home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Commodore Free 34
/
Commodore_Free_Issue_34_2009_Commodore_Computer_Club.d64
/
admiral64
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
2023-02-26
|
4KB
|
153 lines
.
=====================================
Introducing Admiral 64
=====================================
http://galaxy22.dyndns.org/admiral64/
I'm not entirely sure which forum
this belongs in. What I'm working on
is a project to port the Commodore
operating system, including BASIC,
Screen Editor, Kernel, etc... over to
the Intel platform. I setup a little
website with some screenshots and the
source code and binaries:
http://galaxy22.dyndns.org/admiral64/
Obviously, I've had a lot of people
tell me already "why not just run
VICE?" but if you read what the goals
are of this project, I'm not aiming
to emulate the C64 or any other
specific hardware. I'm just trying to
build an environment that looks and
acts just like a C64 but with
super-duper speed and enhanced
graphics capabilities. That way I can
write code in BASIC that will be able
to use 256-colours and speed beyond
what an original C64 could do even in
ML. Also BASIC will have access to
much more than 38K of RAM.
Yes, I realize there have been some
ports of Commodore BASIC but none of
them actually give you an operating
environment that looks or works
anything like a Commodore.
I'm hoping to recruit some help with
this project, even if that help is
just in the form of suggestions
because I'm really struggling on the
direction of how to implement some of
the features. Obviously, if anyone
wants to write some subroutines, that
would be great.
Goals of Admiral 64
To be a full featured BASIC operating
environment, with the look and feel
of a Commodore 64 (or Plus/4 or 128).
That includes features likes:
PETSCII graphics
direct editing and executing of BASIC
code without compiling.
"in quote" mode, where cursor
movements, colours, and other screen
codes are stored in quotes and
variables.
Screen editor that allows full
movement of the cursor and pressing
enter on a line will cause that line
to be parsed and executed.
Features that are not present on a
regular Commodore 64, but will be
available in Admiral 64:
Graphics commands, including the
ability to work with text and
graphics on the same screen without
changing some kind of mode.
ultra-fast execution of BASIC code on
modern Intel processors that will
most likely run faster than ML code
did on the original C64. pop-up menu
options to handle load/save and
configuration options.
What it is NOT intended to be or do:
Not an emulator of an existing
platform (like VICE, etc.)
Not intended to be binary compatible
with existing games/software
List of current working commands:
CLRSCN - Clear the screen.
EXIT - Exit to DOS
TCOLOR - Change text colour to next
number (will allow argument soon)
BCOLOR - Change background colour to
next number(will allow argument soon)
I don't know if anyone else has used
that name before, so I can always
change it.. but I've started writing
my new Commodore-on-Intel operating
system I've mentioned before. I
spent most of yesterday designing a
screen-editor. It is now in a
somewhat usable state. I've put the
file out on my web server for anyone
who wants to try it out:
http://galaxy22.dyndns.org/admiral
.exe
It is only 17K and it will be even
smaller once I'm able to get rid of
some libraries I'm currently using
but won't be needing eventually.
As far as the screen editor goes,
here is what is left to do:
- implement PETSCII character set.
- implement " in quotes" behaviour.
- implement direct reading of
keyboard, which will allow me to
dump those extra C libraries and be
able to read things like shift and
control, so I can do things like
colour-changes on the number keys,
reverse text, clr-home,
runstop/restore, etc..
- implement graphics modes
Once I have all that going, it will
be a matter of writing a BASIC
interpreter and load/save routines.
I plan to add some graphics commands
for changing various screen modes,
and plotting pixels and basic shapes.
And for the first time ever, you'll
be able to operate in BASIC while in
graphics mode (without doing a
split-screen) I plan to have the
screen editor work exactly the same
in graphics modes so you could
actually print text, do input
statements, etc., and be able to draw
graphics on the screen any way you
like.
-------------------------------------