A first look at SLOPe

[nikoniko]

Fonts size problems are fixed and color's more or less operational now, so I should be able to get a video up tonight or tomorrow morning. The display system was one of the least flexible parts of the project, being written according to the conviction that mono was the best way to go for performance reasons, but color does add something even if it comes with a cost.

Java is by no means a scripting language; all code must be compiled, including for the Micro Java VM.  Someone would actually have to write a compiler and linker that runs natively under SLOPe to create code on the 128.

While that would be pretty cool, I expect it's more likely that people would have to compile on a PC, handing the 128 the resulting bytecode. With 64HDD or networking support, that could be done pretty conveniently, but worst case would be having to transfer the files by floppy.

[hydrophilic]

That is a massive project!  As long as it gets the AGI interpeter games released, that all that matters

I wanted to comment on interlace to say that although the flicker can be annoying, I always like the text better.  In normal mode, text seems too tall and skinny.  And also 'light weight' (the gaps between rasters).  With interlace mode they look 'perfect' (except for the flicker).  This must be a personal bias from years of the 40 column screen...

[airship]

So... it's been a couple of days now. Is it done yet?

[nikoniko]

Sorry, but haven't had much luck with video. My computer seems to be too slow to catch more than a frame every now and then, and half the time it's during a screen update so anything moving gets split.

Anyway, since the video effort was a bomb, here's a screenshot I took yesterday. In it you can see the new color support (obviously), as well as mixed font sizes and several font styles, disk icons, the Swirling Vortex of Doom (stand-in until I feel like drawing a trash can) and an early attempt at a file manager. The font seen in SLOPePad was auto-converted from Arial and has some kerning issues (if that's the right terminology), but should look better after I update the converter to compensate. Window style had to change in order to use full color cells and isn't as slick as the earlier mono-only version, but a more capable person will probably be able to improve the appearance over the crud I put together. Currently GUI controls are pretty limited -- no minimizing or maximizing of windows, no toolbars (hence, a Font menu for SLOPePad instead) -- though eventually things will be more full-featured. There's a bug in my scrollbar implementation, so they aren't seen here. The active window is distinguished from others by having a drop shadow. Should probably do something more than that, though, as it's possible the drop shadow could be offscreen in the case of virtual desktop being turned on. Files have extra information associated with them, which among other things can indicate filetype in the absense of an extension. Need to fix the "/" character in the system font as it's ugly and introduces extraneous spacing into the file manager display. Also need to add more info to the display, particularly file sizes and free space for the volume. Actually, free space can be gotten by clicking on a disk icon and hitting C= I, and file size by doing C= I on a filename, but they should be available more readily in the manager as well.



By the way, Lance, considering the overwhelming response from the c.s.c. crowd, might as well save your posting energy until I make a public download available.

[Blacklord]

By the way, Lance, considering the overwhelming response from the c.s.c. crowd, might as well save your posting energy until I make a public download available.

Actually, check the topic views, you'll be surprised

[Guest]

Dude, I'm astounded with what you've accomplished here.  How much time has gone into this?  When did you start it?

[Mangelore]

Looks great! Keep up the good work.

[nikoniko]

How much time has gone into this?  When did you start it?

Well, some pieces date back to soon after I started on the AGI interpreter, which was almost a year ago, but didn't gain much momentum until couple of months ago, with more focused time in the last three weeks or so. Even as sloppy as it may be, I'm pretty happy with how it's coming along.

[Golan Klinger]

Two words: Holy and macaroni.

[airship]

Looking VERY sharp, nikoniko! I LOVE the color windows!

Do you have 64HDD so you can check it out with that? I'd be happy to beta test it for you.

[nikoniko]

Thanks, I'll definitely need some 64HDD help as things progress. The only direct support for its extended features now is for reading the clock, however I'd like to do more.

Glad you like the new windows! Currently colors are decided by the application or GUI defaults, but eventually I'll put together user control.

[airship]

BTW, I like the 'Swirling Vortex of Doom'.

[nikoniko]

Well, as GUI elements go, at least the Swirling Vortex of Doom probably isn't covered by any trademarks.

[wte]

Looks great!

[Guest]

Are you including the 128 fastloader code for 64HDD?  I think Nick Coplin allows it to be reused without paying royalties.

[nikoniko]

Are you including the 128 fastloader code for 64HDD?  I think Nick Coplin allows it to be reused without paying royalties.

Haven't got very far with drive and disk handling yet, but I'll look into it.

[airship]

I just did a little research on AGI. I'm surprised at how many fan-created games there are out there! I've found 26 so far.

[nikoniko]

Indeed! Once the format was documented, editors were created, and soon a trickle of new games began to appear. Not a lot of people still develop for it due to the 16-color limitation, but ages ago I came across a site which had more than 50 homebrew games, and even a few utilities written in AGI script as well.

[Stephane Richard]

It's late in the discussion, but me, I have WinVICE can you do something for that too?  :gråta:  I want one of all that listed here too darn it!!!  lol

[nikoniko]

Hey, great to see you again! It definitely runs on WinVICE, in fact has to since that's my own development platform. There are also some advantages to that since I've added some SLOPe-specific debugging features to VICE.

Just realized my screenshots are gone since furthervoyages.com is out of commission. I'll upload them elsewhere and repost them along with some newer ones.

[Stephane Richard]

it's been a hectic 3 motnhs involving a weird and mandatory unplanned move . but now things are good.  so I'm back ;-).

[Mark Smith]

, it's been a hectic 3 motnhs involving a weird and mandatory unplanned move .

Yes occasionaly my life of crime catches up with me as well ;-)

Mark

[nikoniko]

but now things are good.  so I'm back ;-).

Glad things have settled down enough to get you back here. You've definitely been missed. Any longer, and we might have sent out a search party for you.

[Stephane Richard]

it would have been easy to find me.  just tell the search party to flash a C-128 up in the air as they walk the sttreets, I'd pop up like a rat going after the cheese in a maze. ;-)  I'd find them, twice as fast if it includes a 64hdd, a monitor, floppy drives and the likes ;-).

and LOL@Mark's life of crime hehe.  from the foreclosure papers, it's my ex-landlord's life of crime. ;-).

[nikoniko]

Just a quick note: ordered a copy of the Geos Programmers Reference Guide with a view toward some degree of Geos support. At a minimum, transferring Write and Paint documents and fonts, but depending on the Geos API and architecture, possibly a facility to run some apps or desk accessories under SLOPe.