- Welcome to Vectrex32.
Recent posts
#1
Feature Requests and Bug Reports / Re: lunar lander crashing my v...
Last post by Vectrex32 - March 31, 2024, 01:48:40 PMThis is a very helpful insight. I still don't understand why this is failing on some people's systems, but it's a huge clue. Thank you.
- Bob
- Bob
#2
Feature Requests and Bug Reports / lunar lander crashing my Vectr...
Last post by rfgasser - March 31, 2024, 01:34:19 PMI finally had a chance to debug the lunar lander program (lander.bas) that was crashing my Vectrex.
Here is what I found:
While my Vectrex was in the crashed state (after pressing BTN 1 in the lunar instructions)
• the screen went blank (after briefly flashing the lunar scene)
• my console to the Vectrex32 (using screen terminal command) was unresponsive to Ctrl+C
• I could still see the Vectrex32 as a USB memory and move files to it.
I used breakpoints in the lunar.bas file and found the offending line:
line 239: controls = WaitForFrame(JoystickAnalog, Controller1, JoystickX + JoystickY)
I looked at the ScaleTest.bas program which never crashed and noticed it used JoystickDigital instead of JoystickAnalog.
I changed the code in lunar.bas to
controls = WaitForFrame(JoystickDigital, Controller1, JoystickX + JoystickY)
and eureka it worked!
I am not sure why the controller constant JoystickAnalog crashes my machine. I bought my machine from a Canadian seller and it is Model 3000-C1. Perhaps the rom is slightly different in the Canadian versions? i.e. the memory location for the analog stick on the controller?
Hope this helps others who have had issues with lunar.bas.
Raymond Gasser
Here is what I found:
While my Vectrex was in the crashed state (after pressing BTN 1 in the lunar instructions)
• the screen went blank (after briefly flashing the lunar scene)
• my console to the Vectrex32 (using screen terminal command) was unresponsive to Ctrl+C
• I could still see the Vectrex32 as a USB memory and move files to it.
I used breakpoints in the lunar.bas file and found the offending line:
line 239: controls = WaitForFrame(JoystickAnalog, Controller1, JoystickX + JoystickY)
I looked at the ScaleTest.bas program which never crashed and noticed it used JoystickDigital instead of JoystickAnalog.
I changed the code in lunar.bas to
controls = WaitForFrame(JoystickDigital, Controller1, JoystickX + JoystickY)
and eureka it worked!
I am not sure why the controller constant JoystickAnalog crashes my machine. I bought my machine from a Canadian seller and it is Model 3000-C1. Perhaps the rom is slightly different in the Canadian versions? i.e. the memory location for the analog stick on the controller?
Hope this helps others who have had issues with lunar.bas.
Raymond Gasser
#3
General Discussion / Re: Introduce Yourself
Last post by Vectrex32 - November 16, 2023, 07:34:17 PMWelcome, Huxley. I got your order and it will go out in tomorrow's mail. I hope you do great things with it!
- Bob
- Bob
#4
General Discussion / Re: Introduce Yourself
Last post by Huxley - November 16, 2023, 06:19:47 PMHi all!
I've been a Vectrex fan since I was around 13 years old back in the 1990's. I was a nerdy kid living up in rural Northern California, and one random afternoon my parents stopped at a local church charity sale. It was late the day and the sale was winding down, and I spotted what looked like a black Macintosh in the pile of unsold junk which was due to be thrown away once the sale concluded. I asked around and was told I could have it if I was willing to help move some furniture around, which I happily did. Of course, that "Blackintosh" I thought I'd found was actually a Vectrex, and it came to me with two controllers, several games and overlays, and a few manuals.
I loved how weird it was - none of my friends had anything like it. My sisters and I spent many happy hours playing Armor Attack and Star Trek, and I made sure to keep my collection intact when I eventually moved out on my own. Thankfully, I still have that original set, along with a few neat items I've picked up over the years. I literally just ordered a Vectrex32 about 10 minutes ago, and I'm excited to dive in and see what I can create with it.
