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1994-05-09
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=====News & Views <psl_logo.pcx>
-----Programming Returns
Programming Returns
Last December, we began putting a different section of PsL's
disk-based library on our Monthly CD-ROM, starting with Pro-
gramming. The six-month cycle is now complete, having fol-
lowed Programming with Games, Business & Communications,
Home & Education, Utilities, and Words & Graphics & Sounds.
We will now continue to repeat these sections on the Monthly
CDs, updated for the thousands of programs received during the
intervening six months.
For the record, we continue to think of these as Bonus Sec-
tions because the PsL Monthly CD is intended and priced as eco-
nomical way for people to get all the new programs that come out
each month which pass our testing (800-900+ programs, nor-
mally), and this includes programs of all types for DOS and Win-
dows, not just the featured Bonus Section for the month.
New Low-Cost Programming Disk Sets:
We are starting a new type of service this month for the bene-
fit of people who want a lot of software at a low price but who do
not have CD-ROM drives. You can get all of the programs in any
of the Programming sections for $39.95.
For example, the BASIC Programming section has over 80
disks containing hundreds of files. At our regular disk fees, these
would cost over $400. Now you can get all the BASIC Program-
ming disks for less than one-tenth the regular cost. The same
offer applies for Assembler, C, Pascal, and the other sections in
Programming. For a complete list of the disks in these (and other)
sections, get the PsL Reviews Disks.
Learning to Program:
We have software for learning to program in all the major lan-
guages. Disk #12457 is a C Tutor and #12458, a C++ Tutorial.
MegaDisk Set #27704 contains another C++ Tutorial. (NOTE:
Tutorials for a compiler usually assume that you already have the
compiler.)
Assembly language students should get set #27052, five dif-
ferent programs for learning assembler. Disk #4744 will teach
you BASIC and #12462 teaches Pascal, including Object Ori-
ented Programming. Visible Pascal (#0254) is a programming
language written for people wanting to learn Pascal.
Tutorials for other programming languages include ADA
(MegaDisk Set #27705), ANSI-Standard Cobol (#3177), and
Modula-2 (MegaDisk Set #27056, a four-disk set which includes
a Modula-2 compiler).
Compilers & Interpreters:
Programming normally consists of writing code in a text edi-
tor and using a compiler to convert the "source" code from
English statements to machine code the computer can under-
stand. The translated (compiled) code is stored in a file with an
EXE or COM extension, which can be run from the DOS prompt
without any further need for the language's compiler.
An interpreter does not create a COM or EXE file. Every time
you run the program, the interpreter translates the source code
into machine code which it feeds to the CPU to execute. This is
not only slower, but makes it more difficult to distribute your
software since the receipient(s) may not have the interpreter you
used. One exception is QBASIC, which is an interpreter that
comes with the current versions of DOS.
Normally, you will prefer to use a compiler instead of an
interpreter, unless you are programming strictly for your own
benefit or as a way of learning the language.
Most compilers, such as Visual Basic for DOS, have a pro-
gramming environment in which you can write code (instead of
using a separate text editor) and run the code to test it without
having to compile it first.
Frankly, while you may want to test the waters with a public
domain or shareware compiler for C or Basic or Pascal, these
cannot really compare to the power and features of retail-only
compilers from Microsoft, Borland, etc.
Programming Routines and Libraries:
One are of Programming shareware that can help you be very
productive are the routines and programming libraries.
Routines are bits of source code in the language of your
choice which accomplish some task such as sorting data or read-
ing a disk directory. All you have to do is add this code to your
own source code. This beats investing the time to develop the
code yourself, yet studying the routines can help you learn the
tricks of the trade and you may find ways to improve them.
Source code routines normally perform a single function, are
frequently public domain or freeware and don't require payment
for using them. Libraries of routines usually include dozens of
routines which have been compiled into a single library file
which can be combined with your code during compilation.
Unless the author of library has also included the source code,
which usually is NOT the case, you cannot study nor modify the
code for the library file.
Because libraries are more extensive than simple routines and
require much more work and expertise to develop, they are usu-
ally shareware and require payment to the author to use. Many
programmers offer the source code to people who register.
An example of a library is TechnoJock's Object Toolkit (for
Turbo Pascal; #27469). It is actually a collection of "objects" for
object-oriented programming, but the principle is the same. You
can add objects to your code for displaying and managing pop-up
windows, for creating program menus, for performing directory
and file selection, and much more.
In fact, with an extensive collection of routines, libraries, or
objects, you can reduce your programming to developing a con-
cept or working out algorithms specific to your application and
bypass most of the time consuming, nuts-and-bolts programming
by popping in the appropriate routines.
Programming Tools:
There are pop-up reference tools of every type - for ASCII
and ANSI codes, color charts, Hex calculators, base conversion
tools, debuggers, etc.
Screen designers make it easy to lay out text-based screens for
which the software spits out code to add to your program to recre-
ate the screen(s). There are also sprite drawing utilities which let
you draw small graphics characters for animated games.
Flowcharters, version control utilities, variable cross-refer-
ence utilities, overlay managers, code librarians, and source code
formatters all help keep your code well structured and organized.
Once you have completed your program and are ready to dis-
tribute it, you will find numerous utilities in PsL for creating soft-
ware installation programs.
In short, you can find an abundance of routines and tools in
PsL to make programming easier and more professional.