http://www.pantherproducts.co.uk/Articles/Graphics/anti_aliasing.shtml

 

It needs to have jagged edges. You need to have 2 colors and only 2 colors. The image you posted has 253 colors because of the anti-aliasing. If you eliminate anti-aliasing and have only 2 colors, what you see in your paint program is pretty much what you should see on the Atari.

 

For example, here's what I made using Paint Shop Pro:

 

post-13-128557909774_thumb.png

 

 

And here is what it looks like in an emulator:

 

post-13-128557916691_thumb.png

Edited by Random Terrain
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I got this error message when leaving visualbb

 

Don't know if it's important but maybe it could help.

That looks like it occurs when trying to write your settings back to the registry which usually means you have insufficient permissions to writing ot the registry or have a program such as antivirus that is preventing it, resulting in the error.

 

-Jeff

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I got this error message when leaving visualbb

 

Don't know if it's important but maybe it could help.

That looks like it occurs when trying to write your settings back to the registry which usually means you have insufficient permissions to writing ot the registry or have a program such as antivirus that is preventing it, resulting in the error.

 

-Jeff

 

thanks, it didn't happen this time when i run the program again. Guess it was a weird bug from windows...

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Here is an updated ImgToCode that should be a little more user friendly when using with the Titlescreen kernel.

 

To use it, first check the radial button for the mini kernel you want to use (96x2, 48x1, 48x2) then set the copy combo box to 1,2, or 3.

 

For example checking 96x2 and setting copy = 2 should be used for file: 96x2_2_image.asm

 

Click the Create Image button to generate the entire image code block for that file. Now you can just select all output code and paste it once into the assembly file. This should expedite development by reducing the copying and pasting.

 

I just read through the 1.0 title screen documentation today and didn't test this extensively so please let me know if I have a mistake anywhere in the code generation

 

-Jeff

 

ImgtoCode.0.9.1.6.zip

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Here is an updated ImgToCode that should be a little more user friendly when using with the Titlescreen kernel.

...

I just read through the 1.0 title screen documentation today and didn't test this extensively so please let me know if I have a mistake anywhere in the code generation.

Works well, thank you Jeff.

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First off I'd like to say that Visual bB is a life saver... well, time saver anyway. :) For ease of making sprites it's been the best and only tool I use. However, I'm wanting to draw ever larger sprites in the double and maybe quadruple widths.

 

My question is, While drawing a sprite, is there anyway to preview the extra wide versions of the sprite within the program itself? If not, I think this would be a great new feature to add to an already awesome program. :) Thank you.

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First off I'd like to say that Visual bB is a life saver... well, time saver anyway. icon_smile.gif For ease of making sprites it's been the best and only tool I use. However, I'm wanting to draw ever larger sprites in the double and maybe quadruple widths.

 

My question is, While drawing a sprite, is there anyway to preview the extra wide versions of the sprite within the program itself? If not, I think this would be a great new feature to add to an already awesome program. icon_smile.gif Thank you.

Thanks for the kind words. There isn't a way to simply right-click and preview a double or quad wide sprite, but if you look in the folder of your project when you use the normal preview it will create a temporary .bas file (it is deleted after preview is done). You can copy the contents of that file and add the register change for displaying in double and quad. Should get you what you need.

 

-Jeff

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  • 2 months later...

International date format and save settings solved with latest build, but still this message after pressing run button:

Could not locate 3_MoveASprite.bas.bin and could not recompile.

Please check to make sure it was compiled correctly.

 

Hello there Philsan... I am having the same issue of not being able to save the settings... driving me mad...

 

I am using Build 554, the special BB for Win 7 also - I am on Win 7 64 bits.

 

So... how did you solve that? I am able to compile, it runs perfect... I just does not save the settings. Everytime I open Visual Bb I got "you are running visual Bb for the first time etc..."

 

Thx!

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International date format and save settings solved with latest build, but still this message after pressing run button:

Could not locate 3_MoveASprite.bas.bin and could not recompile.

Please check to make sure it was compiled correctly.

 

Hello there Philsan... I am having the same issue of not being able to save the settings... driving me mad...

 

I am using Build 554, the special BB for Win 7 also - I am on Win 7 64 bits.

 

So... how did you solve that? I am able to compile, it runs perfect... I just does not save the settings. Everytime I open Visual Bb I got "you are running visual Bb for the first time etc..."

 

Thx!

 

That also is my setup and it works. Are you logged in as an administrator? I also work with UAC disabled so that may be blocking you.

 

-Jeff

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International date format and save settings solved with latest build, but still this message after pressing run button:

Could not locate 3_MoveASprite.bas.bin and could not recompile.

Please check to make sure it was compiled correctly.

 

Hello there Philsan... I am having the same issue of not being able to save the settings... driving me mad...

 

I am using Build 554, the special BB for Win 7 also - I am on Win 7 64 bits.

 

So... how did you solve that? I am able to compile, it runs perfect... I just does not save the settings. Everytime I open Visual Bb I got "you are running visual Bb for the first time etc..."

 

Thx!

 

That also is my setup and it works. Are you logged in as an administrator? I also work with UAC disabled so that may be blocking you.

 

-Jeff

 

Hello Jeff, how are you? Thanks for helping out!

 

Yes, I am logged in as an administrator. I just disabled UAC, restarted it but no... it's still the samething.

 

One thing I noticed is that... the whole folder (which has Visual BB and BB compiler) is set to Read-Only (blue box icon...). I tried to uncheck it to non-read only, but as soon as I open the property window it says it's read-only again. Can this be the reason? Anyway, why the heck Win7 does not allow me to uncheck read-only?

 

Man... this is driving me mad hehehehe =o

 

Cheers

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One thing I noticed is that... the whole folder (which has Visual BB and BB compiler) is set to Read-Only (blue box icon...). I tried to uncheck it to non-read only, but as soon as I open the property window it says it's read-only again. Can this be the reason? Anyway, why the heck Win7 does not allow me to uncheck read-only?

I wonder if this link would help:

 

http://itexpertvoice.com/home/fixing-the-windows-7-read-only-folder-blues/

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International date format and save settings solved with latest build, but still this message after pressing run button:

Could not locate 3_MoveASprite.bas.bin and could not recompile.

Please check to make sure it was compiled correctly.

 

Hello there Philsan... I am having the same issue of not being able to save the settings... driving me mad...

 

I am using Build 554, the special BB for Win 7 also - I am on Win 7 64 bits.

 

So... how did you solve that? I am able to compile, it runs perfect... I just does not save the settings. Everytime I open Visual Bb I got "you are running visual Bb for the first time etc..."

 

Thx!

My problem was only that Visual bB doesn't like spaces in path's directory.

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My problem was only that Visual bB doesn't like spaces in path's directory.

Really? I'll have to put a space in my path and see if it breaks. I've had problems with the bB compiler having a space in the path.

 

EDIT: I just tested with a space in the path to the visualbb.exe and a space in a project path and no issue. Let me know if you're still having a problem with spaces.

 

-Jeff

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