Basic Trace to Printer?

[+Larry]

Most Basic trace programs execute by showing the line numbers in [brackets] on the screen as the program is executing.

That can cause some problems, depending on the program being traced.

 

Is anyone aware of a Basic trace program that allows showing the line numbers traced on the printer or even written to a file?

 

Alternatively, is anyone aware of a Basic trace program written in Basic? I might be able to modify that.

 

Thanks,

-Larry

[Rybags]

No such thing available for Atari BASIC as far as I'm aware.

 

To implement a trace would likely require copying the ROM to RAM, then implementing a patch or two (or more), and a bit of extra coding to write out the trace.

 

Trace to printer, with other information would be a pretty good idea, especially since you can Print to File with the emulator (and APE too, I believe).

[+Larry]

No such thing available for Atari BASIC as far as I'm aware.

 

To implement a trace would likely require copying the ROM to RAM, then implementing a patch or two (or more), and a bit of extra coding to write out the trace.

 

Trace to printer, with other information would be a pretty good idea, especially since you can Print to File with the emulator (and APE too, I believe).

 

Hi Rybags-

 

I did (just) find one from Antic written in Basic at atarimagazines.com. I may be able to modify that one.

Of course, if someone knows of one in ML or Action!, that would likely be nicer!

 

-Larry

[Rybags]

Can you provide linkage, or upload it?

[+Larry]

Can you provide linkage, or upload it?

 

Partially...

Here is the article:

http://atarimagazines.planetmirror.com/v2n...aceutility.html

 

Unfortunately, the program listing is not there. AFAIK, Antic didn't start putting there listings on disks until about 1984, so the early articles were scanned and in many cases, the program listings were ignored. This will have to be a type-it-in and debug it project. Will probably take a bit, but I'll get it done.

 

-Larry

[Rybags]

Better idea:

 

Location 8A,8B points to the current program line.

 

A VBlank routine could grab the line number and display it in a status window.

 

Just a couple of issues: Interrupt routines can't use CIO or the Floating Point ROM which rules out printing and makes converting numbers a little harder.

 

Final issue: even though Atari BASIC is slow, it can still whip through lines of code at a rate faster than you could keep up with visually. But, a slowdown or pause feature could be implemented.

[cas]

Better idea:

 

Location 8A,8B points to the current program line.

 

A VBlank routine could grab the line number and display it in a status window.

 

Just a couple of issues: Interrupt routines can't use CIO or the Floating Point ROM which rules out printing and makes converting numbers a little harder.

 

Final issue: even though Atari BASIC is slow, it can still whip through lines of code at a rate faster than you could keep up with visually. But, a slowdown or pause feature could be implemented.

 

Hi,

 

I have an Infoline tool similar to the ACTION! one in the Wiki, that displays the Basic Line to be executed, as long with other Information (free Basic Memory, Screen Coordinates of Cursor etc.). An Disk Image with the tool is attached.

 

The Infoline shows from left to right

 

* Atari Real Time Clock

* Keyboard status (caps lock, CTRL lock etc)

* X/Y coordinates of the editor cursor

* current basic line

* free basic memory

* ATASCII value of the last key pressed

* Internal value (peek 755) of last key pressed

* status HELP-Key

* Status Console-Keys

* Status Joystick (1/2)

 

Carsten

infoline.zip

Edited January 19, 2008 by cas

[+Larry]

Better idea:

 

Location 8A,8B points to the current program line.

 

A VBlank routine could grab the line number and display it in a status window.

 

Just a couple of issues: Interrupt routines can't use CIO or the Floating Point ROM which rules out printing and makes converting numbers a little harder.

 

Final issue: even though Atari BASIC is slow, it can still whip through lines of code at a rate faster than you could keep up with visually. But, a slowdown or pause feature could be implemented.

 

Hi,

 

I have an Infoline tool similar to the ACTION! one in the Wiki, that displays the Basic Line to be executed, as long with other Information (free Basic Memory, Screen Coordinates of Cursor etc.). An Disk Image with the tool is attached.

 

(snip...)

 

Carsten

 

Hi Carsten-

 

Thanks, it looks like it could be quite useful, and the extra display lines work fine with NTSC, also.

 

Most of the status items are easy to figure out, but a couple are not. Do you have a link or a very short doc file?

 

-Larry

Edited January 20, 2008 by Larry

[+Roydea6]

Hi Larry,

Read Carsten's message again.

