This is pretty icky first time I try it.
I really like some of it and I love the concept.
But it feels not so user friendly.
help() is a nice command, should be a suggestion under the startup system info.
Could use some functional arguments like number of columns to put the
help list into tabs, or a character or string to filter the commands.
The strange editing behavior could be alleviated if we could paste into the editor.
The line numbering is too strict, is there goto and gosub? No?
Then there really is no need for numbers, except if they are for debugging errors at line n.
You'd be better off with label system than strict line numbers.
I'm looking at
OpenBasic as my new love like Lua.
Check out how it handles its label/line numbers, pretty nice. Its very much like old basic
10 x$=inkey$: if x$ = "" then goto 10
becomes
10
x$=inkey$
if x$= "" then goto 10
Wish I had that in 1983, and every time i have to convert BASIC programs.
Of course Open Basic doesn't have inkey$ command! neither does
MY-BASIC which is used inside of
Ascii Hero GoIt's always something.
anyway.
edit() should maybe open a default text editor, maybe you can configure edit's options
with a parameter like edit('config')
You could probably remove some commands.
For instance fillrectangle() was done in Extended Basic like so
Line(x1,y1)-(x2,y2),linecolor,linesize,pattern,fillcolor,pattern
Pattern at the end was some hex values that made textures inside the fill and thus a million scrolling games were born, in assembly.I only managed to make scrambled gibberish in those patterns.
You could of course make the pattern some reference to a string of ascii characters or an image file or something.
clear() doesn't clear the screen, should be cls() anyway, that's still used in windows console after 30 years.
Would love to be able to customize the whole UI and language for this thing.
How deep is the source? It's mostly Lua?
I recently posted the
Aquarius Guide To Home Computing and
Aquarius Home Computer System Extended Microsoft Basic Cartridge Instructions to archive.org.
Get the
Virtual Aquarius emulator for windows for the experience of a lifetime ago.
Think you can fork Chipmonkey Aquarius?
Ideally it could be just some config files and scripts yeah?
Boot Loader BASIC has some new for 2014 commands on the Virtual Aquarius (30 years for a new BASIC wooo).
Like Joy() command you need in your life!
It also saves binary ROM files, kinda like luac I suppose.
Maybe you need some routine for self contained executable compiler.
A command like Boot Loader BASIC LDUMP. Ain't that an attractive command?
Keep up the awesome.