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Is there an easy way to program the Wii (BASIC)?

Posted by Videogamer 
Re: Is there an easy way to program the Wii (BASIC)?
August 24, 2008 05:33AM
If your so good at BASIC do it yourself.
Re: Is there an easy way to program the Wii (BASIC)?
August 24, 2008 06:48AM
I'm good at making programs IN basic. I'm NOT good at writing a whole NEW version of basic.
Re: Is there an easy way to program the Wii (BASIC)?
August 24, 2008 01:43PM
post some code of a BASIC port to WII or move this to offtopic
Re: Is there an easy way to program the Wii (BASIC)?
August 24, 2008 11:18PM
And how do I compile C programing. I found an interesting homebrew program but ONLY the C sourcecode is available. I went to the directory in dos (actually the dos command window because I have Windows XP) and I typed "make" (like you're supposed to, because I thought "make" was a dos command) but it says "bad command or file name". So I now know I actually need a C compiler installed on my computer. But I can't find a C compiler that is both FREE and EASY TO USE! Could you recommend a C compiler for me? Because I'm beginning to think that nobody is ever going to program the Wii in BASIC.

Please. What C compiler would you recommend?
Re: Is there an easy way to program the Wii (BASIC)?
August 25, 2008 12:35AM
GCC, on windows use the cygwin bash shell.
Re: Is there an easy way to program the Wii (BASIC)?
August 25, 2008 04:49AM
I downloaded and installed Cygwin just now. But when I ran it I was expecting to get a GUI, but instead I got a text like screen. WTF! I thought Linux (which Cygwin approximates) was supposed to be a graphical (not text) based interface. And I have NO clue how to change directorys in Cygwin. And I have NO clue how to how to use it to compile C source code.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/25/2008 05:15AM by Videogamer.
Re: Is there an easy way to program the Wii (BASIC)?
August 25, 2008 07:47AM
This topic is getting off topic, so I'm moving it to off topic. It doesn't fit under the Coding forum rules, anyhow.
Re: Is there an easy way to program the Wii (BASIC)?
August 25, 2008 02:54PM
Fair enough tona

Videogamer: using the bash shell and subsiquently GCC is basically like learning a new language, it has it's own scripting language from which you can create programs (although this isn't optimal). When it boots type this:

cd c:/


and hit enter. cd means change directory. Once here keep using the cd command to move through your computer until you get to the folder where the make file is located and type

make

then it should come up with some words and babbel. If it works, then you will get your compiled program other wise it will give you errors, what line they are and what the error is.
To get a list of the folders and files in the current directory type

ls


(short for list, dir in windows), this makes it easier to navigate although cygwin is easy to use anyway, although for a BASIC programmer it may not be so easy.
Re: Is there an easy way to program the Wii (BASIC)?
September 26, 2008 10:58PM
Quote
whodares
There are plenty of variants of BASIC, and I agree, some only had GOTO and GOSUB (which are what functions technically are anyway).

QBASIC/QuickBASIC definately had them

Quote
Arikado
So you're gonna do all that work just to make and play text applications or primitive graphics applications?

Why do you assume you'll only be able to do "primitive graphics" in BASIC? I saw a 3D engine written in QuickBASIC by Ken Silverman (The guy who wrote BUILD for Duke3D etc.) and it was by no means sluggish. I've also seen QuickBASIC programs loading in bitmaps and drawing to the screen, so you can get your "Advanced" graphical displays.

Anyway, This is going too far off-topic, so I'm not going to debate any more on BASIC as a language. So back on topic...

@VideoGamer: Why would you want to code a BAS file on PC and copy it across? Considering the Wii can support a USB keyboard, you might as well include it all on the device (although that wouldn't stop you from coding on the PC and copying it over).

However, what you might be after more than WiiBASIC like I was imagining, was probably a BASIC to C converter so you could write your BAS file, run a program on the PC to convert it to C, link in all the necessary libraries (Wiimote, Network, GRRLib etc.) and compile your ELF file.
Isn't GOSUB considered a function? It's not LIKE a function, it IS a function.
And technically, since BASIC is an interpreted language, it's easy to modify the language to add more features.
Remember: Interpreters are your friend.
Re: Is there an easy way to program the Wii (BASIC)?
September 27, 2008 01:15AM
I suppose it depends how you look at it. Personally, GOSUB is a statement, which is an extension of GOTO, basically it does the same as GOTO, but saves the return line number in the stack for the RETURN command at the end of the sub

You're right about the language being easily extendable, that how I managed to get Wiimote access into WiiBASIC so fast. The project is currently on hold whilst I'm working on something else, but when I come back to it, Graphics, SD card and network will also be added in.

Interpreters are generally slower than compiled, however, they have several uses. One would even be that they can be ported, so the WiiBASIC I write could have a Windows or Linux compile so you can test code out on the PC as well as the Wii
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