Skip to content

Hack-a-Day/basic-badge

Folders and files

NameName
Last commit message
Last commit date

Latest commit

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Repository files navigation

Retrocomputing BASIC Badge

2018 Hackaday Belgrade Hardware Badge

  • Hardware Lead: Voja Antonic
  • Software Lead: Jaromir Sukuba

Hardware details available on the BASIC Badge project page.

BASIC Word List:

Firmware at the day of conference was 1.00. There are new versions coming since then, see changes at https://github.com/Hack-a-Day/basic-badge/blob/master/firmware/badge1.X/changes.txt

Standard Words:

  • print
  • println
  • if
  • else
  • goto
  • gosub
  • return
  • for
  • next
  • end
  • let
  • rem

Badge Custom Words

  • led X,Y - control LED, X[0..2] RGB, Y[0..1] on/off
  • tune A,B,C,D - plays tones A, B, C for duration D
  • clrscr - clear screen
  • setxy X,Y - set cursor at X,Y
  • wait X - wait for X ms
  • color X,Y - X=Foreground, Y=Background using EGA 16-color palette
  • chr X - prints character with ASCII representation X
  • termt X - sets VT100 terminal on or off (1-on, 0-off)
  • rnd X - function to return random number 0..X
  • ein X - function to return value of expansion pin X
  • eout X,Y - control expansion pin, X[0..3], Y[0..1] on/off
  • edr X,Y - sets expansion pin function X[0..3], Y[0..1] output/input
  • uin X - function to return received byte from serial port, if X=0, function is non-blocking, if X=1, function is blocking
  • uout X - outputs value X to serial port as single byte
  • input "string" - prints string and returns user entered value
  • peek X - returns value from memory location X
  • poke X,Y - write value Y into memory, on location X
  • cursor X - turns cursor on (X=1) or off (X=0)
  • kin X - function to return byte from keyboard, if X=0, function is non-blocking, if X=1, function is blocking

BASIC CLI commands

  • run - runs program
  • save X - Save program buffer to flash. There are 16 slots: X[0..15]
  • load X - Load program into buffer from flash. There are 16 slots: X[0..15]
  • list - list whole program
  • more - list program by pages
  • clr - clears all code from the program buffer
  • free - prints amount of free program buffer
  • sload - load new program into buffer from serial port
  • ssave - output program buffer via serial port
  • help - prints out basic BASIC help

Setting Up the Toolchain for BASIC Badge

The BASIC badge is based around a PIC32MX370F512H. Software is compiled using MPLABX, XC32 compiler, and legacy peripheral libraries from Microchip.

  1. Download three packages:

    • Navigate to the Downloads" tab at the bottom of the Microchip Compilers page.
    • Download MPLAB® XC32/32++ Compiler v2.05 for your operating system
    • Download PIC32 Legacy Peripheral Libraries for your operating system
    • Navigate to the "Downloads" tab part way down the screen at the Microchip MPLAB X IDE page.
  2. Install the packages:

    • Install the XC32 compiler first
    • Install the peripheral libraries next. IMPORTANT: You must specify the same directory as the XC32 compiler. This will likely not be the default option during install. For Linux installation this director was: /opt/microchip/xc32/v2.05/
    • Install MPLABX IDE
  3. Open the MPLABX project from this repository

    • A PIC programmer like the PICKIT3 is required to program your badge
    • On the PIC programmer, pins 1-5 correspond to RES, V+, GND, B0, and B1 on the badge

Using XMODEM

Badge side

  • Launch "CP/M @ Z80" on the badge
  • b:
  • xmdm r e:ZORK1.DAT

Linux XMODEM info

  • sudo apt-get install lrzsz
  • sudo chmod 777 /dev/ttyUSB0
  • sx -X ZORK1.DAT > /dev/ttyUSB0 < /dev/ttyUSB0

Proposed Functionality

  • High Importance:
    • BASIC interpreter
    • Line editor for BASIC programs
    • Save/Load ability (stored in program memory)
    • Simple menu system
  • Medium Importance
    • Hardware control on expansion port
    • Game(s) that come with the badge
    • Ability for users to write C files and compile them into new firmward to flash to badge
  • Low Importance
    • Serial connection allows users to program BASIC onto badge from computer without full reflash (needs USB to serial adapter)
    • Programming challenge? Like a game that encourages writing BASIC to solve it
    • Bling (demos that run on the badge)

About

2018 Hackaday Belgrade Hardware Badge

Resources

License

Stars

Watchers

Forks

Packages

No packages published

Languages