Thanks to you all for keeping the vector flames burning after all these years!
Huxley
I've been a Vectrex fan since I was around 13 years old back in the 1990's. I was a nerdy kid living up in rural Northern California, and one random afternoon my parents stopped at a local church charity sale. It was late the day and the sale was winding down, and I spotted what looked like a black Macintosh in the pile of unsold junk which was due to be thrown away once the sale concluded. I asked around and was told I could have it if I was willing to help move some furniture around, which I happily did. Of course, that "Blackintosh" I thought I'd found was actually a Vectrex, and it came to me with two controllers, several games and overlays, and a few manuals.
I loved how weird it was - none of my friends had anything like it. My sisters and I spent many happy hours playing Armor Attack and Star Trek, and I made sure to keep my collection intact when I eventually moved out on my own. Thankfully, I still have that original set, along with a few neat items I've picked up over the years. I literally just ordered a Vectrex32 about 10 minutes ago, and I'm excited to dive in and see what I can create with it.
Thanks to you all for keeping the vector flames burning after all these years!
Huxley
#5
General Discussion / Re: A basic BASIC starting poi...
Last post by Airhogg - November 09, 2023, 02:46:09 PMThank you, Bob! Will do! ...that was fast!
#6
General Discussion / Re: A basic BASIC starting poi...
Last post by Vectrex32 - November 09, 2023, 02:40:47 PMI called the Vectrex32 language "BASIC", and it certainly has some features in common with BASIC, but it's also very far removed from the BASICs of 40 years ago.
So I'm not sure how valuable it would be to read one of those old books.
What's important is that you understand the fundamentals of programming, e.g. what variables are and how to use them, the basic idea of writing program statements, what IF-THEN-ELSE, FOR loops, and WHILE loops are, etc.
I would suggest starting with the GSBASIC manual. If there are things you're not familiar with, come back here and ask. That will give us a better idea of how much programming you remember, and what kind of books might help.
- Bob
So I'm not sure how valuable it would be to read one of those old books.
What's important is that you understand the fundamentals of programming, e.g. what variables are and how to use them, the basic idea of writing program statements, what IF-THEN-ELSE, FOR loops, and WHILE loops are, etc.
I would suggest starting with the GSBASIC manual. If there are things you're not familiar with, come back here and ask. That will give us a better idea of how much programming you remember, and what kind of books might help.
- Bob
#7
General Discussion / A basic BASIC starting point?
Last post by Airhogg - November 09, 2023, 02:24:20 PMI see that the GS BASIC manual (v 1.25) indicates that a previous working knowledge of BASIC will assist the user. Can anyone suggest a very entry level book (or other guide) to a version of BASIC that would align well with GS? I tinkered with BASIC on the C64 back in the day (teenage years), but a lot has happened since then and I've forgotten pretty much everything...and my BASIC knowledge even then was very.... basic! I'm sure experimenting with the Vectrex32 sample programs for learning will be fun and helpful, but if there is a manual that anyone thinks may assist, I would greatly appreciate that advice!
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
#8
News and Updates / Firmware upgrade: version 1.29
Last post by Vectrex32 - July 01, 2023, 09:21:29 AMThere's a new release of the Vectrex32 firmware available, version 1.29. You can download it here.
A couple of version numbers were skipped from the previous release, 1.26.
There is a bug fix and a new feature, the FEOF() function.
- Bob
A couple of version numbers were skipped from the previous release, 1.26.
There is a bug fix and a new feature, the FEOF() function.
- Bob
#9
General Discussion / Re: Upgrading to 1.27
Last post by Ianoid - January 02, 2023, 12:51:25 AMHad the same issue after formatting it, although actually it showed as having less space. I should probably just mail it to you for the upgrade, if you have time to deal with it. Please pm your address or send me an email if you have my email still. Thanks!
#10
General Discussion / Re: Upgrading to 1.27
Last post by Vectrex32 - January 01, 2023, 08:01:57 PMReformat it as you would an SD card or USB drive. It must be formatted as FAT, also known as FAT16. Don't format it as FAT32.