WUDSN IDE: The free integrated Atari 8-bit development plugin for Eclipse

[+JAC!]

Hi Thelen,

I assume the source file has ".asm" as extension. The extension determines the editor used and the editor determines which compiler is used. WUDSN IDE comes with 3 editors for Atari (ATASM, MADS, XASM). The ".asm" extension is by default registered to the ATASM editor (and hence the ATASM compiler). See my comment above (13 Sep) one how to change this via the preferences ("File Associations")/to bypass this via "Open with > MADS Editor".

[Thelen]

Hi Thelen,

I assume the source file has ".asm" as extension. The extension determines the editor used and the editor determines which compiler is used. WUDSN IDE comes with 3 editors for Atari (ATASM, MADS, XASM). The ".asm" extension is by default registered to the ATASM editor (and hence the ATASM compiler). See my comment above (13 Sep) one how to change this via the preferences ("File Associations")/to bypass this via "Open with > MADS Editor".

 

Thanks Peter ! I should be a more patient reader before asking This did the job.

 

Thanks for making such a nice IDE ! This is really a great improvement for me programming on OSX !

[Justin Payne]

I'm using Eclipse 3.5.2.

According to your web site, it states...

Content assist by pressing CTRL-Space for directives, legal opcode, illegal opcodes and pseudo opcodes

 

This feature doesn't work for me. Could there be a setting I'm missing?

 

Thanks,

[+JAC!]

Content assist by pressing CTRL-Space for directives, legal opcode, illegal opcodes and pseudo opcodes

This feature doesn't work for me. Could there be a setting I'm missing?

This is a very basic feature, so I really wonder why this could be the case. Which file extension do you use? Is syntax highlighting for opcodes working? If not, you probably have only the normal text editor open and not the corresponding ATASM/MADS... editor. Visually they look the same. Also there is a bug the IDE which causes some features to be disabled afer renaming a file. In this case closing an re-opening should solve it. You can explicitly select which editor to use for opening via the context menu "Open With.../ATASM Editor".

[Justin Payne]

Hmmm. Well, I've tried to attach a < 2mb swf file to this post a couple times w/o success to show you my steps.. I guess I'll just rely on my summary below. If you'd like me to email it to ya, just let me know.

 

To summarize, yep, I did as you requested and closed/reopened. Also, I right clicked on the .ASM and chose "Open with | ATASM Editor". Then I went to some line, type

L

and hit Left CTRL-Space. I then tried

LD

hit right CTRL-Space. Still nothing.

 

I then opened a Java file and type "

import org.

". That worked automatically, but I didn't have to hit CTRL-Space.

 

Oh, yea, the syntax highlighting is working.

 

Hope that helps.

Edited September 26, 2010 by Justin Payne

[Heaven/TQA]

I have updated to Eclipse 3.6.1 but have a question regarding the code completion feature. I can press CTRL+SPACE to show the table but when I am hitting one of the suggestions it does not insert the checked command and the cursor is jumping down the source code?

 

I am on OSX 10.6.

 

And is there a short (for Atari or c64 development) instruction regarding the Eclipse features. f.e. the source code completion, version control and other usefull features.

 

Would be cool as I don't want to learn Eclipse in total...

[+JAC!]

it does not insert the checked command and the cursor is jumping down the source code?

I had this before and now it found something. In my case it inserted correctly (are you sure it didn't insert), but the cursor was moved to (start+start) instead of (start+offset). I'll upload the fix soon.

 

And is there a short (for Atari or c64 development) instruction regarding the Eclipse features. f.e. the source code completion, version control and other usefull features

With the last site update, I provided this in the WUDSN IDE/FAQ section. The first is "How do I use Eclipse at all?" and points out how to use the basic help which comes with Eclipse. If you only want to use Eclipse for Atari/C64 stuff, I recommend to do a clean install with the IDE (called "Platform Runtime Binary") only (without Java JDT and all that). First, it is smaller and starts faster, second you are not bothered with things you don't need in the Help and in the Preferences.

 

hat worked automatically, but I didn't have to hit CTRL-Space.

I tested in my MacOS X 10.5 image and it works fine. Considering that the next update will require 3.6 anyway, maybe the pure IDE installation mentioned above would be best before we go on. In addition you can find a log file in "<Workspace>/.metadata/.log". Maybe there are some exceptions which explain what is going on. Please PM in case of further problems. Note: In Java there is context senstive content assist which reacts also on certain characters (here the dot between packages). This is not implemented in WUDSN IDE.

 

Eclipse 3.6.1 "Platform Runtime Binary" (all platforms, about 50 MB)

Edited September 27, 2010 by peter.dell

[Heaven/TQA]

3.6.1 works fine with your "platform runtime binary" and 10.6.2... so it seems it is the "clean" installation...

