Compiler for MAC version

Discussions related to the BB4W & BBCSDL interpreters and run-time engines
Baggins69
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon 09 Apr 2018, 22:41

Compiler for MAC version

Post by Baggins69 »

Hi,

I've just downloaded the MAC version of BBC BASIC having been a Windows user for number of year and noticed that the Compiler option was greyed out. I just wanted to check that it is meant to be as it is an early release or whether I've done something wrong with my installation.

Regards,
Scott
guest

Re: Compiler for MAC version

Post by guest »

Baggins69 wrote: Tue 10 Apr 2018, 02:27 I've just downloaded the MAC version of BBC BASIC having been a Windows user for number of year and noticed that the Compiler option was greyed out. I just wanted to check that it is meant to be as it is an early release or whether I've done something wrong with my installation.
Yes it's an early release (the comment at the website is "BBCSDL is currently under development and these versions are made available for download and use at your own risk") but that's only part of the issue. The 'Compile' button is greyed out in all editions of BBCSDL, because it's not clear what it could or should do!

The whole point of BBCSDL is that it's a cross-platform version of BBC BASIC (achieved by running on top of the SDL 2.0 abstraction layer) so exactly the same code is running on each of those platforms. But when it comes to creating a 'standalone executable' (which is what that button does in BB4W) every platform is totally different, and in some (notably Linux, including the Raspberry Pi) there is no such concept!

In Mac OS, specifically, although there is no such thing as a standalone executable in the Windows sense (that is, a single file that contains an application and all its resources) there are ways of 'packaging' an application, for example as an app bundle (which is effectively a directory) or as a disk image file (which is rather like a zip). But obviously BASIC code to create such a thing, assuming it is possible, would be unique to Mac OS.

So really the whole issue of the Compile button is awaiting clarification, from people who understand the different platforms better than I do (I haven't needed to, because SDL isolates me from platform differences), of what is possible and how it could be achieved. Are you sufficiently knowledgeable about Mac OS to be able to give advice on that platform?

Richard.
Baggins69
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon 09 Apr 2018, 22:41

Re: Compiler for MAC version

Post by Baggins69 »

Hi Richard,

Thanks for explaining.

Sorry but I don't think I've got the skills to help at that level. But happy to help test etc.. if needed.

Regards,
Scott