BASIC Accelerator Ver. 0.9.4.6 (2011.10.10)

Summary

BASIC Acc is a Full BASIC to Object Pascal Translator.
Translated programs shall be executed using FPC + Lazarus.
Any number is a double precision floating point, not a decimal.
Numerical operation is twice or fifth as fast as that of Binary mode of Decimal BASIC.

Windows

Set up (Lazarus)

Download Lazarus and install it into the folder that has no space character on its path name.

Set up (BASIC Acc)

Download BASICAcc0946.zip. BASICAcc should be extracted into some normal folder on which the user has write permission.
The name of the folder must not contain any space character.
For example, Desktop is not suitable. USB flush drives shall be suitable.
When the system is updated by overwriting, the OUTPUT folder must be cleared.
Afterward, execute BASICAcc.exe, and set up two paths.
Click "Set Up" and select "Path".
"fpc path" is the path to the folder on which fpc.exe exists.
"Lazarus path" is the full path name of the folder "lazarus".

If you have installed win32 Lazarus + fpc 2.4.2 on C drive, the two paths are following.

C:\Lazarus\fpc\2.4.2\bin\i386-win32
C:\Lazarus

Linux(i386)

Set up (fpc and Lazarus)

Download fpc, fpc source and Lazarus from Lazarus Download (SourceForge)
Install fpc 2.4.2 (32bit) and Lazarus 0.9.30 (32bit).
Latest versions at Lazarus Daily Snapshots may resolve some faults, but may cause unknown faults.

Set up (BASIC Acc)

Download BASICAcc0946.tar.gz. This system should be installed into the folder on which the user has write permission.
When the system is updated by overwriting, the OUTPUT folder must be cleared.

Known Faults
The behavior of MOUSE POLL statement is troublesome.

Troubleshoot

When programs do not run.
Select "code" in the "run" menu.
When basicAcc reports NoName.err not found, confirm that fpc has been properly installed, especially fpc.cfg is located in /etc, otherwise revise "fpc.exe path" on the "path" dialog in the "set up" menu. It is ordinarily "/usr/bin".
When the Pascal codes appear, select the "run" menu on the code window to observe the error messages fpc reported.
When fpc reports unit Forms not found, revise "Lazarus path" on the "path" dialog in the "set up" menu.

Mac(Intel)

Set up (fpc and Lazarus)

Download fpc 2.4.4 and Lazarus fixes 0.9.30.1 from Lazarus Snapshots or Lazarus Daily Snapshots, and install them.
And also install XCode tools from MAC DVD.
Latest versions of Lazarus 0.9.31 may resolve some faults, but may cause unknown faults.
If you update Lazarus, all PPU files in the OUTPUT folder should be erased. But note that NoName.app must not be removed.

Set up (BASIC Acc)

Download BASICAcc0946_Mac.zip. This system should be installed into the folder on which the user has write permission.
And the folder must not contain a space character.
Note. Overwriting update is undesirable. Old files should be erased before update.

Known Faults
Printers do not work good. But if no printer is registered on the OS, BASICAcc can not start.
Behaviors of some graphics statements are no good as in Decimal BASIC Mac(Intel).

Specifications

Language Specifications are in accordance with the Graphics module, the modules module, and the individual character input module of ISO Full BASIC , while the following are not available.
OPTION ARITHMETIC DECIMAL


Restrictions

On the following cases, GOTO statements and IF-THEN-line_number statements can not be executed.
branches from inside to outside of when-body (i.e. inside of WHEN～USE)
branches from inside to outside of a DO block that contains a protection block that contains a EXIT DO.
branches from inside to outside of a FOR block that contains a protection block that contains a EXIT FOR.

If a routine (or the main program) has a when-in block that has an exception-handler containing a GOSUB～RETURN subroutine, the routine can not have a GOSUB～RETURN subroutine that is not contained in any protection block.

A program that has a module which contains an external procedure that has a local variable whose name coincides with a variable that is declared shared or public on that module can not be executed.

Parameters of PROGRAM or CHAIN statements should be simple variables (Arrays not allowed).

Maximum length declaration for string variables is ignored. (no cut off done.)

Incompatibilities with Decimal BASIC

Character Encoding

Program Encoding

Programs shall be encoded to the system default encoding on saving and decoded on loading.
That is, program files have compatibility with Decimal BASIC.
If you want programs to be saved and loaded remaining the character encoding UTF-8, change the Editor Option setting in the Option menu.

CHAIN statements

A CHAIN statement launches a file of extension ".BAS" with file association. The destination programs shall not be compiled.
No CHAIN or EXECUTE statement can have array parameters.

BREAK

Any BREAK statement will do, but it only breaks the program.

GOSUB

When GOSUB statements are used, each line must has a line number.

Bugs Decimal BASIC has

Decimal BASIC has a fault that an internal procedure of the mainprogram can be invoked from an external procedure, thus some programs that can be executed in Decimal BASIC due to its fault may not be launched.

About System

The executable file is generated as 'NoName.exe' in the 'output' folder. This can be renamed and used for the destination of a CHAIN statement.

Setup Options

BASICAcc may use integer variables. But some trouble may occur because the range of these are narrow. If this happens, uncheck the Setup Option Use integer variables to optimize.

Copyright

This software is free software published under GPL.

If you noticed any bugs, report at
Decimal BASIC Open Source Project Open Discussion Forum

Copyright 2011 SHIRAISHI Kazuo

Decimal BASIC home page

Modified the condition that integer optimization should be done.

Decimal BASIC Ver.0.6.1.4 2011/11/06


Decimal BASIC implements the GRAPHICS module and the MODULES module of ANSI/ISO Full BASIC except for a little incompatibility.

The executable files are compiled with Lazarus 0.9.30.

Known faults on Linux and Mac.
(1) The following enhancements do not work good.
SET TEXT BACKGROUND
SET DRAW MODE (NOTXOR, MASK, MREGE, etc.)
MOUSE POLL
PAINT
FLOOD
(2) Mac version has following faults
Printers do not work good.
BASIC cannot start if no printers are registered on the OS.
When BASIC is installed in a USB Falsh drive or so, BASIC cannot start if the drive name contais a space character.

Fixed the bug ASK PIXEL SIZE retuned negative numbers in inverteted coordinates.