[Justin Payne]

Here is a clean log file (attached). There are some errors. I haven't tried an uninstall/reinstall of eclipse yet since I use it for other things but it's not out of the question. I would like to try to do as much to help you solve this before that becomes a need.

ATASM.txt

[+JAC!]

Hi Justin,

The log states nothing useful. Google yielded a number of content assist errors for Eclipse 3.5 under MacOS and especially in the cases when other laguages were also installed in Eclipse. So, for testing the easiest way would be to just download the Eclipse version mentioned above, extract it to a folder and install the WUDSN IDE plugins. You don't have to change/uninstall anything, Eclipse will run just fine from the folder!

[Justin Payne]

LOL. This is my third edit but I figured it out.

 

I installed Messenger Plus, an 3rd party add-on to Microsoft's messenger. Someone reported that it interfered with Eclipse Content Assist feature. Oh wonderful Internet!!!

Turns out it maps to an option to lock the app. You can set it to someone else but I just unchecked the option. Problem solved.

 

This might be a good troubleshooting step to have on your site cuz it's darn frustrating.

Edited September 29, 2010 by Justin Payne

[Heaven/TQA]

I love software industry... and the millions of posibilities... anyone had bosses saying "it is digital... it works or it does not work... there is no "I don't know why"... )

[+JAC!]

This might be a good troubleshooting step to have on your site cuz it's darn frustrating.

 

 

I'm so happy that I didn't have to find that out Could you post a screenshot of the correct setting? I'll add it to the FAQ then.

 

Besides you gave me a nice idea, so I implemented the automatic content assist last night. Depending on the assembler, certain characters, for example "." in ATASM or "." and "#" in MADS, will open the content assist if you type and wait. In addition there will be a real content assist for most instructions. For example ".ma" now becomes

   .macro <cursor here>
   .endmacro

Now I have to go throw all instructions of all assemblers and add the proposals, but I like the feauture

[Justin Payne]

I'm so happy that I didn't have to find that out Could you post a screenshot of the correct setting? I'll add it to the FAQ then.

 

Hey, NP. QA is my job 8 hours a day.

 

STEPS:

NOTE: I'm currently running Messenger Plus Live! v4.85.0.386 with Microsoft Messenger 2009 on Windows 7 Ultimate. Your mileage may vary.

 

1. Start up and log into MS Messenger.

2. From the main window, hit the ALT key to bring up the main menu and select "Plus! | Preferences & Options".

3. From the Preferences Windows, Select the Messenger tab and uncheck "Activate Messenger Lock with a system-wide shortcut" OR change the value in it's text box to something other than "CTRL + Space"

4. Select OK button.

 

I also found that this key combination is also mapped to a feature found in "Region and Settings" under "Windows Control Panel". I haven't tested if this will cause a conflict but if you are using multiple keyboard layouts, the CTRL-Space is mapped to allow you to cycle between the different keyboard regional layouts.

You should probably be aware of how to turn the feature off since you're probably using this features, but if you don't...

1. Within "Windows Control Panel", open "Region and Settings".

2. Select the "Keyboard and Languages" tab, select "Change Keyboards...".

3. In the "Text Services and Input Languages" windows, select "Advanced Key Settings".

4. In the "Hot Keys for input languages" list box, select "Between input languages" and then select "Change Key Sequence..."

5. In the "Change Key Sequence" window, choose another radio button other than the one next to CTRL+Shift.

6. OK your way out of all of the screen.

 

Of course, this is Windows 7 and I know how Microsoft loves to change their layouts and names, but I know for a fact that this option is available back to Windows XP.

 

Let me know if you think you still need screen shots.

Edited September 30, 2010 by Justin Payne

[+JAC!]

WUDSN IDE 1.5.0 released

 

This version has Eclipse 3.6.0 as minimum requirement. See the tab "Installation" for the description and the link to the Eclipse download. Visit www.wudsn.com for more details.

 

Features:

• 
   
  
• New supported hardware "Atari2600" added with DASM as default compiler and Stella as default emulator. A complete package atari2600-binaries.zip with compiler and sample sources is also available
  
• Recursive and circular source includes are now detected. Source includes are now only parsed once and visualized once in the content outline
  
• Completion proposal auto activation without pressing CTRL-Space after typing compiler dependent characters, for example "." in ATASM, "." or "#" in MADS and "!" in ACME
  
• Multi-line content completion and explicit cursor positioning, for example ".MA" becomes ".MACRO <cursor is here> <newline> .ENDM"
  Syntax highlighting and support for illegal opcodes completed for ACME
  
• New variables are now available for compiler and the application/emulator preferences
  {$sourceFolderPath} The absolute path to the source folder
  {$outputFolderPath} The absolute path to the output folder
  {$outputFileName} The name of the output file including its extension, for example "TestFile123.asm"
  {$outputFileNameWithoutExtension} The name of the output file without extension, for example "TestFile123"
  {$outputFileNameShortWithoutExtension} The name of the output file without extension shortened to 8 alphanumeric characters, for example "TESTFILE"
  
• Hover help in the preferences to explain the available variables
  

 

Fixes:

• 
   
  
• Syntax highlighting remains active now also after "Save as..."
  
