I have today released version 6.13a of BBC BASIC for Windows. This is a maintenance release, primarily to fix the recently reported (but apparently known about for quite some time) bug in the WIDTH() function.
The changes in this version are as follows:
Interpreter / Run-Time Engine:
A fairly serious bug in the WIDTH() function has been fixed.
64-bit indirection (using the ] character) has been implemented, compatible with the 64-bit and ARM editions of BBCSDL.
The VDU 27,n command (used to display the characters associated with codes 0-31 and 127) now also works in VDU 5 mode.
The VDU variables have been rationalised, in particular ?444 and @vdu%!248 no longer have their previous functions.
New system variables @vdu.w.a&, @vdu.w.b&, @vdu.w.c&, @size.x%, @size.y%, @char.x% and @char.y% have been introduced.
Libraries and Utilities:
The ARRAYLIB library now handles errors (e.g. caused by a numeric overflow or division-by-zero) better.
The Cross Reference utility uses memory more conservatively by reducing the maximum depth of nesting.
Example Programs:
The following example programs have been added, functionally equivalent to those supplied with BBC BASIC for SDL 2.0: BEZIERFIT.BBC, ELLIPSEFIT.BBC, DISCO.BBC, FLOOD.BBC, GDIPDEM.BBC, PENROSE.BBC, PIECHART.BBC, POLYDOTS.BBC, SPOTLIGHT.BBC, SQUARES.BBC, SURKS.BBC, SWIRL.BBC and WIDOR.BBC.
The WORLD.BBC example program has been modified to use a 'directional' light, which more accurately represents illumination from the (very distant) sun.
To upgrade the full (paid-for) version of BBC BASIC for Windows to v6.13a download and install upgrade.exe from the web site; remember that you are allowed to install it on multiple computers so long as only one copy is in use at any given time. To upgrade the trial version (or install it from scratch) download and install bbcwdemo.exe. It is possible that these executables may trigger security alerts until they have acquired a reputation for safety.
Having problem with upgrade of BB4W to 6.23a. I select "Admin " before executing the upgrade and point to my active BBC Basic folder (that I have been using for 2 years without incident) when requested by the upgrade. It seems to start the upgrade and stops with an error code 4 (but apparently already upgraded the Licence.txt dates to 2020.
When I originally acquired BB4W, I saved the download to a folder and the install to a different "production" folder that I've been using ever since. I'm wondering if there was something in the original download that was not copied to my "production " folder.
I recently upgraded my PCs to Windows 10 Pro with the most recent updates applied also to Windows 10 Pro.
What am I doing wrong? The error (4) suggests that I'm trying to install into a unauthorized folder, which is what makes me suspect that something the upgrade is requiring to substantiate my registration is missing from my "production" folder.
Bill Leopold wrote: ↑Fri 07 Aug 2020, 22:56which is what makes me suspect that something the upgrade is requiring to substantiate my registration is missing from my "production" folder.
Exactly right: it's looking for bbcwrun.exe (versions before 6.00) or bbcwrun6.exe (version 6.00 and later) and not finding either.
If you failed to copy the above file it would certainly explain it. Of course if that file was missing you wouldn't be able to 'compile' anything (it's the 'run time engine'), but if you rarely do that perhaps you didn't notice its absence.
Copying the relevant file into your "production" folder should fix it.
As usual, you were 100% correct. Not only did I not copy the entire contents of of my "production" folder to the Rel. 6.13a BBC Basic folder, but I had missed which of my BBC Basic folders to copy in the first place. Turns out the correct folder was the only folder with bbcwrun6.exe in it's contents. So, you solved two problems for me, one of which I didn't realize I had until I tried to open my code folder and it wasn't there. I will now clean up my BBC Basic folders to avoid future embarrassment of this type for future upgrades.
Bill Leopold wrote: ↑Sat 08 Aug 2020, 21:11
I hate getting old!
Me too, and I'm feeling my age more now than ever before. My 'cognitive decline' (tentatively diagnosed as early Alzheimer's Disease) is insidious because it's so gradual. I don't really notice anything different on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis, until something specific happens that jolts me into realising just how much I have deteriorated. It may be something that I've completely forgotten (the feeling of a 'void' where a whole load of memories just aren't there any more is disconcerting) or making a stupid mistake that I never would have done, or failing to spot an obvious solution to some problem.
I try to keep my brain active by doing small amounts of programming, but that tends to be only in BASIC now. My ability to code in assembler or C has just about evaporated, but there seems to be something about BASIC code (it could just be my familiarity with it) that allows me to cope. I am grateful, at least, that there are no unfinished 'grand projects' that I know I will never complete; that would be distressing.