Atari Dev Studio for Homebrew Development [Release]

[GoogleBot]

Hello folks!

 

I've been trying to set up Atari Dev Studio. I've followed the installation instructions and opened a new file. I pasted a simple hello world example and tried to run it via the launch button. It does nothing. Pressing F5 just opens a searchbar to select an enviroment.

 

What is it I'm doing wrong?

 

PS: I'm used to Game Maker Studio so that might not help lmao

 

Any help appreciated.

[+Karl G]

On 1/18/2021 at 1:31 PM, GoogleBot said:

Hello folks!

 

I've been trying to set up Atari Dev Studio. I've followed the installation instructions and opened a new file. I pasted a simple hello world example and tried to run it via the launch button. It does nothing. Pressing F5 just opens a searchbar to select an enviroment.

 

What is it I'm doing wrong?

 

PS: I'm used to Game Maker Studio so that might not help lmao

 

Any help appreciated.

Have you first saved the file with an appropriate extension? E.g. ".bas" for a batari Basic file.

[+mksmith]

Hi @GoogleBot! Have you been able to get up and running ok??

 

Apologies everyone I'm getting smashed with work, school holidays and activities ATM as my wife is working - looking forward to school going back for the kids! I need to get an update out for the new Stella release too!

 

Thanks @Karl G ?

[+stephena]

47 minutes ago, mksmith said:

Hi @GoogleBot! Have you been able to get up and running ok??

 

Apologies everyone I'm getting smashed with work, school holidays and activities ATM as my wife is working - looking forward to school going back for the kids! I need to get an update out for the new Stella release too!

 

Thanks @Karl G ?

You may want to give it a few days; we're going to release 6.5.1 very soon.

[+mksmith]

On 1/22/2021 at 8:42 AM, stephena said:

You may want to give it a few days; we're going to release 6.5.1 very soon.

Ok great thanks Stephen ?

[+Muddyfunster]

I've run into a really odd bug.

 

I add some really simple code to my source and I get this error when compiling :

 

 

I've seen similar before when I've left a trailing "." or a ":" someplace.

 

This time however, the code I'm adding is simply 3 variables changing state.  no "." are added.

 

I had to resort to copying my entire source to a new file to get it to compile and then it starts doing it again, usually after I've copied and pasted some code. If I type the code, it's fine, If I copy and paste, nope, it's telling me I have unknown keywords.

 

I deleted a redundant data statement and got this :

 

 

not sure what's going on!

 

I did a search on "all" to see if I have accidentally used this as a keyword. Nope, it's used in some variable names but the only time "all" appears is after a comment 

 

 

[+Andrew Davie]

1 minute ago, Muddyfunster said:

 

not sure what's going on!

Would be useful to have the source code to analyse.  Not sharable?

[+Muddyfunster]

7 hours ago, Andrew Davie said:

Would be useful to have the source code to analyse.  Not sharable?

I know but it's not really sharable, sorry.

[+Andrew Davie]

One of the features of Visual Studio that I use all the time - particularly when hand-editing shape data tables - is the column-based cut/copy/paste.

On MacOS it's shift+option+control (held) + arrow keys to mark a section, and then normal cut/copy/paste (command-X/command-C/command-V) to paste.  But the super cool thing is you can also block-insert stuff into the entire column.  For example, in the video I move a whole column, then add a comma to the whole column, and delete a space. It's so time-saving I thought I'd share in case others weren't using it.

 

 

[+Karl G]

1 hour ago, Muddyfunster said:

I had to resort to copying my entire source to a new file to get it to compile and then it starts doing it again, usually after I've copied and pasted some code. If I type the code, it's fine, If I copy and paste, nope, it's telling me I have unknown keywords.

I'm guessing that it's some kind of control character getting into the mix when you copy and paste from another source. Have you looked at the line it is referencing specifically (and maybe the one above it) to see if you can spot anything odd? Maybe just try deleting and retyping those line for starters.

[+Muddyfunster]

I think that's a reasonable shout Karl, I don't think the error was on the line(s) referenced, I think it was just  above. Even moving a line of code caused it to fall over.

 

I have a feeling for what ever reason the compiler didn't like that line or lines and it could have been something like a rogue control character.

 

I deleted 3 lines and re-typed them from a copy and it seems to have cleared the issue. I often use "Split Right" mode when debugging or implementing code that I wrote standalone as a module so something could have got introduced with the copy/paste.

 

Very strange and a bit of a head scratcher to be sure, but thanks Karl & Andrew for chiming in.

[+mksmith]

Well done everyone! (sorry Lewis at a basketball tournament ATM)

 

I did a bit of a search for how showing these type of characters might be done in VS Code.  There was quite a few requests for something built-in but there are a few extensions that were recommended:

 

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=wengerk.highlight-bad-chars

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=nachocab.highlight-dodgy-characters

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=nhoizey.gremlins

 

I might add an appendix to the main post for useful extensions.

 

 

 

 

[+Muddyfunster]

No worries mate

[Gandor]

Question: how do I start the sprite editor?

Was trying to load a sprite from the multisprite sample code in the sprite editor but I see no way to start it.

The github page mentions short-cut buttons on the status bar but mine doesn't show anything.

Tried uninstalling/installing but didn't work.

I'm running windows 10.

Any suggestions?

 

[+TwentySixHundred]

On 1/25/2021 at 12:40 PM, Muddyfunster said:

I've run into a really odd bug.

 

I add some really simple code to my source and I get this error when compiling :

 

 

I've seen similar before when I've left a trailing "." or a ":" someplace.

 

This time however, the code I'm adding is simply 3 variables changing state.  no "." are added.

