Great Cow BASIC changelog

Great Cow BASIC

An open-source BASIC compiler for Microchip^® PIC^® microcontrollers

Great Cow BASIC Changelog

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Version 0.9.3.0

18F support added
New config directive syntax introduced for 18F chips - backwards compatible with 10/12/16 chips.
Locations (file and line number) of errors are now given
Several additional errors can now be detected, such as END IF without IF.
Clock frequency of internal oscillators is now set based on the #chip line
Default config settings changed - MCLR is now off, and the mode is no longer always HS
Constant handling changed to improve speed of compiler
Bug introduced in version 0.9.2.9 that results in the LCD routines not working correctly fixed
Filenames with "-" are no longer treated as command line parameters
"dir PORTE in" no longer sets TRISE.4, enabling Parallel Slave Port mode and disabling PORTD
Chip data is now incorporated into GCBASIC, meaning that the #mem directive is obsolete, and that GCBASIC can now produce an asm file without gputils or mpasm being present.
Partial support for bit variables introduced (condition checking and setting to 0, 1, or another bit variable now supported)
Rotate can move bit 0 > 7 or 7 > 0, instead of 0 > C > 7 or 7 > C > 0.
Many bugs not mentioned here fixed

Version 0.9.2.9

Turkish and Italian translations included (courtesy of Murat Inceer and Stefano Delfiore respectively)
Bug which caused SysCompEqual to be added unnecessarily removed
FreeBASIC used to compile Great Cow BASIC instead of QBASIC

Speed of GCBASIC increased
Maximum program size increased (3000 > 10000 lines)
Long filenames handled reliably

Version 0.9.2.0

Compiler messages separated from .exe to aid translation
16-bit calculations can now be forced regardless of the type of variable being set
New 2 wire LCD routines (Thanks to Stefano Bonomi)
Software PWM
New hardware PWM routine
Bug in the calculation of the duty cycle for the old PWM routines fixed
Tone altered to accept input frequency as Hz - any programs that use Tone will need adjustment. ShortTone has been removed.
Variable types are now detected before calculation subs are added
New subroutine detection code - eliminates several bugs and increases speed of compiler
Many 16-bit arithmetic bugs fixed
Multiple spaces/tabs in line cannot cause errors
IFDEFs now prevent unused subroutines from being added
Functions are now detected correctly when on the first line of a subroutine
Bug in the 4 bit LCD initialisation code fixed

Version 0.9.1.1

Improved support for 10/12 series chips
Expanded help file - processor directives section now more complete.

Version 0.9.1.0

Routines for the built-in SPI module of the PIC chip added.
Data table support added.
Analog to digital converter code now works with newer A/D modules, and supports up to 14 pins.
RS232 timing issues fixed for 1200, 2400, 4800 and 9600 bps.
New demo file for software PWM.
Chips with multiple CONFIG words can now be programmed, although only the first word is accessible.
Bug related to string constants removed.
Help expanded - Arrays and Data tables now documented.

Version 0.9.0.4

MPASM/MPLAB can now be used with GCBASIC
Two additional demo files included - one a blink LED program, one for a model railroad crossing.
Help file expanded
Valid code is now produced for chips without LVP.

Version 0.9.0.3

Eliminated bug with the part of the installer that creates "compile.bat", which would cause the installer to lock up if installing to a directory with a long file name other than "C:\Program Files".

Version 0.9.0.2

Removed bug that causes GCBASIC to crash when compiling for chips with less than 256 bytes of RAM

Version 0.9.0.1

"Out of string space" error when compiling large files removed
Command line parameters may now start with - or /

Version 0.9.0.0

FOR Loops working again after being broken in 0.8.9.9
Support for 16-bit unsigned integer multiply, divide and condition checking added
Bug removed which caused high byte to be lost during add/subtract in some cases

Version 0.8.9.9

Array support added to FOR loops
GOSUB and RETURN now recognised and compiled correctly
Assembly commands recognised and formatted neatly in output
Compiler memory usage optimised
16-bit add, subtract, set to constant, copy value and bit set added.
Peek, Poke, ProgramRead and ProgramWrite altered to accept memory address as single word variable

Version 0.8.9.0

RS232 timing issues corrected
10/12 series chips now supported by DIR command
Several function-related bugs corrected.

Version 0.8.8.6

Array support added (8 bits per element, up to 80 bytes per array)
LCD routines implemented (PRINT, LOCATE, CLS, LCDInt)
Simple string support (Set and pass as argument only)
PS/2 keyboard reading code.
RS232 timing issues corrected on chips < 20 MHz.

