BBC BASIC for Windows
IDE and Compiler >> Program Editor >> Possible minor bug in IDE
http://bb4w.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=editor&action=display&num=1344617085
Possible minor bug in IDE
Post by David Williams on Mar 3rd, 2012, 10:44am

Type A% = PAGE + TOP into the IDE, press Enter, and you'll see what I mean.

It's minor, and probably already known about.


David.
Re: Possible minor bug in IDE
Post by admin on Mar 3rd, 2012, 11:18am

on Mar 3rd, 2012, 10:44am, David Williams wrote:
Type A% = PAGE + TOP into the IDE, press Enter, and you'll see what I mean.

I don't see anything. Unless you're talking about the much discussed and correct display of the P in black.

For the explanation of why it's not a bug, see this earlier discussion:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/bb4w/message/15587

In practice you should be using LOMEM instead of TOP anyway, so the issue doesn't arise. LOMEM is a pseudo-variable and its value is returned very quickly. TOP is dynamically calculated each time you use the function, by scanning the program from PAGE upwards until the end is found. Therefore it's very slow (especially if the program is large).

LOMEM and TOP always have the same value (it's theoretically possible to set LOMEM to a different value, but there's no point and a CHAIN, CLEAR or RUN will set it back equal to TOP again).

Richard.

P.S. Your message should ideally have gone in the Program Editor board, not here.
Re: Possible minor bug in IDE
Post by David Williams on Mar 3rd, 2012, 12:09pm

on Mar 3rd, 2012, 11:18am, Richard Russell wrote:
P.S. Your message should ideally have gone in the Program Editor board, not here.


Hmm. Interesting. Ya' know, I could've sworn, that earlier today, just before I typed my post, the description for this board read something rather like this:

"You can report suspected bugs, request new features, and praise (or criticise) BBC BASIC for Windows here."

But now it simply reads: "You can praise (or criticise!) BBC BASIC for Windows here."

I must have been seeing things! Such are the perils of early morning drinking sessions, eh.

Thanks for the advice re. using LOMEM rather than TOP.


David.
Re: Possible minor bug in IDE
Post by admin on Mar 3rd, 2012, 2:53pm

on Mar 3rd, 2012, 12:09pm, David Williams wrote:
But now it simply reads: "You can praise (or criticise!) BBC BASIC for Windows here."

I changed it, as I'm sure you guessed! Clearly it should never have implied that bugs should be reported here, when there is a board specifically concerned with the part of BB4W affected (e.g. IDE, Editor or Compiler). Just as messages shouldn't be posted to the General board when there is a more specific one available.

I am constantly tweaking the various BB4W-related sites that I run, in reaction to the way they get used.

Richard.