[comp.sys.amiga] Advanced use of AmigaBasic

cosell@cosell.bbn.com (Bernie Cosell) (11/19/87)

I'm doing some AmigaBasic hacking and it is mostly all working out fine.
BUT... I"m quickly running into the boundaries of what's easy to do.
Are there any reference books or journals or the like discussing advanced
use of AmigaBasic.  For example, the kinds of problems I've been trying
to program around include:
  a) how do you set up gadgets from Basic
  b) Is it possible to set up a program so that when it is started
the dumb "Amigabasic" screen doesn't pop up AT ALL.
  c) Is there some way to package up an amigabasic program so it is callable
from the CLI *AND* can get at its command-line args?
  d) Can you set up an AmigaBasic program so that it can be started
by the one-=click-on-this-icon-then-shift-doubleclick-on-the-program-icon
hack.

Stuff like that... Note that this is a "I need to learn how to fish"
request: some advice about these sorts of specific problems would be
nice, but what I really looking for are references (if there are any)
in this general area.  Thanks!!

  /Bernie\

Bernie Cosell                       Internet:  cosell@bbn.com
Bolt, Beranek & Newman, Inc         USENET:    bbn.com!cosell
Cambridge, MA   02238               Telco:     (617) 497-3503

carolyn@cbmvax.UUCP (11/20/87)

In article <18613@bbn.COM> cosell@bbn.com.UUCP (Bernie Cosell) writes:
>
>I'm doing some AmigaBasic hacking and it is mostly all working out fine.
>BUT... I"m quickly running into the boundaries of what's easy to do.
>Are there any reference books or journals or the like discussing advanced
>use of AmigaBasic.

   I think Compute books has an "Advanced AmigaBasic" book and disk.

>  a) how do you set up gadgets from Basic

   One of the Amicus disks (Amazing Computing) has a Basic Gadgets
program.  I believe they are not Intuition gadgets but rather a
simulation of Intuition gadgets.  But they looked very nice.

>  b) Is it possible to set up a program so that when it is started
>the dumb "Amigabasic" screen doesn't pop up AT ALL.

   I think you can only do that if you compile it with AbSoft's compiler.
You could try a tiny program that blacks the screen then chains to
your main program.  That might minimize the amount of time you have to
look at the "dumb" screen.

>  c) Is there some way to package up an amigabasic program so it is callable
>from the CLI *AND* can get at its command-line args?

   I don't think your AmigaBasic application has any access to the AmigaBasic
interpreter's command line args.  If your startup has:

Extras:AmigaBasic MyDisk:mybasicprogram

   AmigaBasic gets the command line args, loads you, then runs you.

   By the way - a reminder:  If you plan to sell or distribute an AmigaBasic
program, you can not distribute AmigaBasic with it.  Microsoft doesn't
allow that.

>  d) Can you set up an AmigaBasic program so that it can be started
>by the one-=click-on-this-icon-then-shift-doubleclick-on-the-program-icon
>hack.

   All you should have to do is use Workbench's Info function to delete
the Default Tool entry in the program's project icon.  Then the click-one
and double-click-the-other should work.  With a Default Tool specified,
I believe even an extended double-click on the Project will cause the
Default Tool to be loaded.

-- 
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Carolyn Scheppner -- CATS   >>Commodore Amiga Technical Support<<
                     UUCP  ...{allegra,ihnp4,rutgers}!cbmvax!carolyn 
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manes@xanth.UUCP (Mark Manes) (11/22/87)

In article <18613@bbn.COM> cosell@bbn.com.UUCP (Bernie Cosell) writes:
>
>I'm doing some AmigaBasic hacking and it is mostly all working out fine.
>BUT... I"m quickly running into the boundaries of what's easy to do.
>Are there any reference books or journals or the like discussing advanced
>use of AmigaBasic.  For example, the kinds of problems I've been trying
>to program around include:
>  a) how do you set up gadgets from Basic

Hmmm... Why not save yourself alot of work in trying to deal with those
silly bmap files and just draw boxes and use mouse read commands to 
do its thing.  Yep, fake it.


>  b) Is it possible to set up a program so that when it is started
>the dumb "Amigabasic" screen doesn't pop up AT ALL.

No.  Not with AmigaBasic.  I am using the Absoft compiler, Absoft is 
promising in their next major release that it will allow you to specify 
what type of window you want opened, if any.

>  c) Is there some way to package up an amigabasic program so it is callable
>from the CLI *AND* can get at its command-line args?

Nope... :-(

>  d) Can you set up an AmigaBasic program so that it can be started
>by the one-=click-on-this-icon-then-shift-doubleclick-on-the-program-icon
>hack.

Another nope :-(

>  /Bernie\
>
>Bernie Cosell                       Internet:  cosell@bbn.com
>Bolt, Beranek & Newman, Inc         USENET:    bbn.com!cosell
>Cambridge, MA   02238               Telco:     (617) 497-3503