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Cortex BASIC in 80 Column


Stuart

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I've updated the Cortex BASIC program so it should now work in 80 column text mode on a 4A with the F18A. I've tested in Classic99 - anyone able to test on the "real iron" to save me having to dig my console out and strip it down?

 

Zip file attached with:

-- 40 and 80 column versions in TIFILES(?) and TiDisk formats. Should load with E/A option 3.

-- 40 and 80 column versions in binary format for burning to EPROM for a Guidry 64K cartridge (32K 27[C]256 EPROM and a 74LS379 ).

 

Program details here BUT I haven't updated the disk download on this page yet until I know the 80 column version works - use the zip file attached below: [http://www.avjd51.dsl.pipex.com/ti/ti.htm#programs].

 

Cortex BASIC 40 and 80 Column.zip

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I don't get the sprite. It does not seem to follow the normal syntax I'm used to in TI BASIC, TI Extended BASIC or the other ANSI variants. I even tried some BASICA/GWBASIC commands.

 

Now I simply LOVE Aniheart61a.gif that it's in 80 columns!

I can't even get it to clear the screen edit (figured out why!), just a basic counting routine that works in just about anything. This looks pretty slick though... can I get a link to some documentation? I may have just found what I've been looking for! :thumbsup::thumbsup: :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

EDIT #1

Just found a manual....

ftp://whtech.com/Powertran%20Cortex/Documentation/CORTEX%20BASIC%20Manual.pdf

 

EDIT#2

Am I stupid, or does saving a file not work yet?

Edited by --- Ω ---
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arcadeshopper, on 23 Nov 2015 - 6:54 PM, said:arcadeshopper, on 23 Nov 2015 - 6:54 PM, said:

attachicon.gif20151123_105242_HDR.jpg

 

Seems fine but there's a sprite on my screen

 

 

Let me look into that. I thought I had it sorted. ;-(

 

ARCADESHOPPER - was that the disk or cartridge version you were trying? Was the sprite there from the start or suddenly appeared as you were playing around?

Edited by Stuart
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--- Ω ---, on 23 Nov 2015 - 7:15 PM, said:

I don't get the sprite. It does not seem to follow the normal syntax I'm used to in TI BASIC, TI Extended BASIC or the other ANSI variants. I even tried some BASICA/GWBASIC commands.

 

Now I simply LOVE Aniheart61a.gif that it's in 80 columns!

I can't even get it to clear the screen edit (figured out why!), just a basic counting routine that works in just about anything. This looks pretty slick though... can I get a link to some documentation? I may have just found what I've been looking for! :thumbsup::thumbsup: :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

EDIT #1

Just found a manual....

ftp://whtech.com/Powertran%20Cortex/Documentation/CORTEX%20BASIC%20Manual.pdf

 

EDIT#2

Am I stupid, or does saving a file not work yet?

 

Load/save should work. Look at the link to my website in the first post on this thread - that gives TI-99/4A specifics of the implementation (including how to clear the screen - Ctrl-L).

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Load/save should work. Look at the link to my website in the first post on this thread - that gives TI-99/4A specifics of the implementation (including how to clear the screen - Ctrl-L).

 

Okay, loading and saving....................... CheckMark.png

Clearing the screen (while not in a program)... CheckMark.png

 

The auto-start is nice.

 

Because of limited space, it would sure be nice to get an .BIN capable of running from a BLUE cart.

med_gallery_35324_1027_11741.jpg

 

Sadly, the clock is telling me I have to get ready for work.... L8R

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Anyone - what do I have to do to the bank switching to work with the UberCart? The values I use to select banks for the inverted 64K board are:

 

Bank 0 - >600E

Bank 1 - >600C

Bank 2 - >600A

Bank 3 - >6008

 

Do I need to use values >6000, >6002, >6004, >6006 for the UberCart?

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The padded image works fine with JS99er.net.

 

Hmm, well I burned each image twice, all four images checked out with the programmer, which basically means what was programmed took. It's not the cartridges fault (I do have a bad one), because when replaced with your 8-N-1 everything works fine.

 

Anyway no menu selection shows up. The only option is TI BASIC.

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If you are putting it in a bigger rom, such as the ubergrom flash chip, and the last bank is where your board boots to on start, you should have luck by copying the first 8k bank into the last bank in the 512k eeprom on the ubergrom, or red board. The rom menu entry will be found by the TI, and the code should run fine, switching into the first banks as necessary.

 

I seem to recall reading that the xb2.7 cart had GPL in Grom as a start up routine to force the bank switch back to the first bank. But without Grom you are at the mercy of the power on state of the bank switching logic chip. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

So copying the first bank to the boot bank is an easy workaround that only requires some file splitting.

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If you are putting it in a bigger rom, such as the ubergrom flash chip, and the last bank is where your board boots to on start, you should have luck by copying the first 8k bank into the last bank in the 512k eeprom on the ubergrom, or red board. The rom menu entry will be found by the TI, and the code should run fine, switching into the first banks as necessary.

 

I seem to recall reading that the xb2.7 cart had GPL in Grom as a start up routine to force the bank switch back to the first bank. But without Grom you are at the mercy of the power on state of the bank switching logic chip. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

So copying the first bank to the boot bank is an easy workaround that only requires some file splitting.

 

I don't have the technical skill yet to accomplish this task. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of time to devote to this right now.

 

Is << THIS >> what you were referring to? I suppose I could temporarily re-task my backup XB2.7S cartridge by cannibalizing the 1284P and then programming in this code... but it a far better solution is an image that works in the 49F040. I doubt many people will want to devote a whole 1284P full-time just to support one program.

 

I really wish I had more time right now because I'm anxious to play with this 80 Column Cortex BASIC to see if it'll do what I want. I've so wanted an 80 column BASIC since before I got out of the TI over 25 years ago.

 

BTW - Is there a library of programs for this version of BASIC available anywhere?

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I don't have the technical skill yet to accomplish this task. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of time to devote to this right now.

 

In Windows you can use:

 

copy /b file.bin + file.bin longer-file.bin

 

to double the length of file.bin

 

Repeat the procedure 4 times until you have a 512K file.

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Is anyone considering a program that will convert bank-switched images between formats, like doubling up images to fit a larger EPROM, or padding an image to an EPROM size? If we were to standardise on the commands used to switch banks (like MOV R0,@>600E) then it should(?) be possible to convert between inverting and non-inverting images as well.

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I cannot spend anymore time playing around with this right now. I will need to buy a couple more cartridges though. Of the three cartridges I have, one simply cannot be used, it always starts up in the wrong spot, but this had nothing to do with the Cortex BASIC not loading up (it would not load on either of the good cartridges either). I guess I'll have to wait for a suitable Cortex image.

 

I tried almost everything, even reprogrammed my 1284P with Gazoo's code but it would not help in either the bad or the good cartridges. I even played musical sockets today, and while single images like Alex Kidd would not come up in the bad cartridge, I at least got *SOMETHING* to come up with the MultiCart image... this is what I constantly got:

 

gallery_35324_1027_43840.jpg

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Rasmus built a nice PC routine to switch images between inverted and noninverted mode. Omega's problem doesn't exist on a Red board, as you can set the jumpers to target a smaller EPROM on that one (something you can't do with the 512K EPROM space on the UberGROM). The UberGROM expects a 512K image, so you have to make sure that the first bank is at both the top and the bottom of that 512K image (and to catch almost all possibilities, just put the first bank in EVERY bank but the ones you are using, especially when you have images that leave most of the space blank).

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