• Cursor is now placed correctly by content assist
  
• The key binding for the "Compile" menu is now "Ctrl-0" instead of "Ctrl-Alt-0", so entering "}" is now possible again
  
• XASM editor now correctly detects the "ORG" directive
  
• The assembler editor toolbar contribution now also displays the label "Assembler" in the customizing dialog for the perspective
   
  

Site:

• 
   
  
• Section "Installing WUDSN IDE" updated with the new Eclipse 3.6 installation steps and screen shots
  
• New section "Installing Apple 2, Atari 2600 and C64 compilers like DASM and ACME" added to installation guide
  
• New FAQ "Why does CTRL-Space not open content assist?" added
  

 

Click on the screenshots below to see the animations.

Edited October 27, 2010 by peter.dell

[Heaven/TQA]

Thanks Peter!

[+Stephen]

Now with 2600 support! Awesome. I can now use the same IDE for 2600, A8, and my Android phone. Can't wait to tell some of the guys at work tomorrow.

[Heaven/TQA]

Peter, since latest version OSX does not start Atari800 any more automaticly even it is configured in the settings of eclipse? any ideas? paths etc are correct set.

[Heaven/TQA]

ok... not my day today... i should press not only compile but compile+run... works as designed...

[flashjazzcat]

Hugely vexing find bug. Sometimes you type a string in the find box and it refuses to find it, even though you know it's there. Workaround: close and reopen file.

[+JAC!]

Sometimes you type a string in the find box and it refuses to find it, even though you know it's there. Workaround: close and reopen file.

 

Eclipse searches starting at the cursor position to the end of the file by default. To be honest you probably never want that behaviour because you search for an appearance anywhere. At least this is the 90% case in the way I use the IDE. Reoping the file put the cursor at position 1, so search starts where it should.

 

BUT there is a solution to it. Just set the checkbox "Warp Search" in the "Find/Replace" dialog. When the search hit the end of the file it will start at the beginning again.

[flashjazzcat]

Sometimes you type a string in the find box and it refuses to find it, even though you know it's there. Workaround: close and reopen file.

 

Eclipse searches starting at the cursor position to the end of the file by default. To be honest you probably never want that behaviour because you search for an appearance anywhere. At least this is the 90% case in the way I use the IDE. Reoping the file put the cursor at position 1, so search starts where it should.

 

BUT there is a solution to it. Just set the checkbox "Warp Search" in the "Find/Replace" dialog. When the search hit the end of the file it will start at the beginning again.

Hmmm... it's a little more subtle than that. Sometimes find has seemed to die on me regardless of what's checked (I usually have "Incremental" and "Wrap Search" checked). I can't reproduce it right now, so I'll make a note if it happens again. I'm usually in the thick of frustrated, frantic coding when I have problems, so I won't rule out user error at this point.

[rchennau]

WUDSN IDE 1.5.0 released

 

This version has Eclipse 3.6.0 as minimum requirement. See the tab "Installation" for the description and the link to the Eclipse download. Visit www.wudsn.com for more details.

 

Ubuntu 10.10 has not upgraded Eclipse to 3.6.0 and thus WUDSN IDE 1.5.0 will not install because missing the base of 3.6.0. I have not tried downloading Eclipse 3.6.0 and installing by hand vs. apt-get.

Edited November 10, 2010 by rchennau

[+JAC!]

Ubuntu 10.10 has not upgraded Eclipse to 3.6.0 and thus WUDSN IDE 1.5.0 will not install because missing the base of 3.6.0. I have not tried downloading Eclipse 3.6.0 and installing by hand vs. apt-get.

 

My test bed for Linux is Ubuntu 10.04 and Eclipse does not really need "installation". You can simply download the platform binary .tar.gz and unzip/tar it to a directory. Thats'it. Also if you use the version which is bundled with Ubuntu, you will get the full SDK (>170 MB instead of 50 MB ) which you simply don't need for WUDSN IDE.

[flashjazzcat]

Just to confirm: find bug was apparently user error ("Whole word" was checked when searching for part strings).