https://github.com/robhagemans/basicode-interpreter
BASICODE interpreter in Javascript
https://github.com/robhagemans/basicode-interpreter
8bit basic bbc c64 emulator interpreter javascript msx retrocomputing trs-80 zx-spectrum
Last synced: 5 months ago
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BASICODE interpreter in Javascript
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/robhagemans/basicode-interpreter
- Owner: robhagemans
- License: other
- Created: 2017-03-05T19:13:04.000Z (about 8 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2024-04-07T19:16:21.000Z (about 1 year ago)
- Last Synced: 2024-10-24T18:35:41.869Z (6 months ago)
- Topics: 8bit, basic, bbc, c64, emulator, interpreter, javascript, msx, retrocomputing, trs-80, zx-spectrum
- Language: JavaScript
- Size: 404 KB
- Stars: 20
- Watchers: 3
- Forks: 4
- Open Issues: 5
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.rst
- License: LICENSE.rst
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
BASICODE interpreter
====================
This is a BASICODE interpreter in Javascript, compatible with BASICODE versions 2, 3 and 3C.
It's free & open source, released under the Expat MIT licence.
There is `a live demo `_
and `a collection of programs `_.
`BASICODE `_ was a 1980s-era cross-platform BASIC standard designed to allow software transmission by radio.
.. image:: https://robhagemans.github.io/basicode/basicode-arabesque.png
*Screenshot taken from* `Arabesque `_,
*a 1987 BASICODE-3 program by Ch. W. Brederode.*
Quick start
-----------
::
1010 PRINT "Hello, world!"
Deployment
----------
The package consists of a single Javascript file. To embed one or more interpreters in an HTML5 document, link the script in the header.
It will scan the HTML for any ```` elements , replace them with newly created canvases and execute the BASICODE
in the script content or ``src=`` text file. Enjoy!
Settings
--------
A number of options can be set through the dataset attribute of the ``script`` element:
===================== =======================================================================
Attribute Setting
===================== =======================================================================
``data-columns`` Number of text columns
``data-rows`` Number of text rows
``data-speed`` Number of cycles per second in ``FOR`` loops (roughly)
``data-font`` Font to use for text (see below)
``data-color-0`` Set the colour value for black (background)
``data-color-1`` Set the colour value for blue
``data-color-2`` Set the colour value for red
``data-color-3`` Set the colour value for magenta
``data-color-4`` Set the colour value for green
``data-color-5`` Set the colour value for cyan
``data-color-6`` Set the colour value for yellow
``data-color-7`` Set the colour value for white (foreground)
===================== =======================================================================
Fonts
-----
The following fonts are available:
============== ===== ======================================
Font Size Description
============== ===== ======================================
``smooth`` Browser's native monospace font
``tiny`` 6x4 A very small bitmap font
``apple`` 7x8 Apple-II font
``msx`` 7x8 MSX font
``atari`` 8x8 Atari 8-bit font
``bbc`` 8x8 Acorn BBC Micro font
``c64`` 8x8 Commodore 64 font
``cpc`` 8x8 Amstrad/Schneider CPC font
``exidy`` 8x8 Exidy Sorcerer font
``genie1`` 8x8 EACA Colour Genie 1st font
``genie2`` 8x8 EACA Colour Genie 2nd font
``kc85`` 8x8 Robotron KC85/1 font
``pcw`` 8x8 Amstrad PCW/Schneider JOYCE font
``spectrum`` 8x8 Sinclair ZX Spectrum font
``vic`` 8x8 Commodore PET and VIC-20 font
``cga`` 8x8 IBM CGA font
``thin`` 8x8 IBM CGA thin stroke font
``pcjr`` 8x8 IBM PCjr font
``tandy`` 8x8 Tandy 1000 font
``tandy2`` 8x8 Tandy 1000 font, later version
``p2000`` 8x10 Philips P2000T font
``coco`` 8x12 Tandy TRS-80 CoCo v1&2 font
``coco3`` 8x12 Tandy TRS-80 CoCo v3 font
``mpf`` 8x12 Multitech Micro-Professor MPF-I font
``ega`` 8x14 IBM EGA font
``mda`` 9x14 Hercules and IBM MDPA font
``olivetti`` 8x16 Olivetti M24 and AT&T 6300 font
``vga`` 9x16 IBM VGA font
``wyse-serif`` 16x16 Wyse WY-700 serif font
``wyse-sans`` 16x16 Wyse WY-700 sans serif font
============== ===== ======================================
Compatibility
-------------
The interpreter should work on reasonably recent, standards-compliant browsers.
You need a keyboard, so it will be difficult to use on mobile.
I've superficially tested it on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Opera.
It probably works fine on Edge, but I haven't tried. It mostly works on Internet Explorer 11 (except sound) but not at all on older versions.
Acknowledgements
----------------
There's a similar, earlier implementation of `BASICODE in JavaScript by Steven Goodwin <https://github.com/MarquisdeGeek/basicode>`_.
His implementation and mine are completely independent; however, he got there first.
The bitmap fonts were drawn based on various sources:
- Damien Guard's `overview of system fonts in 8- and 16-bit systems <https://damieng.com/blog/2011/02/20/typography-in-8-bits-system-fonts>`_
- John Elliott's `Vintage PC Pages <http://www.seasip.info/VintagePC/>`_
- Exidy Sorcerer page on `The Trailing Edge <http://www.trailingedge.com/exidy/>`_
- Z9001 page on `Homecomputer DDR <http://hc-ddr.hucki.net/wiki/doku.php/z9001:versionen>`_
- Ulrich Zander's `character sets for the KC85 <http://www.sax.de/~zander/z9001/ex/zsatz.html>`_
BASICODE support for original and retro platforms
-------------------------------------------------
Originally, BASICODE tape reader and conversion programs were sold by broadcasters and publishers. Many of these are still available on retrogaming archives. A few can also be found on `BASICODE-Software für alle <https://www.joyce.de/basicode/>`_.
A few authors have published their own source code for conversion programs. I'm aware of:
- `BASICODE-3 for ZX Spectrum, by Jan Bredenbeek <https://github.com/janbredenbeek/ZXSpectrum-Basicode>`_
- `BASICODE-3 v2 for Sinclair QL, by Jan Bredenbeek <https://github.com/janbredenbeek/QL-Basicode>`_
- `BASICODE-2 for C64 and Commander x16, by Iljitsch van Beijnum <https://www.iljitsch.com/2020/beeldkrant250/basicode2.c64.txt>`_
- `BASICODE-3 for MS-DOS, by Jac Goudsmit <https://github.com/jacgoudsmit/Basicode>`_
- `BASICODE-3 for KC85/3-5, by M. Leubner <https://github.com/maleuma/BASICODE>`_
Other BASICODE interpreters for modern platforms
------------------------------------------------
- `BASICODE in JavaScript, by Steven Goodwin <https://github.com/MarquisdeGeek/basicode>`_
- `BASICODE in Java, by Michael Haupt <https://github.com/mhaupt/basicode>`_