Windows Built-In Score Bar Designer

[+Gemintronic]

Windows has a built-in score bar design aid!

 

Open Windows Calc by clicking Start -> Run and then typing calc in the Run field (hit OK when done)

Alternatively click Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> Calculator

 

Set the view to "Scientific" or mode to "Programmer" in Vista/7

 

Change the number type to (*) Bin

 

You can now enter 1's for pixels and 0's for blank spaces. Up to 8 1's and 0's can be displayed by the Batari score bars.

 

The calculator will not display the leftmost 0's/blanks so a half full bar like this:

 

00001111

 

is gonna look like this in calc:

 

1111

 

If we want to convert that score bar design back to a Batari pfscore value simply switch back to (*) Dec mode in the calculator. In this case 1111 becomes 15.

 

In Batari you can now use that value to set your score bar.

 

Use pfscore1 = 15 or pfscore2 = 15 depending on which bar you wanna put your design in.

 

 

-- EXAMPLE --

 

Let's say we want a left score bar that has a pixel at both ends and two pixels in the middle like so:

X..XX..X

 

In the calculator in (*) Bin mode we would type in:

10011001

 

Switching back to (*) Dec mode we get our pfscore1 value:

153

 

In our Batari code we would insert that value like so:

pfscore1 = 153

 

That's it! Yay! Score bars demystified for the masses! Have fun with Windows Calc: Your built-in score bar designer

Edited July 13, 2010 by theloon

[+Random Terrain]

You don't have to convert it back to decimal. You can just use pfscore1 = %10011001. I've been meaning to update that section.

 

 

Speaking of converting, I usually use this online tool:

 

http://www.randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-tools-toys.html

[+Gemintronic]

You don't have to convert it back to decimal. You can just use pfscore1 = %10011001. I've been meaning to update that section.

 

 

Speaking of converting, I usually use this online tool:

 

http://www.randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-tools-toys.html

 

Thanks for the reality check For some reason my thinking got warped by trying to use that pfscore1/4 kinda math. Nothing wrong with such examples of usage. Just, %10011001 as a representation of X..XX..X (pixel space space pixel pixel space space pixel) seems to fit. pfscore1/4 or pfscore/2 feels like a clever hack to make certain patterns out of the score bar. Unfortunately, some users (me) aren't so clever

 

Chrome doesn't like your handy online tool. I blame Chrome for that one. Firefox works fine!

[+Random Terrain]

I have updated this section a little:

 

http://www.randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-commands.html#pfscorebars

 

I'm almost done with a demo program to go with it. I should have it ready pretty soon.