Amiga Programming

[melott]

I don't know if this has ever been mentioned before ...

Back in the C64 days I had a program for the C64 that
was a programming tool. You ran this program and it
would ask questions on what you wanted to do. Then it
would generate the code (in basic) for the program you
wanted to write. I don't remember the name of the program.

I have thought for years a programming tool like that
would help all us wanna-be programmers that just don't
have the skills to do it from scratch. I've tried most
of the languages available on Amiga, AMOS, Blitz, & C+.
I had some minor success with Blitz but thats it.
I'm sure there are many Amigans out there in basicly
the same situation as myself. I remember it being mentioned
once on the Blitz forum/site. I'm wondering if anything
was ever done/written?

Mel

[bloodline]

The best I've ever found is C++ and SDL... SDL provides pretty much all the gfx and input functions you would be used to from languages like AMOS and Blitz... plus you get the added bonus of OOP, and proper data structures (though blitz does have quite good support for these). Plus the added advantage that it's platform independant, and you get to use a decent complier.

That said, I could never get the SDL multithreading functions to work :-( I was looking forward to threads as I used to love using AMAL for threading, when using AMOS... and using interupt 5 (the VBL int) in Blitz for a similar purpose.

[bloodline]

I do remember reading a paper about CAP (Computer Aided Programming)... Where you would build your program from black box units (prewritten code units) which you link together to denote program flow and logic...

I seem to recall the interface being based on flow charts, it seemed like a brilliant idea... I have often thought about writing one for myself, as an excercise to improve my programming skills.

The logic would be qutie simple, you only need 5 base types of unit. A Start unit, A conditional unit, an Aritmetic/Logic operation unit, an I/O unit and an End unit.

Then you would have a palette of premade units each one based on one of the base types... I seem to remember getting stumped trying to decide if each flow should relate to a single variable (my prefered but more complex model) or to a single operation (where the user doesn't really have to think about variables)...

All fun stuff... I'll have to dig out my notes...

[meega]

bloodline wrote:
The best I've ever found is C++ and SDL...

SDL? or STL (Standard Template Library)?

[bloodline]

meega wrote:

bloodline wrote:
The best I've ever found is C++ and SDL...

SDL? or STL (Standard Template Library)?

The STL is there by default, I'm sure I've used some of it's functions/operators/classes/whatever... but I tend to stick with SDL and the standard C library, I'm not a computer scientist so I just stick with what I know :-)

[SamuraiCrow]

meega wrote:

bloodline wrote:
The best I've ever found is C++ and SDL...

SDL? or STL (Standard Template Library)?

Simple Directmedia Layer.

[meega]

Now I'm not confused. Thank you. :-)

[melott]

The program I'm refering to was very easy to use.
I used it to write a BBS prg. for the C64. I never quite
finished the BBS as it required some ASM routines that
were completely beyound me.
 
Anyway, with the quality of the programming tools available
now I think it could be done easier now than on the C-64.

Mel
 

[Piru]

You ran this program and it would ask questions on what you wanted to do. Then it would generate the code (in basic) for the program you wanted to write.

I'm afraid such program is impossible. While it is possible to have some frameworks for simple generic cases, you can't simplify every possible program to such questionnaire (to handle every possible case imaginable the program would get so complex it'd need to ask so many questions that it'd be faster to just write the program directly).

That's why we have programmers.

[melott]

Piru wrote:

You ran this program and it would ask questions on what you wanted to do. Then it would generate the code (in basic) for the program you wanted to write.

I'm afraid such program is impossible. While it is possible to have some frameworks for simple generic cases, you can't simplify every possible program to such questionnaire (to handle every possible case imaginable the program would get so complex it'd need to ask so many questions that it'd be faster to just write the program directly).

That's why we have programmers.

Sorry to disagree but such a program 'DID' exist on the
C-64. Its been 20 years or so, my memory might be fading
alittle, but not that much. I asure it 'did/dose' exist.

Mel

[bloodline]

melott wrote:

Sorry to disagree but such a program did exist on the
C-64. Its been 20 years or so, my memory might be fading
alittle, but not that much. I asure it 'did/dose' exist.

Mel

Piru isn't saying it can't done... Only that it would not be practical for anything other than simple programs... My idea on the other hand is genius :-D

[A6000]

I vaguely remember a program written for the CP/M os, called THE LAST ONE, it was dubbed a "program generator" and would be the last program you ever bought!.
Maybe it was not as good as the advertisement claimed, but the quest continues, wikipedia has a page on 4th generation languages which are also referred to as "rapid application development tools".
And there are a lot of them.

[melott]

[/quote]

Piru isn't saying it can't done... Only that it would not be practical for anything other than simple programs... My idea on the other hand is genius :-D[/quote]

Thats Cool  :-D

I'm not opposed to anyone giving theirself a deserved
pat on the back. :-)

The prg. I'm refering to was capable of doing some good
software.
It did allow you to insert ASM or 'C' routines to optimize
for speed or access the serial port for example.

I'm REALLY supprised that something like it hasn't turned
up on the Amiga.

Mel

[melott]

A6000 wrote:
I vaguely remember a program written for the CP/M os, called THE LAST ONE, it was dubbed a program generator and would be the last program you ever bought!.

HAY HAY ...... :-D

I do beleave you have it.  "The Last One"
I'm almost sure that was the name of it on C-64 also.

I have to do some Googling  :-D

Mel

Yup ... found it .........

 "The Last One"  (Blue Sky Software)