BBC BASIC: Experimental Raspberry Pi version

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Experimental Raspberry Pi version
Post by Richard Russell on Feb 11^th, 2017, 10:07pm

I've built an experimental Raspberry Pi version of BBC BASIC based on the Android (ARM) build. You can download it from here:

http://www.rtr.myzen.co.uk/bbc-rpi.zip

It has been tested only on a Raspberry Pi 3. It may also work on an RPi 2, but probably only if running Raspbian Jessie (if you find it does, or doesn't, please report back).

Installation instructions are as follows:

Download the zip file and extract its contents to an empty directory (e.g. ~/BBCBASIC):
Code:
```
unzip bbc-rpi.zip 
```
Make sure your Raspberry Pi is up to date:
Code:
```
sudo apt-get updatesudo apt-get dist-upgrade 
```

Install SDL2 and SDL2-ttf:
Code:

sudo apt-get install libsdl2-2.0-0sudo apt-get install libsdl2-ttf-2.0-0sudo apt-get install mesa-utils

Execute BBC BASIC:
Code:

chmod +x bbcsdl./bbcsdl

Or if you have a touchscreen:
Code:

./bbcsdl examples/tools/touchide.bbc

This build depends on OpenGL, which is only experimentally supported on the RPi, hence the experimental nature of BBC BASIC. For best results it is necessary to enable the GL Driver in raspi-config (so long as it is compatible with your monitor). If you don't, BBC BASIC will run slowly and use more CPU time than is desirable.

If your experience is anything like mine, the example programs which use OpenGL for 3D will fail (opengl, pyramid, lighting, teapot, world). The other example programs should run, and quite quickly if the GL Driver is enabled.

Richard.

Re: Experimental Raspberry Pi version
Post by michael on Feb 17^th, 2017, 01:24am

I was planning to get a Raspberry pie . Have you tried controlling the pins on the device?

Re: Experimental Raspberry Pi version
Post by Richard Russell on Feb 17^th, 2017, 09:26am

on Feb 17^th, 2017, 01:24am, michael wrote:

Have you tried controlling the pins on the device?

No (my RPi is in a case and the pins aren't accessible anyway). But assuming they are controllable via some documented API I can see no obvious reason why it shouldn't be callable from BBC BASIC using SYS.

Richard.

Re: Experimental Raspberry Pi version
Post by Richard Russell on Feb 18^th, 2017, 12:02pm

Having today fully updated my Raspberry Pi 3 (rpi-update / apt-get update / apt-get dist-upgrade) I am pleased to report that the 'experimental' GL Driver (enabled in raspi-config) now works successfully with my TV, and the performance of BBC BASIC is much improved as a result. Graphics programs like 'bounce.bbc', 'chain.bbc' and 'prompter.bbc' now run at a much more acceptable speed.

However true 3D programs, which rely on OpenGL, are still not working (they no longer crash, but don't display correctly). I will report back if I discover a fix.

Richard.

Re: Experimental Raspberry Pi version
Post by Richard Russell on Mar 4^th, 2017, 4:04pm

on Feb 17^th, 2017, 01:24am, michael wrote:

I was planning to get a Raspberry pie . Have you tried controlling the pins on the device?

The latest release of BBC BASIC for the Raspberry Pi comes with a new 'gpiolib' library which allows you to access the GPIO pins very easily. Here's a simple demo/test program:

Code:

      REM Simple GPIO test program for the Raspberry Pi 2, RPi 3 or RPi Zero      INSTALL @lib$ + "gpiolib"      INSTALL @lib$ + "stringlib"      REM Initialise GPIO:      gpio% = FN_gpio_setup      REM Set GPIO pins 7 to 11 inclusive to output mode:      FOR pin% = 7 TO 11        PROC_gpio_inp(gpio%,pin%) : REM Must use PROC_gpio_inp() before PROC_gpio_out()        PROC_gpio_out(gpio%,pin%)      NEXT pin%      REM Set GPIO pins 24 and 25 to input mode:      FOR pin% = 24 TO 25        PROC_gpio_inp(gpio%,pin%)      NEXT pin%      REM Enable pull-ups on GPIO pins 24 and 25:      PROC_gpio_pull(gpio%,2) : REM Select pull-up      WAIT 0      PROC_gpio_pullclk0(gpio%,&3000000)      WAIT 0      PROC_gpio_pull(gpio%,0)      PROC_gpio_pullclk0(gpio%,0)      REM Output a cycling pattern to GPIO pins 7 to 11:      previous% = %111110000000      FOR pattern% = %000000000000 TO %111110000000 STEP %10000000        PROC_gpio_clr(gpio%, (pattern% EOR previous%) AND NOT pattern%)        PROC_gpio_set(gpio%, (pattern% EOR previous%) AND pattern%)        previous% = pattern%        WAIT 20        PRINT FN_tobase(gpio%!&34 >> 7 AND %11111, 2, 5)      NEXT pattern%      END

Richard.

Re: Experimental Raspberry Pi version
Post by jbk on Mar 5^th, 2017, 10:22pm

tank you Richard