Blitz Basic version choice ?

[demether]

Hi,

I 'd like to start programming little games for the amiga 1200. I've got a very thin coding background (a few tries in actionscript2 and javascript, when I learned W3C xhtml +css webdesign and integration), so I searched for a "simple" to learn but eficient and aga compatible langage. So Blitzbasic came at the top of my list. Especially since a lot of documentation and tutorials exists (or existed) for it.

But wich version should I use ? I see blitzbasic 2.1, amiblitz2, amiblitz3...I will probably code in UAE (see my other topic : http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?...ewpost&t=73646) but finally, I want to put and play games on a real amiga floppy disk (or at least, on a real amiga harddrive or CF).


or maybe amiga developers use real amigas to code ?




Last question, I also saw that blitzbasic is still a commercial langage on WIn/linux/OSX. Is it similar to amiga blitz ? May I easily go from amiga blitz to "pc" blitzbasic, for porting games, for example ?

Thank you for your help !

[Graham Humphrey]

Personally I would strongly recommend you go for Blitz Basic 2.1, and also find and install the Blitz Support Suite add-on if you can. If you only want to write games for a stock (or moderately-expanded) 1200, then don't bother with the newer AmiBlitz versions - they're not really suited to using on lower-end machines and seem pretty 'bloated', unstable and harder to use than normal Blitz Basic. It also seems to produce slightly bigger executables. If you're planning to emulate a really high-end Amiga with graphics card etc setup then maybe consider AmiBlitz but you'll also find more support and code for 2.1 as I think that's what most people (including me) are familiar with.

Also, with the Blitz Support Suite you get a much-improved editor and debugger over the normal version, plus lots of extra commands and a map-editing and shape-grabbing tool (should you need them) so I certainly recommend you install that

[Devlin]

I would recommend Blitz2.1 w/ the Support Suite as well. Good stuff!

(although if we were choosing all basic dialects, i'd be pimping AMOS Professional right about now )

[demether]

Thanks for your answers

I'm happy I asked, because even if I was pretty sure that Amiblitz3 would not fullfill my needs, I was thinking that Amiblitz2 was the best choice, after reading this website :

http://www.david-mcminn.co.uk/blitz-...ion/getit.html

I was thinking that Amiblitz2 was "simply" the last Blitzbasic 2.X


But you probably knows better than me, it's why I'm asking questions here after all

ANother silly question, about BLitz Basic 2.1 : is it abandonware, freeware, opensource ? I'm asking because blitz basic apparently is still a commercial software (on other plateforms), so if I plan to share my creations, it could be a problem maybe ?
EDIT : I just saw that BlitzBasic2 is freely downloadable on AmigaFuture website (and Amiblitz too). So I guess there is no legal problem using it freely now.

If you're planning to emulate a really high-end Amiga with graphics card etc setup then maybe consider AmiBlitz but you'll also find more support and code for 2.1 as I think that's what most people (including me) are familiar with.

I plan to create programs for (and only for) real amigas, especially "stock" (with a bit of fast ram) amiga 1200. If it finally works on emulation, so be it, but my purpose is to create amiga programs (even maybe on real floppy disks!) for real hardware.

But since my amiga 1200 is full stock (with rgb 1085s screen), I thought that maybe it would be easier to code on an emulated environnement, to take benefit of a big LCD screen, powerfull processor and good keyboard, and finally test on my real amiga.

I don't know if amiga programmers (and especially game creators) use real amigas to code (and to create graphics and all) or if they are using a PC (or mac) and then, port everything, convert the graphics, etc...


thanks

[Graham Humphrey]

You're quite correct - there's no issues with distributing the program or your creations - anything you create is yours to do what you want with after all

Regarding your other point... I use Blitz on my real A1200, all my code gets written and tested on my Amiga but I will run tests in WinUAE on other configs to see how well it runs. I think if it's more convenient/comfortable for you to do programming under emulation you should do that (I think a number of people do) but I would certainly make sure you test your code on a real machine too, just to make sure it will work as intended on a real Amiga.

[demether]

Thank you for the answer,

So OK, let's go for Blitz Basic 2.1 ! I'll make a try working on both the real amiga and emulation, and I'll see what I feel more comfortable. For graphics I'm pretty sure I'll use Gimp and Inkscape, since I'm used to, it would be stupid to have to learn another program.

I also have to see if the Amiga Future package contains the BBS software you were talking about !

[demether]

Hi

I finally made the choice of upgrading (a bit) my real amiga, with a LCD monitor (and everything needed to make it works), 4mb of fast ram (adding to the current 4mb already installed). Now I have to see how to install the Amiga Future download blitz basic version (maybe I'm wrong, but I guess it's the most "standard and reliable" version). I'll keep you informed.

[Twiggy]

Another wannabe Blitz Basic programmer here, thought I'd may as well share what I've done so far:

I haven't tested these files myself (I have the original disks), but it looks like you can get Blitz Basic 2.1 adfs from here - http://www.pictureinthesky.net/appinfo.php?id=195

Also, the EAB FTP has the Ultimate Blitz Basic CD which has various examples and bits and bobs, which may be useful - ftp://ftp:amiga@grandis.nu/Commodore...Basic2.1CD.rar

I've only just started going through the examples in the manual so far, and here's a pdf of it - http://coagulus.newport.net/t/b.pdf

I hope that helps.

[Coagulus]

There is loads of great help here on this board if you get stuck.

Originally Posted by twiggy

I've only just started going through the examples in the manual so far, and here's a pdf of it - http://coagulus.newport.net/t/b.pdf

I hope that helps.

Glad I stored that there!

