DosBasic

[jj2007]

Given that there are still a lot of 16-bit code fans, I've updated DosBasic, the little brother of MasmBasic. Here is an example:

include \masm32\MasmBasic\DosBasic.inc         ; download the complete MasmBasic library
  Init                        ; open the DosBasic include file - inspired by DednDave
  mov dx, Chr$("DOS is fun", 13, 10, "isn't it?$")        ; display the message
  mov ah, 9                ; the traditional DOS way,
  int 21h                        ; ending with the $ delimiter
  mov cx, Chr$(13, 10, "More fun")        ; display the message
  Print cx, 13, 10        ; using the cx register
  Print "Real fun", 13, 10        ; the simplest option
  Print Str$(123), " is 123", 13, 10        ; even that one works - Str$ takes immediates, ax, al, ah, si, ...
  Print cx, " again", 13, 10        ; Print and Str$ do not trash cx
  mov cx, Input$("Type something and hit Enter: ")
  Open "O", #1, "MyTyping.txt"
  Print #1, cx                ; save the typed text to file
  Close #1
  Print cx, " was typed and written to file, now we are reading it back", 13, 10, 10
  Make$ My$, 60000        ; let's create a fat buffer
  FileRead My$, "MyTyping.txt"
  .if Carry?
        Print "FileRead ERROR", 13, 10
  .else
        Print Str$(ax), ' bytes read from "MyTest.txt" - contents:', 13, 10, 10, "["
        Print My$, "]", 13, 10, 10
  .endif
  Inkey "bye"                ; wait for a key
  Exit                        ; ExitProcess, DOS style
end start

"Library" attached - it will be integrated into future MasmBasic releases.
The DosBasic library is now integrated - download here.

[jj2007]

Update 9 Nov 2013: DosBasic has some new functions, e.g. CL$(), Instr_(), Exist() and Seek.
Furthermore, the MasmBasic editor autodetects now a 16-bit program and uses appropriate settings, like e.g. the 16-bit linker; if an int 3 is spotted in the text, RichMasm launches automatically debug.exe MyProgram.exe plus some args if set with OPT_Arg1. PM me for details...


Init        Initialise DosBasic; optional: desired stack, e.g. Init 2000h
Exit        DOS equivalent to ExitProcess; optional: exit code (default: 0)
Chr$        Print Chr$("Line 1", 13, 10, "Line 2")
CL$        Print CL$(), " is the commandline", 13, 10
Instr_        Print Str$(Instr_("A test", "test", 3)), 9, " is 3", 13, 10        ; startpos n is optional
m2m        m2m dest, source                        ; ok for DWORD & WORD destinations
Inkey        Inkey "Hello"
Val32        Val32 pStr/  ValX pStr
Val        Val pStr/  ValX pStr
ValX        ValX pStr/  push si
Str$        Print Str$(eax) or Print Str$(cx) or Print Str$(al) etc
Hex$        Print Hex$(eax) or Hex$(ax) or Hex$(al) or Hex$(123) etc
Psp        mov ax, Psp(0)
Exist        .if Exist("MyFile.txt")
Open        Open "O", #1, "Test.txt"; modes are Output, Input, Update and Append
Seek        Seek #1, ecx        ; takes immediate, reg32, reg16, var16, var32
Close        Close #n
Print        Print "Test", 13, 10
FileRead        FileRead dest, fname
Make$        Make$ TheName, Bytes
Time$        Print Time$()
Input$        mov si, Input$("Type something and hit Enter: ")

[Gunther]

Jochen,

thank you for providing the stuff.  :t

Gunther