TBASIC: BASIC language for Lua and OpenComputers/ComputerCraft/more

Make BASIC great again

BULLETIN

Don't play with this crap

this project was abandoned years ago; you'd have better luck backporting my other BASIC (that actually works, unlike this crap) into Lua instead.

Outline

This is a BASIC language and its interpreter written in Lua, which can be used with Plain Lua/OpenComputers/ComputerCraft.

The program will work with any Lua implementation that supports Lua 5.2 and higher (and Lua 5.1 with bit32 library). Tested with official Lua, LuaJIT, ComputerCraft (LuaJ) and OpenComputers (JNLua).

Files

• TBASIC.lua: Terran BASIC shell
• TBASEXEC.lua: Terran BASIC interpreter
• TBASINCL.lua: Terran BASIC interpreter library
• TBASEXTN.lua: Terran BASIC extension
• doc/TBASMAN.pdf: Language manual. READ IT
• doc/TBASMAN.tex: Source for the manual
• README.md: What you are reading right now
• LICENSE.md: It's MIT

How to Use

Run TBASIC.lua to get started.

• Prefix line numbers to input multiple-lined commands.
• Enter command without line number to execute the one-liner command right away. Any input program will left untouched.
• Enter RUN to execute the program you have written, enter LIST to see what you have entered to the buffer.
• After the RUN, your program will still be there. Enter NEW to wipe out them.
• Made some mistakes? No worries, you can just overwrite by re-writing the line you wish to correct.
• Line numbers too messy? Try RENUM, your GOTOs and GOSUBs will be updated accordingly.

Syntax

Syntax of the TBASIC is heavily influenced by Commodore 64 BASIC; Line number based, GOTO-controlled (uh-oh, sounds harmful), has GOSUB, etc. What doesn't work is direct memory controls (PEEK/POKE, SYS) and graphic/sound related commands.

How to Contribute

Code

You clone it, make it great, and make a pull request.

Documentation

You can also help improving the documentation by adding missing texts, correcting my bad English (if any), or making a translation for non-English speaker like me. Don't know how to use TeX? Just leave them as plain text/MS Word/Rich Text Format and I'll take care of them. (Note: HWP is not to be accepted. C'mon, what the f--k is HWP?)

In general

If you have suggestions/bugs, feel free to report them on the Issue Tracker.

How it works

The interpreter is basically a stack-based machine, much like FORTH. Input commands are converted into Reverse Polish Notation using _G._TBASIC.TORPN(), TORPN notates type of each token (function, operator, variable, string and number), and the interpreter executes RPN'd command token by token. More details are on the comments of the code.

Disclaimer

This project is in its early stages, meaning most of the keywords are not implemented, already implemented features are buggy.

Reference manual is work-in-progress.

If you are to distribute this Software to be used on the OpenComputers/ComputerCraft, AND ONLY WHEN YOU DISTRIBUTE THE VERBATIM COPY OF THE ESSENTIAL PARTS OF THIS SOFTWARE (following three files: TBASINCL.lua, TBASEXEC.lua and TBASIC.lua), you can distribute without the license file. If not (made some modifications and/or to be used on other software/games, even if you are the contributor of this Software), the copyright notice and the permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.