Visual bB 1.0 - a new IDE for batari Basic

[Chuckie Finster]

Visual Bb is not run in my PC.

WTF!!...

[+Random Terrain]

57 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

Visual bB does not run in my PC.

WTF!!...

 

It runs on my Windows 10 computer:

 

https://www.randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-vbb.html#install_vbb

 

 

[Yoruk]

Is it normal that Visual bB needs to be launched in administrator mode ? Sounds strange... ?

 

(But works perfectly on my Win10 computer)

[+Random Terrain]

1 hour ago, Yoruk said:

Is it normal that Visual bB needs to be launched in administrator mode ? Sounds strange... ?

 

(But works perfectly on my Win10 computer)

 

I remember needing to do that on one of my computers over the years. Don't remember if I had to do it on my latest computer.

 

Make sure Load Start Web Page on Open is turned off on the settings page. If you enable it, you'll get a ton of error messages and will probably have to close the program using your computer's Task Manager. Don't try to load any web page with VbB. Use a real browser:

 

https://www.randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-vbb.html#trouble_ton_of_error_messages

 

 

[Yoruk]

7 minutes ago, Random Terrain said:

Make sure Load Start Web Page on Open is turned off on the settings page. If you enable it, you'll get a ton of error messages and will probably have to close the program using your computer's Task Manager. Don't try to load any web page with VbB.

 

Yes I've done that ! I have the web page displayed into Firefox. ?

[nitrofurano]

anyone tried to run it on wine or mono, on gnu/linux? not running here, wine here is version 5.0.3, and mono is 6.8.0.105 - gnu/linux distribution is ubuntu, version 21.04

[+Gemintronic]

Just a heads up on those swanky M1 Mac and/or Windows 10 ARM users:  I got it to work after a few tries.  As usual no definite steps just a "what worked in the last attempt" explanation.

 

First problem was some versions of Windows 10 ARM don't install .net 3.5.  You can force the issue by making it revert to a known working Windows 10 ARM build as documented at Parallels:

https://kb.parallels.com/125526

 

Once you have .net 3.5 installed try copying an earlier version of VisualbB to your batari BASIC folder.  I used version 544 downloaded here:

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/123849-visual-bb-10-a-new-ide-for-batari-basic/

 

Launch VisualbB and set the usual settings (disable the web page stuff, set NTSC or PAL, select a mono-spaced font etc..) and then close down VisualbB.

 

Download the latest version of VisualbB and overwrite the files in your batari BASIC folder.  Basically, we just wanted the older working VisualbB to correctly integrate its settings into the registry.  The newer VbB has problems either related to permissions or the registry branches that get created for compatibility.

 

If you're using Parallels to get Windows 10 ARM working I'd suggest doing all this VERY first thing after creating the virtual machine.  I suspect that also goes for bare bones Windows 10 ARM machines as well.

 

[Frozone212]

It gives a script error and for some reason, Atariage is showing in the window. Using latest release. is this a bug?

 

I can't see the code

 

I'm getting random numbered errors. Someone help

Edited December 12, 2021 by Frozone212
Confused

[KevKelley]

48 minutes ago, Frozone212 said:

It gives a script error and for some reason, Atariage is showing in the window. Using latest release. is this a bug?

 

I can't see the code

 

I'm getting random numbered errors. Someone help

Are these the error pop up windows when you start the program? You would have to disable the webpage loading upon startup in the settings tab.

[Frozone212]

thanks

 

[telengard]

On 7/11/2021 at 3:37 AM, Yoruk said:

Is it normal that Visual bB needs to be launched in administrator mode ? Sounds strange... ?

 

(But works perfectly on my Win10 computer)

Wondering the same thing, I work in cybersecurity so this always puts me "on guard".... I'm assuming it is for backward compatibility functionality.

Edited June 30, 2022 by telengard

[+splendidnut]

3 hours ago, telengard said:

Wondering the same thing, I work in cybersecurity so this always puts me "on guard".... I'm assuming it is for backward compatibility functionality.

Yup.  There was a period in time when most software was accidentally written to require Administrator Mode because developers typically ran in Admin mode and didn't check that their programs could run without it (Windows 95 - Windows XP)... Microsoft tried to rectify that with Windows Vista, which annoyed the hell out of people.

 

Visual bB is old enough that it's probably one of those programs that was written in such a way as to accidentally require Admin mode.

 

If that scares you, you can use Atari Dev Studio instead (an extension for Visual Studio Code):

 

 

[+Gemintronic]

VisualbB still has some handy editors for music, score fonts and other things.  If you can't handle giving it admin rights and still need some of the built-in tools there's Sandboxie-Plus

https://sandboxie-plus.com/sandboxie/

 

You can run programs in their own "sandbox" yet copy/paste and select files to be brought out into the actual file system.

[Darkhog]

Is VisualBb's source code available? Depending on what I see in it, I may try updating it to at least run without requiring admin mode, perhaps even over time update it with stuff like support for making DCS+ assets. Would be a shame to lose this feature-rich program due to compatibility issues (until Atari Dev Studio has all the same tools, or equivalent, to Vbb, it really can't be said to be a full replacement).

[+Random Terrain]

12 hours ago, Darkhog said:

Is VisualBb's source code available? Depending on what I see in it, I may try updating it to at least run without requiring admin mode, perhaps even over time update it with stuff like support for making DCS+ assets. Would be a shame to lose this feature-rich program due to compatibility issues (until Atari Dev Studio has all the same tools, or equivalent, to Vbb, it really can't be said to be a full replacement).

 

That would be nice. The creator of it has been very busy and hasn't posted in years, so good luck.

[Darkhog]

Yeah, I know the dev is MIA, just thought he might've posted sources at some point. Oh well... Perhaps once I get familiar enough with BB I will make my own IDE for it.

[+Karl G]

I'm hoping that eventually Atari Dev Studio will have a replacement for the tools people are looking for in VbB. I think that would be more useful than yet another IDE. The fact that it's built on top of Visual Studio makes it cross-platform, which is something I appreciate (I first used it on my MacBook, and now on my Linux laptop).

[KevKelley]

27 minutes ago, Karl G said:

I'm hoping that eventually Atari Dev Studio will have a replacement for the tools people are looking for in VbB. I think that would be more useful than yet another IDE. The fact that it's built on top of Visual Studio makes it cross-platform, which is something I appreciate (I first used it on my MacBook, and now on my Linux laptop).

I had downloaded Dev Studio not too long ago to get my feet wet. I really like it and I noticed with longer code it works a lot smoother. I especially love having code side by side while working on sections. The only thing holding me back is that I got used to the VbB interface first so it got a hold of me. But I sometimes have them side by side, especially since it seems it loads Stella faster in VbB.