rm@inmet (01/16/89)
Hi. I'm a new owner of an Atari 1040ST. I bought the machine for no other
reason than it was the correct platform for some music sequencing software
that I wanted to run. Now I'd like to do a little peripheral programming
for the machine and hope that some more experienced users of this machine
can point me at some tools and documentation. Can anyone tell me where to
get documentation for the Basic which apparently comes with the machine?
Do any reasonably-priced collections of Unix-like tools (grep, od, etc.)
exist? How about a vi-like editor, or any cheap text editor for that matter?
A C compiler? System documentation (OS system calls, hardware description,
memory maps, etc.)? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
R.M. Mottola
Intermetrics Inc.
733 Concord Ave.
Cambridge MA. 02138
UUCP: uunet!inmet!rmcmcmanis%pepper@Sun.COM (Chuck McManis) (01/19/89)
I'm not picking on RM here, just would like to use it to illustrate a point that many people miss when deciding what computer to buy... In article <148900010@inmet> rm@inmet writes: > Hi. I'm a new owner of an Atari 1040ST. I bought the machine for no other > reason than it was the correct platform for some music sequencing software > that I wanted to run. This is how you get to be a happy computer owner, and not participate in zillions of flame wars. When you are looking to buy a computer ask yourself that most important question : "What will I use it for?" and then use that answer to guide your decision. You will never be unhappy because you got for <X> and it does that well so it is a good purchase. However, this is the second question you should ask which is : "And other than that, what *else* will I be using the computer for ?" > Now I'd like to do a little peripheral programming for the machine and > hope that some more experienced users of this machine can point me at > some tools and documentation. No matter how you slice it, the Atari does not have a very good development environment. Yes, there are many things that make it better, and many of them are PD so easily accessible. But if you are a minicomputer programmer you may find yourself wishing for some other language or maybe a source level debugger which isn't available period. Or you may want some indepth technical documentation on the ST internals and find that it is tough to come by as well. (An archive of this newsgroup is a good start). > Can anyone tell me where to get documentation for the Basic which > apparently comes with the machine? At one time that was part of the Atari manual set, I'd guess though that you would be happier with something like GFA Basic. > Do any reasonably-priced collections of Unix-like tools (grep, od, > etc.) exist? The gulam shell (PD) and MicroCShell (commercial) can help you get that UNIX feel, although I don't believe either are complete. > How about a vi-like editor, or any cheap text editor for that matter? Stevie is a VI like PD editor, MicroEMACS is an EMACS like editor. > A C compiler? Most seem to prefer Mark Williams C. I don't know what Lattice is doing for the Atari these days but I know their 5.0 compiler for the Amiga with it's source level debugger rivals anything the Mac or the PC has. Maybe they will port it to the ST as well. > System documentation (OS system calls, hardware description, memory > maps, etc.)? The Developers Doc's will help some you can contact Atari for the "paper only" developers kit. This newsgroup will help more 'cuz when something really strange comes up Allan will answer it ;-). And there are a couple of books on ST internals that are ok. --Chuck McManis uucp: {anywhere}!sun!cmcmanis BIX: cmcmanis ARPAnet: cmcmanis@sun.com These opinions are my own and no one elses, but you knew that didn't you.
rona@hpdml93.HP.COM (ron abramson) (01/20/89)
I wouldn't bother with obtaining docs on the Basic that came with the machine. GFA Basic 2.0 came out in Start magazine a couple of months ago and is certainly worth the cost of the mag. This month they're offering the manual for ~$10. I bought GFA Basic 3.0 and am very satisfied. It's great for small to medium sized programming projects. Of course, I'm not a professional programmer. I've used gulam with Megamax C and found that it was an adequate set-up. But frankly, none of my programs derive any benefit from the wonders of C vs. GFA Basic. And yes, I do write structured programs. If I were you, I would at least get my hands on GFA Basic 2.0 and give it a try. It might be all that you'll need. rona@hpdml93
dclemans.falcon@mntgfx.mentor.com (Dave Clemans) (01/20/89)
fyi: Current versions of Mark Williams C have a reasonable,
(though not perfect) source level debugger.
Manx Aztec C is supposed to be available for the ST,
with the Manx source level debugger.
Megamax (Laser) C's source level debugger is currently
in beta test.
The documentation that comes with Mark Williams C is a very
good reference manual on ST internals.
dgcrm@inmet (01/20/89)
The original poster responds:
Although I do agree that there are in general less coresident development
tools available for the ST than for more popular micros, I don't really
think there was any fault in the decision making process that brought me
to this machine. It might not be apparent to folks who do not use their
ST for MIDI sequencing applications that the ST is the most popular platform
for off-the-shelf sequencing software. In my case, as I'm sure is the
case with most musicians, I spent a lot of time shopping for the software
package I wanted, and then bought whatever platform it would run on.
So for me, this thing is an appliance. The small tasks I would like to do
outside my purchased software are by no means necessary to my application-
they would offer minor conveniences but I'd be just as happy without.
And they are the kind of applications which are well within the scope of
even the most rudementary Basic interpreters. But if I could find better
and more complete tools for free/cheap then, hey, so much the better.
Actually I must admit that the apparent lack of development tools for the
ST was rather appealing to me. I spend 8 hours a day writing compilers
and am just as happy to go home and not have to do any more programming. 8-)
_________ __ __
/ ______ / / \ / \ R.M. Mottola
/ /_____/ / / /\ \ / /\ \ Intermetrics Inc.
/ / _____/ / / \ \/ / \ \ 733 Concord Ave.
/ / \ \ / / \__/ \ \ Cambridge MA. 02138
/ / \ \ _ / / \ \ _
/_/ \_\ /_/ /_/ \_\ /_/ UUCP: uunet!inmet!rmftw@masscomp.UUCP (Farrell Woods) (01/24/89)
In article <148900012@inmet> rm@inmet writes: >But if I could find better >and more complete tools for free/cheap then, hey, so much the better. > >Actually I must admit that the apparent lack of development tools for the >ST was rather appealing to me. I spend 8 hours a day writing compilers >and am just as happy to go home and not have to do any more programming. 8-) Now that you folks own Whitemsiths, you should be able to get an Idris for your ST rather inexpensively ;-) -- Farrell T. Woods Voice: (508) 692-6200 x2471 MASSCOMP Operating Systems Group Internet: ftw@masscomp.com 1 Technology Way uucp: {backbones}!masscomp!ftw Westford, MA 01886 OS/2: Half an operating system