Hobby BASIC, a toy language interpreter written in fasm

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Picnic

Joined: 05 May 2007
Posts: 1403
Location: Piraeus, Greece

Picnic 05 May 2013, 21:16

Hobby BASIC is a toy language interpreter for the Windows console, written in 32-bit x86 assembly.

-Features a BASIC-like syntax with a collection of specialized commands and functions.
-Fully supports both keyboard and mouse input in the console.
-Effortlessly handles ANSI-encoded graphics.
-Includes a compact set of UDP networking functions.
-Generates standalone pseudo-executables.
-Compatible with Windows XP, 7, 10, and 11.

Hobby BASIC interpreter was launched in 2015 and has been continuously evolving
since then. My goal is to create a simple, user-friendly language designed for game
development within the Windows console. And I believe it’s been progressing quite well!

Version 2.0.5, January 2025.

Download

Mirror Download Link

A Hobby BASIC demo running in the Windows 10 console.

How to run the examples

To run the examples, simply double-click HB.EXE and choose an example from the EXAMPLES folder.

Alternatively, open CMD.EXE in the HB folder.
To run the TV.BAS example, enter the following command:

Code:


    HB EXAMPLES/TV.BAS

How to create the standalone TV.EXE

To create the standalone TV.EXE, enter the following command in the command-line:

Code:


    HB EXAMPLES/TV.BAS -bind TV.EXE

A standalone application will be assembled.

Important Notes for Windows 11 Users

In Windows 11, you need to revert to the legacy command prompt.
To do so, change the default terminal app to Windows Console Host instead of Windows Terminal.
After applying the changes, restart the console and enable the legacy option.

Showcase

A selection of games created with Hobby BASIC, featuring Windows 10 console screenshots and ANSI graphics.

Description:	Hobby Basic Interpreter for Windows	Download
Filename:	HB.zip
Filesize:	461.51 KB
Downloaded:	4237 Time(s)

_________________
Hobby BASIC Interpreter

Last edited by Picnic on 17 Jan 2025, 10:34; edited 371 times in total

05 May 2013, 21:16

AsmGuru62

Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Posts: 1671
Location: Toronto, Canada

AsmGuru62 05 May 2013, 22:15

Great stuff!
Things like that motivate beginners to start programming.

05 May 2013, 22:15

MHajduk

Joined: 30 Mar 2006
Posts: 6115
Location: Poland

MHajduk 05 May 2013, 22:28

I suppose that the author's sentiment to QuickBasic was the main inspiration for this project. Nice thing. Smile

05 May 2013, 22:28

typedef

Joined: 25 Jul 2010
Posts: 2909
Location: 0x77760000

typedef 07 May 2013, 04:31

Nice. This prompts me to make a CLI graphics library. Looks pretty neat.

07 May 2013, 04:31

Picnic

Joined: 05 May 2007
Posts: 1403
Location: Piraeus, Greece

Picnic 07 May 2013, 10:10

I am glad you like it guys.
I had some concern whether it can be served as an example or a tutorial, due to the lack of the source code.

Hobby BASIC interpreter partially supports wide characters in the console.
Almost everything can be replaced with wide characters in a Hobby BASIC source program.
For Greek monotone characters, the prerequisite is the choice of the Lucida Console font.

Code:


    view 11
    screen 80,25,0  
    color 0,7
    cls

    print 'Τη γλώσσα μου έδωσαν ελληνική'
    print 'το σπίτι φτωχικό στις αμμουδιές του Ομήρου.'
    print 'Μονάχη έγνοια η γλώσσα μου στις αμμουδιές του Ομήρου.'

    τύπωσε fix print
    ανάποδα fix reverse

    dim Διάταξη$[3] = 'Παλιά','Περιοδικά','Πληροφορικής'

    for ΜΕΤΡΗΤΗΣ = 0 to 2
        τύπωσε ανάποδα(Διάταξη$[ΜΕΤΡΗΤΗΣ])
    next

    inkey 
    end

_________________
Hobby BASIC Interpreter

Last edited by Picnic on 11 Jul 2024, 23:43; edited 30 times in total

07 May 2013, 10:10

TmX

Joined: 02 Mar 2006
Posts: 843
Location: Jakarta, Indonesia

TmX 07 May 2013, 15:45

This is very nice.
Reminiscent of DOS apps.

