PROJECT: Building The Thing (BTT0)

If you have a question, put the clarification in this document.

To get the Vircon32 DevTools go to https://github.com/vircon32/ComputerSoftware and download the provided tools. This can be found on the right side of the screen under a section called “Releases.” This page is where you can find the appropriate package for your system. Once downloaded read the provided Readme.md for the instructions on how to install Vircon32. A nice way to check if you installed Vircon32 correctly is to try putting “Vircon32” in the command line. If it opens Vircon32 it worked.

Here is the link to Vircon32's API page: http://www.vircon32.com/api.html

This page serves as a comprehensive reference of all the functions available in Vircon32’s C compiler. You will find this page useful since the C compiler for Vircon32 is different from standard C.

• Obtain the source.tar.gz file for latest edition of Vircon32/ComputerSoftware/ from the Releases
• Navigate to the location of your now downloaded .tar.gz file and extract using

  tar xvcf [file].tar.gz

• Obtain the source.zip file for latest edition of Vircon32/ComputerSoftware/ from the Releases
• Navigate to the location of your now downloaded .zip file and extract

• You should now have a directory you can navigate into called ComputerSoftware/
• Navigate inside and check for two directories call DesktopEmulator/ and DevelopmentTools/

At the base of the ComputerSoftware/ directory there should be a file named Readme.md, you will refer to this heavily

Following the Readme, install all dependencies

These steps will be done the same in both the DesktopEmulator/ directory and the DevelopmentTools/ directory

Again following the Readme

• Create a build/ directory off of the DesktopEmulator/ and DevelopmentTools/ directories and enter it
• For Linux systems & Pi rather than MSYS Makefiles you will want Unix Makefiles
• Follow the remaining commands in the Readme to the end
• Keep track of where the Emulator and the DevTools are installed and add those paths to your ~/.bashrc
• Don't forget to run source ~/.bashrc or close/reopen your terminal

Bootstrap a fairly simple “Hello, World” example, modified sufficiently from any provided tutorial or demo code.

This is a link to the provided tutorials on the Vircon Github page:

• https://github.com/vircon32/ConsoleSoftware/tree/main/Tutorials/RobotGame

Some potential changes/functions could be:

• Changing the position of the text
• Changing the color of the text
• Changing what the text says
• Changing the background color to one of the provided colors
• Implementing your own background
• Making your own font
• Adding sounds

A Vircon32 image file:

• has a max size of 640×360 pixels
• will also only take “.png” files
• needs the “video.h” library

You can implement libraries in your “.c” file with

#include "library name"

But to be able to use it in the “.c” file you need to define it in the “.sh” and “.xml” files.

Open your “.sh” file and for images do:

png2vircon FileName.png -o obj/FIleName.vtex || abort_build

And then open your “.xml” file and for images do:

 <textures>
  <texture path="obj/Start.vtex" />
 </textures>

Back in your “.c” file we have to define the Texture and it Region:

#define TextureFileName  0
#define RegionFileName   0

The value corresponds to where it sits in your “.xml” file. If FileName is the first texture being made then the value is 0. If it's the second texture then the value = 1, etc…

This is also the same for audio files, so your first audio file's value would correspond to 0.

Region can be 0 for backgrounds.

You then have to define it in the “.c” file again:

select_texture( TextureFileName );
select_region( RegionFileName );
define_region_topleft( 0,0, 639,359 );

Then to call it use:

select_texture( TextureFileName );
select_region( RegionFileName );
draw_region_at( 0,0 );

In the tutorials and demos there are corresponding build scripts that will take all the code and related resources, and run the appropriate development tools to create a Vircon32 cartridge file.

Part of your task is to author your own custom build script. Do not just use an existing script, and do not just lightly modify the provided scripts: craft your own, with descriptive comments, that suit your individual effort.