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	Great Cow BASIC
	An open-source BASIC compiler for Microchip^® PIC^® microcontrollers

	Great Cow BASIC Changelog
Home
	Version 0.9.3.0 18F support added New config directive syntax introduced for 18F chips - backwards compatible with 10/12/16 chips. Locations (file and line number) of errors are now given Several additional errors can now be detected, such as END IF without IF. Clock frequency of internal oscillators is now set based on the #chip line Default config settings changed - MCLR is now off, and the mode is no longer always HS Constant handling changed to improve speed of compiler Bug introduced in version 0.9.2.9 that results in the LCD routines not working correctly fixed Filenames with "-" are no longer treated as command line parameters "dir PORTE in" no longer sets TRISE.4, enabling Parallel Slave Port mode and disabling PORTD Chip data is now incorporated into GCBASIC, meaning that the #mem directive is obsolete, and that GCBASIC can now produce an asm file without gputils or mpasm being present. Partial support for bit variables introduced (condition checking and setting to 0, 1, or another bit variable now supported) Rotate can move bit 0 > 7 or 7 > 0, instead of 0 > C > 7 or 7 > C > 0. Many bugs not mentioned here fixed Version 0.9.2.9 Turkish and Italian translations included (courtesy of Murat Inceer and Stefano Delfiore respectively) Bug which caused SysCompEqual to be added unnecessarily removed FreeBASIC used to compile Great Cow BASIC instead of QBASIC Speed of GCBASIC increased Maximum program size increased (3000 > 10000 lines) Long filenames handled reliably Version 0.9.2.0 Compiler messages separated from .exe to aid translation 16-bit calculations can now be forced regardless of the type of variable being set New 2 wire LCD routines (Thanks to Stefano Bonomi) Software PWM New hardware PWM routine Bug in the calculation of the duty cycle for the old PWM routines fixed Tone altered to accept input frequency as Hz - any programs that use Tone will need adjustment. ShortTone has been removed. Variable types are now detected before calculation subs are added New subroutine detection code - eliminates several bugs and increases speed of compiler Many 16-bit arithmetic bugs fixed Multiple spaces/tabs in line cannot cause errors IFDEFs now prevent unused subroutines from being added Functions are now detected correctly when on the first line of a subroutine Bug in the 4 bit LCD initialisation code fixed Version 0.9.1.1 Improved support for 10/12 series chips Expanded help file - processor directives section now more complete. Version 0.9.1.0 Routines for the built-in SPI module of the PIC chip added. Data table support added. Analog to digital converter code now works with newer A/D modules, and supports up to 14 pins. RS232 timing issues fixed for 1200, 2400, 4800 and 9600 bps. New demo file for software PWM. Chips with multiple CONFIG words can now be programmed, although only the first word is accessible. Bug related to string constants removed. Help expanded - Arrays and Data tables now documented. Version 0.9.0.4 MPASM/MPLAB can now be used with GCBASIC Two additional demo files included - one a blink LED program, one for a model railroad crossing. Help file expanded Valid code is now produced for chips without LVP. Version 0.9.0.3 Eliminated bug with the part of the installer that creates "compile.bat", which would cause the installer to lock up if installing to a directory with a long file name other than "C:\Program Files". Version 0.9.0.2 Removed bug that causes GCBASIC to crash when compiling for chips with less than 256 bytes of RAM Version 0.9.0.1 "Out of string space" error when compiling large files removed Command line parameters may now start with - or / Version 0.9.0.0 FOR Loops working again after being broken in 0.8.9.9 Support for 16-bit unsigned integer multiply, divide and condition checking added Bug removed which caused high byte to be lost during add/subtract in some cases Version 0.8.9.9 Array support added to FOR loops GOSUB and RETURN now recognised and compiled correctly Assembly commands recognised and formatted neatly in output Compiler memory usage optimised 16-bit add, subtract, set to constant, copy value and bit set added. Peek, Poke, ProgramRead and ProgramWrite altered to accept memory address as single word variable Version 0.8.9.0 RS232 timing issues corrected 10/12 series chips now supported by DIR command Several function-related bugs corrected. Version 0.8.8.6 Array support added (8 bits per element, up to 80 bytes per array) LCD routines implemented (PRINT, LOCATE, CLS, LCDInt) Simple string support (Set and pass as argument only) PS/2 keyboard reading code. RS232 timing issues corrected on chips < 20 MHz.