Mouse handling would be a nice addition, I think Wink

07 May 2013, 15:45

HaHaAnonymous

Joined: 02 Dec 2012
Posts: 1178
Location: Unknown

HaHaAnonymous 07 May 2013, 20:58

[ Post removed by author. ]

Last edited by HaHaAnonymous on 28 Feb 2015, 20:54; edited 1 time in total

07 May 2013, 20:58

typedef

Joined: 25 Jul 2010
Posts: 2909
Location: 0x77760000

typedef 07 May 2013, 23:30

Picnic wrote:

I am glad you like it, i had some concern whether it can be served as helpful example despite the lack of comments in source.

If it can be understood then no worries.

Besides not all examples are aimed at beginners.

07 May 2013, 23:30

Picnic

Joined: 05 May 2007
Posts: 1403
Location: Piraeus, Greece

Picnic 18 Aug 2013, 22:52

I have uploaded a new version with minor improvements and bug fixes.

TmX wrote:

Mouse handling would be a nice addition, I think

Mouse support in Windows console is now available.

_________________
Hobby BASIC Interpreter

Last edited by Picnic on 11 Jul 2024, 23:43; edited 57 times in total

18 Aug 2013, 22:52

Picnic

Joined: 05 May 2007
Posts: 1403
Location: Piraeus, Greece

Picnic 15 Dec 2013, 01:37

I have uploaded a new version with minor improvements and bug fixes.

This example displays random colored characters in the console.

Code:


    view 11
    screen 80,30,300
    cursor 0
    color 0,7
    cls

    do

        x = RND() % 24 + 2
        y = RND() % 14 + 2
        c = RND() % 95 + 32

        pen c
        at x,y,CHR(c)

    until KEY(27)

    color 0,7 : cls
    end

_________________
Hobby BASIC Interpreter

Last edited by Picnic on 14 Sep 2024, 15:42; edited 46 times in total

15 Dec 2013, 01:37

typedef

Joined: 25 Jul 2010
Posts: 2909
Location: 0x77760000

typedef 15 Dec 2013, 05:58

I get this when I run MOUSE

15 Dec 2013, 05:58

Picnic

Joined: 05 May 2007
Posts: 1403
Location: Piraeus, Greece

Picnic 15 Dec 2013, 10:10

Thanks for the feedback typedef. Can you please tell me your Windows version and if you tried the rest of the samples?

15 Dec 2013, 10:10

typedef

Joined: 25 Jul 2010
Posts: 2909
Location: 0x77760000

typedef 15 Dec 2013, 14:27

Windows 7 64 bit. Actually all the programs except the binary and the the color ones. And why it says print I don't know

15 Dec 2013, 14:27

Picnic

Joined: 05 May 2007
Posts: 1403
Location: Piraeus, Greece

Picnic 15 Dec 2013, 17:28

I will look into the problem as soon as i can. I starting to feel a bit outdated with my windows xp 32-bit.

Last edited by Picnic on 15 Dec 2013, 17:35; edited 1 time in total

15 Dec 2013, 17:28

typedef

Joined: 25 Jul 2010
Posts: 2909
Location: 0x77760000

typedef 15 Dec 2013, 17:34

I see. It's a version difference thing.

15 Dec 2013, 17:34

Picnic

Joined: 05 May 2007
Posts: 1403
Location: Piraeus, Greece

Picnic 18 Dec 2013, 21:33

I think i found what was causing the trouble. Give it a try if you like typedef.

18 Dec 2013, 21:33

typedef

Joined: 25 Jul 2010
Posts: 2909
Location: 0x77760000

typedef 18 Dec 2013, 22:53

They work now Very Happy

. Care to share what was causing it to say that?

18 Dec 2013, 22:53

Picnic

Joined: 05 May 2007
Posts: 1403
Location: Piraeus, Greece

Picnic 19 Dec 2013, 21:09

Nice to hear!
Sure, it seems that an improper call to SetConsoleOutputCP function crush the program. By the way, i installed Windows 7.

19 Dec 2013, 21:09

typedef

Joined: 25 Jul 2010
Posts: 2909
Location: 0x77760000

typedef 20 Dec 2013, 01:13

Picnic wrote:

Nice to hear!
Sure, it seems that an improper call to SetConsoleOutputCP function crush the program. By the way, i installed Windows 7.

Hmm. Nice, what Win7 version?

20 Dec 2013, 01:13

Picnic

Joined: 05 May 2007
Posts: 1403
Location: Piraeus, Greece

Picnic 20 Dec 2013, 20:37

I have uploaded a new version with minor improvements and bug fixes.

A Tetris game for the Windows console.
This is the first Hobby BASIC game made, and it's still working today.

_________________
Hobby BASIC Interpreter

Last edited by Picnic on 11 Jul 2024, 23:43; edited 40 times in total

20 Dec 2013, 20:37

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