 Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me. |
Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Possibly Heretical But....
| Author | Message | ||||
elk1984 Senior Member  Joined: 11/07/2020 Location: United KingdomPosts: 228 |
Is there an emulator out there for the CMM2? Way beyond my capability but.... I've recently got back into the BBC Micro, and having a VS Code toolchain that runs code up on BeebEm so it can be got to the point of running on native hardware is pretty cool.... |
||||
| JohnS Guru  Joined: 18/11/2011 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4044 |
It's got vastly more hardware features and is far far faster than a BBC micro, so don't expect an emulator. For coding in MMBasic, you can use the existing PC version(s). John |
||||
| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3378 |
Not even sure exactly what the point would be. You don't need a separate keyboard and VGA monitor--you can plug a VGA-to-HDMI converter into the CMM2, and a HDMI-to-USB3 module into that, and run CMM2 programs from your PC (laptop) and view the output with Windows Camera (or other USB3 video capture programs). PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed |
||||
| toml_12953 Guru Joined: 13/02/2015 Location: United StatesPosts: 442 |
One reason might be to be able to cut and paste code from web pages right into the emulator. |
||||
| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3378 |
Cut, paste into notepad, save, then on the CMM2, XMODEM R "filename". That might take a few seconds longer--but compared to how many months of effort to build an emulator? Or F5, type "filename.bas", paste, F1 to save or F2 to save and run (if you can find a file on a web page that you can directly run on the CMM2). PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed |
||||
| elk1984 Senior Member Joined: 11/07/2020 Location: United KingdomPosts: 228 |
Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of the CMM2 (in fact I've just ordered my third!) and totally appreciate the amount of love and effort that goes into the ecosystem around it. My use case might be an edge case and think I've got a reasonable setup turn on my CMM2 and get coding; but I still find too often I'm pulling out SD cards, or Zmodeming files across (and removing the padding) and other things which are possible but just a bit more painful than they could be. Unless I'm the only person who finds this a pain in the backside? The thing that got me thinking was on a recent meet up of BBC fans who are still coding, I asked did people develop on the hardware and was mostly met with "why would you want to do that when there's more modern IDEs, better toolchain intergration etc." Just a few would be: * A wider range of IDEs - the existing ones are good, but still need to move code around on SD Card / Zmodem. * Integration with source control (see above portability of files) * Not having to carry the hardware around - if I want to code away from my office (where my CMM lives quite happily) then my options are more limited - remote desktop onto OBS etc. Which is the pretty capable (but not perfect) setup I use in my office, but only because I can plug in a real keyboard. No remote / remote capture options I've found so far support KEYDOWN for example. I'm not quite that lazy  True, but it doesn't have more features or is quicker than the x86 laptop I'd be running it on. Edited 2021-04-18 01:36 by elk1984 |
||||
Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 7937 |
It might be nicer to emulate the BBC on the CMM2. It takes up a lot less desk space. :) Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
||||
| elk1984 Senior Member Joined: 11/07/2020 Location: United KingdomPosts: 228 |
Heh. It certainly does. |
||||
| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3378 |
Re "integration", what's wrong with (in your preferred editor), ctrl+A,ctrl+C, (in TeraTerm, etc.) F5, type filename, right-click,F2? Not having to carry around hardware seems to me a valid wishlist item, but how many months of effort by whom would be expected to have this provided? Another valid point I think. I'm working on a _KEYDOWN function which would replace/enhance KEYDOWN and provide similar functionality with console (PC) keyoard except for real multikey situations (other than Ctrl+ or Alt+)--how many of those "real" multikey situations are there? ~ Edited 2021-04-18 01:58 by lizby PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed |
