Aminet 12/Aminet 12 (1996)(GTI - Schatztruhe)[!][Jun 1996].iso/Aminet/dev/lang/HeliOS4.lha/HeliOS_Internet_ReadMe

Text File | 1996-03-30 | 10.4 KB | 244 lines

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Introduction
************

This file contains information for Amiga users who are interested
in downloading any of the demonstration and support files for the
HeliOS Amiga programming language which are now available on Aminet.
Dowloadable files include the HeliOS programming language software,
games, documentation, and example source code for use with HeliOS.

Below is a summary of what is contained in the various HeliOS archives
on the Internet so that anyone who is interested in learning about the
language can easily find the material they require without fruitless
searching and unnecessary downloads.

Practically all of the (previously only commercially available) HeliOS
language system and support files can now be freely downloaded from
Aminet, and may be made freely available from other PD sources.

In addition to the demo version of the HeliOS language itself there are
a few other interesting HeliOS accessory files, including a very fast and
highly playable horizontal scrolling "Defender" game written in HeliOS.
For those who like challenging games this is one of the very fastest
horizontal scrolling shoot-em-ups ever on the Amiga, amply demonstrating
the speed of the HeliOS language.

A unique and interesting feature of the HeliOS Defender game is that it
is available in a special user-reprogrammable format, so you can design
your own new game to challenge your friends with devastatingly difficult
scenarios.....or alternatively you may just like to cheat and make the
game easier for yourself!


******************************************************
What is special about the HeliOS programming language?
******************************************************

HeliOS is a little known but extensively developed Amiga programming
language now for the first time being made easily accessible to all
Amiga programmers with the release of support files on the Internet.

HeliOS is an unusual and innovative language with many interesting
and unique capabilities: it is very powerful but also remarkably easy
to use.  If you have never programmed before HeliOS is an ideal way to
get started: if you are an expert programmer then HeliOS will give you
a lot of interesting and powerful new techniques.

HeliOS is a comprehensive feature-packed system, with integrated text
editors, compiler, interpreter, assembler, game creation system, and
a powerful integrated user configurable debugger.  It has everything
you need to efficiently program any Amiga application.

HeliOS is a very stable, bug-free, and Amiga-friendly system, having
been developed now for many years.  HeliOS programs are fully compatible
with all Amigas, from Workbench 1.2 A500s to 68060-equipped AGA A4000s,
but there is a recommended requirement of at least 1 megabyte of memory
(actually you can run HeliOS in 512k but you can't do too much with it!).

The (complete except for Save-disabling) version of HeliOS which is now
available for free download contains full documentation and several
tutorials, along with ready-to-run example source code.

In fact, HeliOS is a superior language in most respects to the more
traditional Basic, "C", or assembler: it is fast, it is easy to use,
and it is fun to work with (and it is free!), so give it a try.


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What is available for free download?
************************************

The full commercial HeliOS system comes as a set of four disks, containing
complete on-disk documentation, tutorials, and many source code examples.
The demo version of HeliOS available for free download is complete except
for the fact that all save functions and the generation of stand-alone
programs are disabled.  The demo contains EVERY other part of the HeliOS
system, including all demos, include files, source code and documentation,
and is quite capable of being used to generate small HeliOS programs.

If you want to actually try out the HeliOS language the most important
files to download are the four archives of the main programming system.

These files are called:

"HeliOSLang1.lha"
"HeliOSLang2.lha"
"HeliOSLang3.lha"
"HeliOSLang4.lha"

These files contain, in archived form, the four disks comprising the demo
version of the HeliOS language.

Because there is much important documentation and so many vital support
files on all the disks it is best to obtain the full set of four disks.
If you do not wish to download all four disks, however, the HeliOS main
intepreter program may be run (with a number of limitations) from just
the first disk.

There is a hard disk installer included, and the whole HeliOS demo is
pre-configured so that you can soon be running HeliOS programs with the
minimum of effort and no messy installation problems.  Just download the
four main files, install the software, run the one main HeliOS program
and away you go....


