The limitations of Austro compiler
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 4:58 pm
Austro compiler is a great tool for somebody like me who has virtually no ability to program in ML.
However, it also has some pretty severe limitations.
For one thing, it only generates code which can be run with a memory expansion of 8k or more.
Also, because of the adress range at which the BASIC program area starts when you use such an expansion, it is virtually impossible to compile a game which uses a special custom character set or graphics other than PETSCII.
The only option left is to make custom characters in the tape buffer which is extremely limiting.
Here is my question and request to you good programmers out there:
Since Austro compiler makes code that always starts at the same address and generally begins the same way, would it be possible to make a software tool that automatically relocates a compiled program to a higher address ?
This software tool would allow the usage and creation of a custom character set of 64, 128 or 256 characters depending on the user's choice. It could come with a set of various "automatic" loaders which loads in the character set from a given file, relocates the start of the BASIC program area and load the compiled program then run it.
For a long time I have hoped to compile games such as "sword of fargoal" which are sometimes dreadfully slow to the point where they become more or less unplayable. The custom character set required for that game to operate makes that more or less impossible.
A few years ago I compiled a simple Othello game for the VIC and it became so much more fun to play with.
However, it also has some pretty severe limitations.
For one thing, it only generates code which can be run with a memory expansion of 8k or more.
Also, because of the adress range at which the BASIC program area starts when you use such an expansion, it is virtually impossible to compile a game which uses a special custom character set or graphics other than PETSCII.
The only option left is to make custom characters in the tape buffer which is extremely limiting.
Here is my question and request to you good programmers out there:
Since Austro compiler makes code that always starts at the same address and generally begins the same way, would it be possible to make a software tool that automatically relocates a compiled program to a higher address ?
This software tool would allow the usage and creation of a custom character set of 64, 128 or 256 characters depending on the user's choice. It could come with a set of various "automatic" loaders which loads in the character set from a given file, relocates the start of the BASIC program area and load the compiled program then run it.
For a long time I have hoped to compile games such as "sword of fargoal" which are sometimes dreadfully slow to the point where they become more or less unplayable. The custom character set required for that game to operate makes that more or less impossible.
A few years ago I compiled a simple Othello game for the VIC and it became so much more fun to play with.