||||
| JohnS Guru Joined: 18/11/2011 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4044 |
But it does mean that writing an emulator would be a MUCH bigger task than doing a BBC micro one. Also, the speed impact would be vastly bigger. John |
||||
| elk1984 Senior Member Joined: 11/07/2020 Location: United KingdomPosts: 228 |
True. It was a long shot in case anyone far more capable than me had a part finished / in development one lying around. |
||||
| JohnS Guru Joined: 18/11/2011 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4044 |
Maybe there's one for the STM32 which you could extend? I'd not like to guess how many solid months it might take to add the extra features. John |
||||
vegipete Guru Joined: 29/01/2013 Location: CanadaPosts: 1132 |
I would think that CMM2 like graphics in the DOS version of MMBasic would get you most of the way there. (Easy for me to say...  )Visit Vegipete's *Mite Library for cool programs. |
||||
| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3378 |
I'd just like to see MM+, MMX, F4 graphics in MMBasic DOS. (Re "Easy", wot 'e said.) ~ Edited 2021-04-18 02:57 by lizby PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed |
||||
TassyJim Guru Joined: 07/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 6283 |
I started playing with this a couple of years ago. I started with sound and a few primitive graphic commands then I got sidetracked with the CMM2 - much more interesting and useful. The biggest problem is maintaining compatibility, we have enough different versions to keep track of as it is. My preference is to program with a Windows/Linux based Basic for Windows/Linux stuff and MMBasic for the 'mites. Otherwise we are likely to end up with a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none. I do most of my 'mite development on the PC with either my own editor or Notepad++, usually a combination of both. Depending on the device, there are a number of solutions for transferring code and support files onto the device without the need to swap SDcards. Jim VK7JH MMedit |
||||
Cyber Senior Member Joined: 13/01/2019 Location: UkrainePosts: 161 |
By "my own editor" you mean MMEdit? |
||||
| TassyJim Guru Joined: 07/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 6283 |
Yes VK7JH MMedit |
||||
| Cyber Senior Member Joined: 13/01/2019 Location: UkrainePosts: 161 |
I think currently MMEdit is the best solution for all tasks desecribed above, except "not having to carry the hardware around". MMEdit provides nice and convenient environment, and instant tranfer & run code on any 'mite device. |
||||
| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3378 |
Here's my solution so far for the KEYDOWN issue. Replace all KEYDOWN with _KEYDOWN and use this FUNCTION _KEYDOWN: Function _keydown(i) ' replace keydown with inkey$ ' note: doesn't catch multi-key strikes other than Ctrl, Alt Local ky$,iky% iky%=0 If kbdFlag Then ky$=Inkey$ ' try console (PC) keyboard buffer If ky$<>"" Then iky%=Asc(UCase$(ky$)) If iky%=27 Then ' escape sequence for arrows, functkeys ky$=Inkey$ If ky$="[" Then ' escape sequence, maybe arrow, function key ky$=Inkey$ If ky$="A" Then: iky%=128 ' up arrow ElseIf ky$="B" Then: iky%=129' down arrow ElseIf ky$="C" Then: iky%=131 ' right arrow ElseIf ky$="D" Then: iky%=130' left arrow ' Function keys are ??? EndIf EndIf Else ' normal key ' _keydown=iky% EndIf EndIf Else ' use keydown If ik=7 Then _keydown=keydown(7) Exit Function EndIf ' keydown may have key(s) If keydown(0)>1 Then ' handle only first key iky%=keydown(1) ' for Ctrl+ key, subtract 64 (0x40) If (keydown(7) AND 34)>0 Then If iky% > 64 AND iky% < 91 Then ' upper case letter iky%=iky%-64 ' lctrl|rctrl ElseIf iky% > 97 AND iky% < 123 Then ' lower case letter iky%=iky%-97 ' lctrl|rctrl EndIf EndIf Else ' if necessary, handle keys 2-6 EndIf EndIf _keydown=iky% ' if iky%<>0 then ?iky%;" ";ky$;" "; End Function ' keydown replacement It's not complete, but it is functional, and it also works for porting CMM2 code to other micromites (F4 for example). It may need enhancement for some KEYDOWN functions--it does not at present support ALT+ and doesn't catch multi-key strikes other than Ctrl+. One thought for users--try to map multi-key strikes to a single value, perhaps a CTRL+ value. PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed |
||||
 Print this page |
 |
The Back Shed's forum code is written, and hosted, in Australia. | © JAQ Software 2025 |