 

The Infoline shows from left to right

 

Top Line

 

* Atari Real Time Clock

* Keyboard status (caps lock, CTRL lock etc)

* X/Y coordinates of the editor cursor

* current basic line

* free basic memory

 

Bottom line

 

* ATASCII value of the last key pressed

* Internal value (peek 755) of last key pressed

* status HELP-Key

* Status Console-Keys

* Status Joystick (1/2)

 

Carsten

 

Rdea6

[Mathy]

Hello Larry

 

If you are gonna modify an existing piece of software and if you own an XEP80, you could consider using the XEP80 as an output device for the TRACE.

 

BTW the ABBUC has a project in which they try to scan all the Atari magazins ever published. I've meet the guy who does (most of?) the scanning, his first name is Bodo. Maybe one of the other members of the ABBUC here can tell you how to get in contact with Bodo. I don't know if all ANTIC magazins have already been scanned and I don't know if Bodo speaks English.

 

Greetings

 

Mathy

[+Larry]

Hi Larry,

Read Carsten's message again.

 

The Infoline shows from left to right

 

Top Line

 

* Atari Real Time Clock

* Keyboard status (caps lock, CTRL lock etc)

* X/Y coordinates of the editor cursor

* current basic line

* free basic memory

 

Bottom line

 

* ATASCII value of the last key pressed

* Internal value (peek 755) of last key pressed

* status HELP-Key

* Status Console-Keys

* Status Joystick (1/2)

 

Carsten

 

Rdea6

 

Oops! Yes, didn't see the "left to right"... Sorry about that!

-Larry

[+Larry]

Better idea:

 

Location 8A,8B points to the current program line.

 

A VBlank routine could grab the line number and display it in a status window.

 

Just a couple of issues: Interrupt routines can't use CIO or the Floating Point ROM which rules out printing and makes converting numbers a little harder.

 

Final issue: even though Atari BASIC is slow, it can still whip through lines of code at a rate faster than you could keep up with visually. But, a slowdown or pause feature could be implemented.

 

While looking for the previously mentioned Trace utility from Antic, I ran across another one in a later issue of Antic, somewhat along the method you suggest. This is called Basic Tracer in the Sept. 1986 issue. Both the executable and the M65 source code are available at http://www.atarimagazines.com/software/software.html

 

This one adds a 25th line at the top of the screen (similar to Carsten's) and allows the execution speed to be varied by a simple POKE.

 

-Larry

[+Larry]

Hello Larry

 

If you are gonna modify an existing piece of software and if you own an XEP80, you could consider using the XEP80 as an output device for the TRACE.

 

BTW the ABBUC has a project in which they try to scan all the Atari magazins ever published. I've meet the guy who does (most of?) the scanning, his first name is Bodo. Maybe one of the other members of the ABBUC here can tell you how to get in contact with Bodo. I don't know if all ANTIC magazins have already been scanned and I don't know if Bodo speaks English.

 

Greetings

 

Mathy

 

Hi Mathy-

 

Thanks -- using the XEP80 certainly could be useful, and I definitely hadn't thought of that.

 

All of the Antic's have been scanned at atarimagazines.com, it's just that the early ones (pre-1984?) didn't come with disks, so there are "holes" in the accompanying software, since OCR'ing the programs is such a time-consuming PITA.

 

Take care,

Larry

[+Roydea6]

Hi Larry,

 

This information might work for an emulator. I haven't tried this yet because I don't use the USB cartridge

 

http://www.atarimax.com/flashcart/forum/viewtopic.php?t=366

 

But this redirects htabs from screen to printer..

[+Larry]

Hi Larry,

 

This information might work for an emulator. I haven't tried this yet because I don't use the USB cartridge

 

http://www.atarimax.com/flashcart/forum/viewtopic.php?t=366

 

But this redirects htabs from screen to printer..

 

Thanks, that is an interesting idea. I have played around with HTABS some, but never have been too successful (my lack of understanding, I'm sure).

 

But I'll take a peek at this.

 

-Larry

[+Larry]

Can you provide linkage, or upload it?

 

Partially...

Here is the article:

http://atarimagazines.planetmirror.com/v2n...aceutility.html

 

Unfortunately, the program listing is not there. AFAIK, Antic didn't start putting there listings on disks until about 1984, so the early articles were scanned and in many cases, the program listings were ignored. This will have to be a type-it-in and debug it project. Will probably take a bit, but I'll get it done.

 

-Larry

 

I OCR'd and typed in the Basic Trace program and (finally) debugged it successfully. It will be posted at www.atarimagazines.com in about a week (or so).

-Larry