RISC OPEN PICO Questions

hello,

I am about to buy a RaspPi (ans discover RISC OS) just for RISC OPEN PICO

Questions :

- is it the same basic as the classic Risc Open basic ?

- is it limited in memory like the 8bit BBC basic ?

- Can we compile them and create executables, and launch them from the boot of the Rasp Pi ?

Thanks & Regards
laurent

The BASIC is the same as in the full ROM.

is it limited in memory like the 8bit BBC basic

Yes. 8 bit BASIC was limited to 32k. The Pico BASIC is limited to about 490 Mbytes. Both can use pretty much all of the installed memory.

Can we compile them and create executables, and launch them from the boot of the Rasp Pi

There is no need to compile them – the BASIC is fast enough interpreted. If you add a file &.!Boot then this will be run on start up if the ‘Boot’ configure option is set.

Yes. 8 bit BASIC was limited to 32k.

Shadow RAM aside, wasn’t it closer to 20K in MODE7, and approximately diddly/squat in MODE 0?

A Pi is orders of magnitude better. Let’s see, around 225280K/491520K¹ vs around 20K; and clocking 760-80MHz instead of 2MHz.

In short – there’s plenty.

¹ The original issue 2 model B has 256MB onboard. Mine is one of these. Later versions offer 512MB instead.
I guess “this matters” if you are planning to run a heavyweight OS², but my little Pi runs RaspBMC perfectly well, and with RISC OS, I have loads of memory free (right now, around 170MB doing nothing), so if you are paying list price then ensure it has 512MB onboard; but if you can get a 256MB one real cheap, go for it, it’ll work fine with RISC OS.

² Heavyweight OS on a sub-GHz CPU? Dhuhuhuhuhu….

A Pi is orders of magnitude better. Let’s see, around 225280K/491520K1 vs around 20K

Only four orders of magnitude :-/

Whaouu 491520 Ko and 700Mhz ! I suppose that we can create good games in pure basic so !?

For your information, I programm games in pure basic on PC with QB64 like this one :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kVq0Qcn4Z0

But I want a more “direct” system than Windows… so I am very interesting by PICO Basic.

Chris:

Only four orders of magnitude :-/

You’re complaining? ;-)

Laurent:

I suppose that we can create good games in pure basic so !?

If you are thinking of an 80s/90s style platformer (Lemmings, or such), I would imagine pure BASIC would be fast enough.

Otherwise? You can use assembler in your BASIC program. We also have two good C compilers. The free GCC, and the not-free official compiler.

As you are looking at a Pi – you might like to consider this as well: https://www.riscosopen.org/content/sales/nutpi

Thanks Rick for the link.

Yes, I am thinking about 2D 80’ games. If you have some youtube/screenshot examples of great basic games for Risc OS I would like to see !

I have found :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPAGpqdfINo

it is BBC Basic for Windows but I suppose it is the same

That’s good ! Apparently we can make games like on ATari ST or Amiga 500 !

Although simple programs will run on both, note that although BBC Basic for Windows had a base of the original BBC Basic, it has had quite a few enhancements. And depending on which OS facilities are used, programs written for one may need some or lots of changes to run on the other. In particular multi-tasking programs using the RISC OS Wimp will need changing to use the Windows calls.

Ok indeed it is not exactly the same basic.

Apparently it is possible to launch games (like Speedball 2, Lemmings, etc…) from RISC OS PICO.

I will check if it is true when i receive my Rasp Pi !

Here’s a game for the Pico, written in BASIC (and assembler)

ok

Who is the author of RISC OS Pico ? Can we find him on this forum ? Or is it a team work ?

I am about to receive my Pi from UK, so I will test this : the possibility of launching games/emulators (without GUI) from the basic command.

Perhaps somebody has already try this ?

RISC OS Pico is built from the published RISC OS source code on our site. We (RISC OS Open) built it and pulled the image together but we’re not really the ‘author’ as it’s really a community project.

I have got my Pi ! And just install RISC OS PICO !!! Whaouuu a real basic !!!!!!

But problem… I am lost with the interface !!!!!

I can create basic lines on the black screen, no problem

If I try EDIT I come to a blue screen, but how to quit this edit mode ??? I have tried F1 to F10 without succes

So, I need a manual !!!! Not for the basic commands (I know basic langage, it is similar to Microsoft basic) but for the interface (how to list the files on the SDCARD, etc…)

I have just found :
SAVE " "
LOAD " "
RUN
LIST

More important for now :
- how to quit EDIT mode :/
- how to navigate between the directories/files to select one

It is not explaining on the PDF file attached into the SDCard.

HELP, WHERE IS THE MANUAL :)

HELP, WHERE IS THE MANUAL :)

You did try the standard trick of typing HELP (or help) at the command line didn’t you?

Yes, HELP give all the commands, but I know them

I need help for the “OS”

First problem : How to quit the EDIT mode…. it should be a keyboard combo I suppose ?

How to quit the EDIT mode…. it should be a keyboard combo I suppose ?

Sort of. The combination is QUIT one after the other :)
After which HELP will give OS command help.

When I said at the command line I assumed you knew how to drop out of BASIC (my error it’s always bad to assume)
In the list of BASIC commands QUIT is column 7 row 14
HELP QUIT informs you that it will exit the interpreter.

If you exited to the OS the return is BASIC

If I try EDIT I come to a blue screen, but how to quit this edit mode ??? I have tried F1 to F10 without success

Whoa – wait… Is this ARMBE? Wow, I’ve not seen this in ages – like, um, since maybe 1988? Wow.

There is a keystrip (shows all the F-key combinations) available, but since it is a DrawFile, it might present problems when using a non-RISC OS machine. Therefore, I have converted it to be a PDF file → http://www.heyrick.co.uk/random/armbe_keystrip.pdf

Can’t tell you how to exit the editor. Try Ctrl-F5, that should be ‘Help’.

Update: Whoa! Just typed EDIT on my Pi (normal ROM) and there it is. That’s some serious nostalgia, that. Next you’ll be telling me there’s a clone of XTreeGold lurking inside the filer someplace. ;-)

Here it is. Shift-F4 will return you to BASIC. That’s how to exit the editor.

Whoa – wait… Is this ARMBE? Wow, I’ve not seen this in ages – like, um, since maybe 1988?

I thought it was buried at a crossroads with a holly stake in its chest. Clearly one of the undead.

Great screenshot !!! SHIFT F4 is the solution ! THANK YOU VERY MUCH !!! You’re my hero !

Is it the real basic V from 1989 with no improve possibilities ?

I cannot find command to move pixel blocs on screen like LOADIMAGE (image1) & PLOTIMAGE (image1,x2,y2) ????

Look up the PLOT command. The BBC BASIC manual is here

thnak you for the manual ! it’s great

So yes, we can move or copy graphics with PLOT or RECTANGLE FILL/TO.

but cannot find the possibility to stock and .BMP or .JPG pictures in a variable, and put it where I want.

So, apparently to load pictures in memory and display then I have to use SPRITE (even for backgrounds)

it’s a little exotic :)

Me again,

As RISC OS PICO is an “OS” (?)… is it possible to launch programs without GUI from it ?