 

I had to resort to copying my entire source to a new file to get it to compile and then it starts doing it again, usually after I've copied and pasted some code. If I type the code, it's fine, If I copy and paste, nope, it's telling me I have unknown keywords.

 

I deleted a redundant data statement and got this :

 

 

not sure what's going on!

 

I did a search on "all" to see if I have accidentally used this as a keyword. Nope, it's used in some variable names but the only time "all" appears is after a comment 

 

 

Not sure if was the issue and im sure you probably already had checked. But sometimes when i copy and paste code there is labels that are indented which causes the same "unknown keyword" error like you have showed. I usually have to go back through and make sure all labels are not indented. Might explain why re-writing the same code worked the following time. Anyway good to hear you sorted it out.

[+mksmith]

On 1/26/2021 at 1:47 PM, Gandor said:

Question: how do I start the sprite editor?

Was trying to load a sprite from the multisprite sample code in the sprite editor but I see no way to start it.

The github page mentions short-cut buttons on the status bar but mine doesn't show anything.

Tried uninstalling/installing but didn't work.

I'm running windows 10.

Any suggestions?

 

Hi Gandor - apologies for not replying earlier I just haven't had much time around the forums the past week!!

 

There is potentially an issue with the extension not starting correctly if you don't see the status bar shortcuts on first install.  To do an initial check to see if it's loaded start VS Code and open the Developer tools via the Help menu. Once the Developer Tools are open, click on the Console tab and review the log.  It should state that Extension 'Atari Dev Studio v.x.x.x is now active!' and also display the path.  If not it may display some sort of error.

 

Hopefully it has started and if so you can try activating the Sprite Editor via the Welcome screen.  To do that open the Command Palette (Shift+Ctrl+P) and type 'ads' which will provide a link to open the Welcome page.  From there you will see the shortcut on the Welcome page.

 

If everything is working but the status bar link is not available you can check that via the Settings (File > Preference > Settings):

 

Hope that helps!

 

[Gandor]

Thanks for your help.

Was able to bring up the sprite editor via the welcome page.

My Status Bar Commands setting were set to full but no icon which will open the sprite editor.

Besides the play icon (compile source code) and rocket icon (compile source code and run in emulator) I do have an icon which looks like an open book and if I hover my mouse over is says: "Sprite Editor Right (Ctrl+\)" but all it does is open a second duplicate window of the current window.

 

 

Edited January 28, 2021 by Gandor

[+mksmith]

1 hour ago, Gandor said:

Thanks for your help.

Was able to bring up the sprite editor via the welcome page.

My Status Bar Commands setting were set to full but no icon which will open the sprite editor.

Besides the play icon (compile source code) and rocket icon (compile source code and run in emulator) I do have an icon which looks like an open book and if I hover my mouse over is says: "Sprite Editor Right (Ctrl+\)" but all it does is open a second duplicate window of the current window.

Hmm very strange - which version of VS Code and the Extension is running?  And the Developer Tool logs there was no error/strange messages?

[Gandor]

VSCode v1.52.1

ADS v0.6.5

 

I can access the sprite editor via the welcome screen so I'm good for now.

Thanks for you help.

 

[+mksmith]

I'll add launching the Sprite Editor from the Command Palette.  Once you have created and save sprite projects to file you can right-click the file (*.spe) in Explorer view and open it directly into the Sprite Editor via the pop-up (occasionally still doesn't load first time but still trying to sort that out - the Web View is tricky to communicate with).

 

Still strange about the icons on the status bar as they are the ones provided by VS Code not anything custom.

[+mksmith]

A new release (v0.6.7) is now available with the following changes:

• Updated Stella to v6.5.1 (Windows, Linux, macOS). Note: Linux 32-bit is currently v6.2
• #39 [Done] Added Command Palette option 'ads: Open the Sprite Editor'
• #33 [InProgress] Added F1 context help for batariBasic and 7800basic linking to RandomTerrain's support pages (set cursor at word and press F1 to display help content if found)
• #40 [Done] Added check for 7800basic *.CC2 files (produced for 144k ROMS) to copy file into bin folder
• Updated hover tooltips for 7800basic keywords (plotmap, plotchars)
• Added new 7800basic keywords: singlewide (plotchars)
• Updated internal packages to latest

Apologies again for the delay in getting this update out.  This release bring in the latest Stella build and adds a couple of nice support features including using the F1 key (cursor at word) to link into @Random Terrain's Batari and 7800basic's support sites which will be a great addition.

 

Now Covid is under control here in Melbourne life is returning to crazy normal and all the kids activities and my basketball coaching has resumed ? Unfortunately haven't had much time recently to do much else ? Saying that I do have a lovely miniPet I've built to play with which was a fun project:

[+Muddyfunster]

Thanks for the update Matt, appreciated.

 

Love the mini pet  is that the kit from TFW8B? Looks great

 

[+Karl G]

9 hours ago, mksmith said:

A new release (v0.6.7) is now available with the following changes:

Looks like a pretty big release! Looking forward to trying the context-sensitive help.

 

Edit - I got it to install. VSC itself had to be updated to see the new release.

[+Muddyfunster]

Mine seems stuck at 0.6.5 & I can't seem to trigger an update. I'll look up manual updating later when I get some time.

 

[edit] ok seems it's updated to 0.6.7 but I've lost all of the function buttons from the blue bar at the bottom to compile etc. Extension is showing as installed but doesn't seem to be active, even though it's showing as active and globally available.

 

I tried a reinstall of ADS and no change.

 

Second complete reinstall fixed it

 

 

 

 

[+mksmith]

Thanks guys for testing!  Updating the internals pretty much forces you to have the latest builds of VS Code.  I don't update that stuff very often due to this but VS Code does a good job keeping itself updated thankfully.