Editor for the CoCo-VGA 64x32 mode

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pser1
Posts: 1655
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:32 pm
Location: Barcelona (SPAIN)

Editor for the CoCo-VGA 64x32 mode

Post by pser1 »

Hello,
as I had programmed for my own use a small editor to create screens in mode text (SG4)
for instance for the credits of The Hobbit, I decided to modify it a bit so that it
could be of use with the CoCo-VGA module in the new text mode 64 cols x 32 lines

I attach here an VDK that contains these files:
P64COL02.BIN - this switches to the 64x32 new text mode in a CoCo-VGA
EDTSG64E.BAS - this is the editor, it calls the switcher
HELP64.BIN is a demo screen that contains the Help for the editor. It can be loaded to read it.
RETROOK.BIN is a demo I drew for the Retrowiki friends
EDTSG04J.BAS is the editor for the std 32x16 mode I programmed first
HELP04.BIN is a demo for this last one containing the Help screen
SET32COL.BAS is a program that switches back to 32 columns after using the mode 64x32

These are the demo-help images
Editor64-Help.jpg
Editor64-Help.jpg (66.74 KiB) Viewed 3147 times
Retrowiki-Screen64x32.jpg
Retrowiki-Screen64x32.jpg (48.76 KiB) Viewed 3147 times
cheers
pere
SG4-EDIT.VDK
(180.25 KiB) Downloaded 254 times
mr_g
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2016 4:12 pm

Re: Editor for the CoCo-VGA 64x32 mode

Post by mr_g »

Hi Pere,

Do you have a version that is compatible with a Coco 2 and the CoCoVGA?

Thanks!
pser1
Posts: 1655
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:32 pm
Location: Barcelona (SPAIN)

Re: Editor for the CoCo-VGA 64x32 mode

Post by pser1 »

Hello,
I am afraid the only answer right now is: No, sorry.
I use to work creating programs so that Dragon users can take advantage of some add-ons created for the CoCo only.
Certainly when I port or program from scratch, I use to do it in a way it works on both machines (CoCo2-Dragon)

Concerning the CoCo-VGA, I have only one module inside my Tano, so I cannot test anything on a CoCo.
I am attaching here a zip file that contains an DSK virtual file that you could use on the CoCo-SDC on a real CoCo
It contains:
- WIDTH64.BAS this is the original program for CoCo (Brendan Donahe) that switches to mode 64 columns
It modifies greatly the Basic ROM after copying it to RAM, so the Dragon version is very different as all of the
ROM calls are different ... Running it you should get the std 64x32 screen
- EDTSG64C.BAS this is a version of the program I enclose in the VDK fiel for the Dragon.
In this case I have modified the screen beginning to be CoCo compatible ($E00 instead of $C00)
But then the 'enhancements' that the Dragon Data Disk system allows to Basic programmers ... do not work at all for the CoCo, pity :-(
You will see on line 105 a number of POKEs that disable the Break key. I thought this was mandatory as it is very frustrating to lose
your work just because you pressed the Break key accidentally.
The same goes for the disk errors, if you have no disk, the disk system fails or the filename you want lo load doesn't exist are all of
them controlled for the Dragon, but I don't know how to implement these protections on the CoCo. I really would like to know if
there is a similar system ... See lines: 107, 6000-6500
So, you could use the program taking great care to avoid losing a work that has costed a great amount of time, I know how much it hurts ...
Maybe some experts on the CoCo Basic arena could chime in and let us know how to deal with disk errors on Basic

cheers
pere
SGEDITCC.ZIP
(3.82 KiB) Downloaded 245 times
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