MaxCoderz

One small feature. Add another function to block the [ON] key from breaking a program. This could be like turning off the run indicator. I understand that the run indicator only uses one command, but it would be nice to keep some programs from being "broken" like this scare one I've been working on for friends at school. It seriously looks like your calc is being destroyed. However, the [ON] key ruins the entire thing, because if it's pressed, my friends will realize there is no threat on their calculator.
So, [ON] key block.
I had some other suggestions, but I can't think of them right now.

Not allowing on to break a program? Bad idea. If you happen to get stuck in an infinite loop (or you want to lock up your friends calc) you'd have to pull a battery to quit the program which I can imagine, is quite frustrating.

Well, you see. If you're a smart programmer, you won't use the on block until your product is finished. It's the same for ASM programs. Plus, my program already has a hidden key feature, the on block will do nothing, but scare (for a friend to see that it doesn't work) in my program.
Plus, what's it hurting if it's simply there, available for programmers?

Well yes, but I'm not a fan of such pranks.

Also, everyone knows the risk of asm programs but does not expect this from a ti-basic program. (Nor can you fool anyone into running an asm program, required syntax etc.)

What do you mean when you say you are "not such a fan" of such pranks? This is not a prank of mine. More like a laugh. It's not like I'm trying to destroy my friend's calculator. Also, I've been playing around with the techniques of xLIB and my program ended up turning into something pretty neat. However, the whole program is destroyed by one button - [ON].
Don't get me wrong, driesguldolf. I too dislike pranks. I simply take on the passion of programming and what it requires. I take great respect in the programming world and I intend to hold it in the utmost esteem.

Wesley wrote:What do you mean when you say you are "not such a fan" of such pranks? This is not a prank of mine. More like a laugh. It's not like I'm trying to destroy my friend's calculator. Also, I've been playing around with the techniques of xLIB and my program ended up turning into something pretty neat. However, the whole program is destroyed by one button - [ON].
Don't get me wrong, driesguldolf. I too dislike pranks. I simply take on the passion of programming and what it requires. I take great respect in the programming world and I intend to hold it in the utmost esteem.

Then there is full asm too

But I guess you're right, forbidding something just because it could be abused is a bit silly
Now all we need is tr1p1ea... However I haven't seen xLib updated in ages (at all, actually, I'm too new). It is, after all, an old project.

The on-blocking thing seems like a respectable idea. Suppose there is a part of a game that saves data. What if you use the on-button to break the program in the middle of saving the game data? This could corrupt a save game file.

I've been pondering this myself for BBC BASIC; the On key generates a trappable error (code 17, Escape) so can be blocked by adding your own error handler - what I'll probably end up doing is adding a timed key combination (eg hold On+Clear for a second) that can be used to force-kill naughty apps.

That said, I have no idea if the TIOS lets you trap that sort of thing, or even disable On key breaks in the first place.

Well i was working on xLIB a little thinking of was to implement a host of typical BASIC game related stuff.

But ive also been messing with BBC BASIC and its quite nice! Perhaps this should be xLB's successor? Ill show you guys some stuff ive been doing in it shortly.

tr1p1ea wrote:Well i was working on xLIB a little thinking of was to implement a host of typical BASIC game related stuff.

But ive also been messing with BBC BASIC and its quite nice! Perhaps this should be xLB's successor? Ill show you guys some stuff ive been doing in it shortly.

I had the idea xLib was kind of discontinued. Because it never got out of beta.

It is cool to know that you may come with something to surprise us. Even if I don't have much interest in libs except seeing other to do in it. ASM brings so much options that libs in TI-BASIC isn't that enthusiastic for me.

It would be great to see it in BBC BASIC. I will start messing with it during summer.

Necro Post: I know it has been quite some time and there are alternatives (BBC, Celtic, Axe, DC7 etc), but I was wondering if you were planning on releasing the "updated" xLIb app? I know some of it was experimental and thus may not be fully implemented or buggy, but hopefully we can see some release (even if not official).

Necro post challenged!

I have quickly taken a look and think i have a workaround for the > 2.53 bug.

You can find an updated version of xLIB here: http://www.tr1p1ea.net/files/downloads/xlib.8xk

Hopefully it works!, let me know if there are any issues.

*crickets*

Hmm two things:

There appears to be issues with the getkey thing in xLIB, because in XXR, it doesn't let me change the options anymore and in Super Mario Smash Dance, it immediately skips the title screen without even letting me select what I want.

Also I'm unsure if it's due to 2.53+ MP but ClrHome doesn't appear to work in SMSD O.o

And the on-computer xLIB size seems well under 6 KB. O.o

Metroid II works fine, though.

Hmm.. strange! Ill have to look into it as i only patched it and tested MII.

The fix does indeed affect getKey, ill have to rework the workaround.

Also i dug up xLIB 1.0alpha and there are some features in there that i wish i had of released. It had the capability to parse simple equations and also implemented some of the more common ones like: X+(K=26)-(K=24)->X for keypresses etc and had variable storage beyond what TI provide and was faster to work with than A-Z/Theta. It is a complete rewrite tho and was never ready for testing but games made with it would have been loads faster .

Interesting. Sadly, Celtic III (then later Doors CS 7) took over xLIB and almost completely obsoleted it, then MP OSes arrived, so to be successful, a new xLIB APP would need to focus on totally new features like what you mentionned, along with maybe some Mode 7 or raycasting features for dungeon crawler type RPGs and other graphical stuff DCS 7 can't do, and such lib would have to be compatible with DCS and Celtic III. It would be nice, though, and maybe some people might use it as alternative too.