Path: news1.icaen!news.uiowa.edu!chi-news.cic.net!arclight.uoregon.edu!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!cam-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!howland.erols.net!portc02.blue.aol.com!newstf02.news.aol.com!audrey01.news.aol.com!not-for-mail From: mikew50@aol.com (MikeW50) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2.programmer Subject: Re: New Apple IIGS BASIC Date: 4 Feb 1997 03:40:32 GMT Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Lines: 58 Message-ID: <19970204034000.WAA10853@ladder01.news.aol.com> References: <19970122020001.VAA09303@ladder01.news.aol.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: ladder01.news.aol.com X-Admin: news@aol.com I'm trying one more time to get the preliminary spec uploaded. Because of past problems, I'm breaking it into pieces. This is part 1. GSoft BASIC ----------- Preliminary specification: 3 February 1997 This guide gives an overview of the GSoft programming language. The purpose is to give you a good idea about what will be in the language once it is released, and to give you a chance to suggest changes while there is still time to make them! All of the information in this document is subject to change. In fact, the very purpose of this document invites change. This document should not be construed as a binding statement that we will, in fact, ever release a BASIC interpreter. General ------- GSoft is an interpreted BASIC, similar to Applesoft but with more commands and variable types. Target Machine -------------- Apple IIGS 1M or RAM 3.5” Floppy Disk Drive System 6.0.1 Environment ----------- GSoft actually consists of a suite of programs: GSoft (S16) This is a Finder Launchable application. It starts in an Applesoft-like shell whose command set is listed later. This program will also launch when a GSoft program file is opened from the Finder. By changing the file type to EXE, this program can be launched from any ORCA compatible shell. When launched from a shell, you can specify a program to execute on the command line. Whether launched from the Finder or a shell, if you supply a program to execute you are not dumped into GSoft's shell: instead, the program executes and GSoft terminates. In effect, this means you can create GSoft programs that launch from the Finder by double-clicking, just like any other application. The fact that GSoft is executing the program is transparent to the user. I expect this will be the environment of choice for most GSoft users who don’t already use an ORCA language. GSoft (EXE) This version is an ORCA language, pretty much like any other language, except that it is interpreted. While it may not be obvious, the ORCA shell was designed to handle interpreters as easily as compilers. GSoft will install in the ORCA environment as smoothly as any compiled language--including support for PRIZM and ORCA compatible debuggers. The ORCA environment will not ship with GSoft. I expect this will be the environment of choice for people who are already accustomed to ORCA, or who are developing tools for GSoft. MakeS16 This program attaches a special version of GSoft to an existing GSoft program. The finished application appears to the Finder as a standard GS/OS application, complete with bundle bits. (This means you can click on a _document_ from the Finder to launch the application.) The completed application file includes a copy of the interpreter, and each owner of GSoft receives the royalty-free right to distribute any program he writes with this interpreter attached.