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What can the demo language software actually do?
************************************************

Most parts of the HeliOS demo are fully functional (except for the "Save"
functions in the main Editor/Interpreter) so you can try out practically
all aspects of the system.

The demo version has the full documentation for HeliOS, which is VERY
comprehensive, with step-by-step tutorials and many example programs.
This means that you will be able to enjoy writing HeliOS programs for
yourself, with complete accessibility of all features of the language
and no limitation on what your programs can do.

You can experiment with small programs which do not require saving, or
if you want to try your hand at more serious HeliOS programming you can
get started, even using the demo version of HeliOS, by writing and saving
your programs in a separate editor.  You can then easily load and run the
programs from within the demo HeliOS interpreter/compiler.

So, this is a very useful and functional software demo: even without the
internal save function there are plenty of things you can do, with many
interesting example programs and easy do-it-yourself programming exercises.

Anyone interested in learning to program will find that the HeliOS demo
is one of the easiest available introductions to programming the Amiga,
with excellent interactive tutorials and detailed programming lessons.


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The HeliOS Defender game
************************

A full playable version of HeliOS "Defender" is available for download
as an archive called:

"HeliOS_Def.lha".

HeliOS Defender is easily the best and fastest version of this great
game on the Amiga, so it is worth getting this if you are a fan of
classic arcade games.

Actually this Defender game was written as an easy HeliOS programming
example, and the source code is available as part of the HeliOS support
software.  The Defender program code demonstrates that very fast and
dynamic game graphics are rather easier to produce using HeliOS than
any other Amiga language.

All Blitz Basic users will find it most instructive to look at HeliOS
Defender, since the fact that both Blitz Basic and HeliOS provide a
demonstration version of the same Defender game allows a revealing
comparison of the relative capabilities of these two languages.

Experienced Blitz programmers who find it interesting to see how much
faster and smoother the HeliOS Defender is than the Blitz version may
also like to compare the source code for Defender in Blitz Basic and
HeliOS.  A comparison between the two version of the game itself and
the two source code files amply reveals how much the more advanced
HeliOS programming system simplifies the task of writing fast arcade
game code when compared to the much more limited Blitz Basic language.


***********************************************************
You can have fun reprogramming HeliOS Defender for yourself
***********************************************************

As well as the Defender game in playable form, if you are feeling creative
you can download a version of the game which is reprogrammable.  With this
software you can design your own version of the game at the same time as
doing some elementary HeliOS programming.  This really is very easy, and
even if you have never programmed anything before you really can create
your own version of Defender to challenge your friends.

Everything you need for reprogramming the game is provided in the archive,
with simple instructions.

The reprogrammable version of the Defender game is available for download
as an archive called:

"HeliOSPrDef.lha".

The complete source code for the Defender game is available from HeliOS
software if you wish to program deeper aspects of the game or use it as
a basis for a whole new game project.


*********************************************************
HeliOS programming support material and software examples
*********************************************************

One of the most unusual and useful aspects of HeliOS is the availability
of an extensive library of nearly 1000 individual example programs, each
complete with fully commented source code.  These example programs, the
code from which you can freely incorporate into your own programs, are
designed to demonstrate and explain the use of all the main commands in
the HeliOS language.

This comprehensive set of example programs is available as an extension
module which integrates seamlessly into the main HeliOS Editor/Interpreter,
providing a specially developed command macro system giving the facility
for running or viewing the source code of any example program at the touch
of a key from within the HeliOS editors.

As well as over 950 separate example programs, this extension package also
includes a sophisticated context sensitive on-line help system with a full
set of extended help texts for the whole of the HeliOS command set.

The full commercial version of the HeliOS Help and Example pack is already
available, and a demo version is being prepared for release early in 1996.


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Further information
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All HeliOS software products are available for immediate download from
Helios Software direct (after prior arrangement by voice telephone since
we do not run a full time BBS).

If you want to download commercial versions you can do so after paying
by credit card over the telephone.

The software can also be ordered via next-day mail delivery.

For more information on HeliOS please contact:

Helios Software
163 Huthwaite Road
Sutton-in-Ashfield
Nottinghamshire  NG17 2HB
England

Voice Telephone [phone]

email [e-mail]

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