From: Reinier Zwitserloot 
Subject: Re: 3D game engine for PB?
 
That's very simple. If you want to insert fairly small amounts of
assembly verbatim in PB, you either use the inline assembler, or if
that's not sufficient you use NASM. Generate a straight binary (Don't
think TASM or MASM can do that), and convert it to !db statements which
you then include. (You do that using INLN2ASM). Bit of hassle? Yes, and
I thought it could be made a bit easier.
http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/lab/1990/ download PBPLUS and
make sure you have a copy of NASM.EXE in your pb directory. Just put
$PTNASM in your code, type your assembly (Any assembly at all) and end
with $PTPBAS. Make sure you run your code through PBPLUS and it'll do
the work for you.
 
On the debate: It's technically speaking possible to emulate MASM syntax
using macros in NASM. Excepting a few red-tapers like .radix and a
couple of others, rarely used. It's just that no one has done this yet
for (to me) obvious reasons. The NASM syntax is based on the MASM
syntax, but has removed a couple of ideosyncracies and has a different
macro processor.
 
NB: I agree a copy of MASM is on more drivers/shelves than either TASM
or NASM. I'm talking about hours of use though.
 
Guy Macon wrote:
>
> In article , gturgeon@meol.mass.edu 
(Gregoire Turgeon) wrote:
> >
> >On 8 May 1998 15:32:28 GMT, guymacon@deltanet.com (Guy Macon) wrote:
> >
> >>
> >>My situation is that I do everything in PBasic (for the Basic Stamp) or
> >>PowerBasic (for the PC) with an ocasional dive into a short loop using
> >>inline assembler when PB doesn't do exactly what I want.  All of this
> >>is professional (programming robotics and CD/DVD palyers) with no limit
> >>on money spent on hardware or software.  Would you still recomend TASM
> >>for my situation?
> >
> >If you're a professional programmer, you appreciate certain qualities
> >that obviously have limited appeal in some circles. One of these
> >qualities involves working within accepted standards.  I've used TASM
> >for 386-specific code under PowerBASIC, all the way back to the 3.0a
> >release.  The TASM/PB interface, although not seamless, has always
> >been manageable for my purposes (mainly VGA programming, encryption,
> >and compression).  Sample code also exists.
> >
> >Debate over assemblers often becomes rather amusing.  Paying your
> >bills never is.  I've experimented with the freeware NASM and am
> >delighted that it exists.  It offers several interesting innovations.
> >Its syntax, etc. also deviate widely from the standard created by, and
> >still set by, MASM.  Like it or not, if you're writing for an
> >increasingly  Windows world, Microsoft tools set the standards.  Other
> >tool makers conform, willingly or unwillingly, or they remain minor
> >players.
> >
> >Of course, if Microsoft operating systems mean little to your income
> >as a programmer, then many things are possible.  And sometimes lots
> >more fun, too.
> >
> >MASM is available not only retail but also through the (big dollar)
> >Microsoft Developer Network professional subscription.  That of course
> >doesn't necessarily mean that all subscribers actually prefer it or
> >even use it, but if they look for an alternative to MASM, such people
> >rarely rely on impressions and anecdotal evidence when weighing
> >possibilities.
>
> I have a subscription to the Developer Network, but the C programmers
> in my dept. use it a lot more than I do.  I am a hardware expert, and
> I do simple coding only (moving a robot arm, testing a CD for flatness,
> that sort of thing).  I find PB to be just about perfect for this
> sort of work.  My question is what to do when I need to put a little
> bit of assembly language code in a PB program.  Is my best choice to
> just ignore all assemblers and do it in inline code from the PB
> environment?  That's what I do now, despite access to any assembler
> I want to use.  Would I be better off using a "real" assembler?
> Remember, we are talking about very small and tight Assembly Language
> loops embedded in a PowerBasic program.
 
--
- Ray Zwitserloot.
 
R.Zwitserloot@antispam.BTInternet.com
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