开云体育

On Fri, Apr 15, 2022 at 04:18 PM, Dave Wade wrote:

I assume this is BWBASIC which has never run on OS but is a “C” Unix program.

When you see a DD name like “PDP000HD” it usually means that the “C” code has issued an open with a file name, and the “C” run time has issued a “FILEDEF” to open the file.

For some reason the options on the generated FILEDEF don’t match those the program needs.

ByWater (BW) BASIC is a port from Unix to VM, (https://sourceforge.net/projects/bwbasic/). The latest update is from 2017-07-07, and it needs the GCC C library, and thus the "PDP00HD" error. This port seems to have some problems with terminal I/O, by asking for input, before the prompt is printed. The FEILDEF doesn't fix that, so I probably should look into why.

filedef pdp00hd terminal ( perm upcase
Ready; T=0.01/0.01 15:52:56
bwbasic wumpus1.basic
?Bywater BASIC Interpreter/Shell, version 2.50
?Copyright (c) 1993, Ted A. Campbell
?Copyright (c) 1995-1997, Jon B. Volkoff
?
OPEN ERROR CODE '04' ON 'PDP000HD'.
n
INSTRUCTIONS (Y-N)? HUNT THE WUMPUS
?
I SMELL A WUMPUS!
I SMELL A WUMPUS!
YOU ARE IN ROOM? 2
TUNNELS LEAD TO? 1? 3? 10
?
q
?
SHOOT, MOVE, OR QUIT (S,M,Q)? bwBASIC:
Ready; T=0.64/0.66 15:53:38

However, for CALL/OS BASIC, this problem with I/O doesn't occur.

basic wumpus1
INSTRUCTIONS (Y-N)?
n
HUNT THE WUMPUS
?
BATS NEARBY!
YOU ARE IN ROOM? 19
TUNNELS LEAD TO? 11???? 18???? 20
?
SHOOT, MOVE, OR QUIT (S,M,Q)?
q
Ready; T=0.02/0.03 15:56:20

My personal opinion is "PDP" is a carry over from the C library found on DEC systems of the day. Even if it isn't, it is fun to think that is the case.

BASIC, when run, used to be used in an interactive environment, more often than not. The FILEDEF needed, especially for WUMPUS*-like programs, has to point to the terminal, and I so I left off the RECFM and LRECL, and used PERM and UPCASE, to allow for repeated runs, and emulate the uppercase environment of most early BASICs, such as IBM, Data General, DEC, CDC, and others.

BASIC was typically an uppercase language in its heyday, hence the upcase option.

Finally, if there is a request/need/wish for a wrapper EXEC, I would be happy to add one, and then I'd probably look closer at the FILEDEF problem.

?I Hope This Helps,

?... Mark S.