[demether]

Thanks for the help (even if I already had the english pdf...If only I could find the french version of it).

I will keep you informed about my progress. I'm waiting for the delivery of some hardware to start (some stuff to plug my amiga on a vga lcd screen).

[demether]

Hi,
I finally installed Blitz Basic 2.1

I took the amiga future version for it. Once archive extracted, you find 1 drawer containing LHA files and a install documentation, and also another drawer plenty of unknown stuff (probably extra libraries and all).

So I followed the install instructions and installed the program by hand. It's a good way to see how the program is organized too.

The only difficulty was about assigning stuff in user startup (remember that I didn't practice amigaOS for decades ). The install doc says :

Edit your S:User-startup file and add the following assigns :

Assign BLitz2:    PROGDIR:BLitz2
Assign BlitzLibs: Blitz2:Blitzlibs

Since I created the Blitz2 drawer on my Work partition (dh1), I added (simply inserting them somewhere other assigns were in the user-startup) these assigns :

Assign BLitz2:    Work:BLitz2
Assign BlitzLibs: Blitz2:Blitzlibs

It seems to work (I launched Blitzbasic without any error message. Previously I made a try without the assign, the amiga asked for a "Blitz2 volume" or something like that, so I presume it's OK.

Now I found the BBS (1 to 3) and BUIs (9 to 10) files, to add other needed things.

I also found the blitzbasic documentation in amigaguide format on aminet.

Hopefully I'll have functional installation soon.

[demether]

Well, tonight I installed the blitz basic suite, Installation was a success, but I still don't understand a lot of things

Integrated Help EDIT : integrated help works (a short description appears on top of the screen) and library help doesn't work (No effect when I select this option)

The dock is in a small moveable vertical bar, not like on this picture : http://obligement.free.fr/gfx/superted25.jpg (probably a personal AREXXX customization ? )

When I iconify the program, I cannot find any icon on the workbench

And during installation, a strange thing occured. The installer asked me to remove 2 libs drawers from the blitzlibs :

Blitzlibs:basic
Blitzlibs: system

I don't know why, since these libs drawers has been installed automatically during Blitzbasic installation. I removed them to complete the installation of the BBS, then put them in place again once installation was completed. No error occured. EDIT : SOme example codes went into crashing (and guru meditation) with these drawers in place. I removed them again, and the same examples went compiling and launching fine. But not 100% sure if it's related.

So as you can see, I'm still far from starting code lessons

[Twiggy]

It could be because of your version, but I'm using the original disks. I followed the installation and made assigns like the ones you mentioned and it worked fine. Maybe try the one I linked earlier?

[demether]

Now it's working, thanks ! Maybe it was related to a shortcut conflict, or maybe the bug was just sitting between the chair and the keyboard as usual.

Now the syntax help works (help key) and "online" help works with Right amiga +help.

The only unknown thing (even if it seems to not disturb the program) is these 2 libs drawers (system and basic) I had to remove from the blitzlibs to install the BSS. Anyway I store them in another personal documents drawer for future illumination


edit :
Any idea to obtain the top fixed dock like on this picture, by the way ?

http://obligement.free.fr/gfx/superted25.jpg

[demether]

Well, I guess I did something wrong, since even a simple program as

Print "Hello"
MouseWait

Cause a Guru ! LOL

Edit : I forgot the End command (I realized it once I saw all the debugger windows opening). Apparently, it's the debuger wich crashed. I still have to patch/update it (and the other apps). We'll see.

[leathered]

Quite strange, I have both basic and system in my blitzlibs drawer. I'd offer you my working package, but it's a bit knocked together. Once I had a basic system working I kept it on file in case of problems and reverted back to it while making changes.
Also I don't think I've ever seen a dock for blitz, not saying it's a bad thing, just a little odd to me if your version ships with one.

After running I'm greeted with a screen looking much like this:
http://s321.photobucket.com/user/Des...litz2.png.html

Edit: You may be using a newer version of TED? It's possible there are some issues with it and the BSS. You could try (after backing up your Blitz2 directory);
moving your missing files back and using a different version of TED (I use 2.24). I seem to be making a habit of suggesting this but it once worked for me!

[demether]

thanks for your help

In my superted 2.52 version, I've got a custom menu where I can display a dock with small icons.

I patched the debugguer, for now I didn't have any new GURU. But I don't understand why the debugger opens each time. I thought that it opened only when the code was wrong ?

I simply type :

Print "hello"
MouseWait
End

And the debugger windows appears each time...

Another thing I discovered, the "online" help (Right amiga+help) is in german

The system/basic libs drawer thing is a strange thing also, I agree

Not a good start in amiga programming

[leathered]

=) I think you can just replace those help files with English versions (or maybe French!?). I guess the version you are using does away with the need for some of files and replaces them in the build?
The debugger (in my version) usually opens up if the program is interrupted (without 'end'), although you have the option of running the program without it for checking the speed.

But you've got it all going so sounds as good a start as any!

[demether]

Thanks for your encouragement !

Tommorow I'll try to figure out. Maybe with my first mistakes and tries, I broke something, so I may reinstall the whole thing, and this time, first maybe without the BBS. After all I don't need any fancy stuff or extra libs to learn my first programs (I'd say, first properly open some windows, screens, and finally moving some stuff inside ^^)

I should also add some commodity to swap the amiga keys. I'm left handed, and all the short cuts on the right amiga key are really difficult to get used too.


By the way, If I understand correctly, you're not using the BBS, since you're using TED2.24 ?

[leathered]

I am using the BSS, but I didn't start with it. Originally I was using an even older version of TED (and possibly Blitz2), so throughout the use it I've changed a few things. As I said, it really is a bit knocked together!