[Simh] off-topic basic translator

Tue Aug 4 17:21:58 EDT 2015

C++ hs std::string which handles most of the basic strings, except for
those in maps and other such structures.
It also has GOTO, and you can implement GOSUB without too much trouble You
just hve to be careful about jumping over definitions..

On Tue, Aug 4, 2015 at 3:04 PM, Ken Cornetet <
Ken.Cornetet at kimballelectronics.com> wrote:

> Well, perl is often described as a write-only language. Perfect as the
> output of a translator!
>
>
>
> *From:* Dan Gahlinger [mailto:dgahling at hotmail.com]
> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 04, 2015 4:59 PM
> *To:* Ken Cornetet; simh at trailing-edge.com
>
> *Subject:* Re: [Simh] off-topic basic translator
>
>
>
> Per is not a usable language. Lol
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
>
>
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Ken Cornetet <Ken.Cornetet at kimballelectronics.com>
> Date: 08-04-2015 4:55 PM (GMT-05:00)
> To: simh at trailing-edge.com
> Subject: Re: [Simh] off-topic basic translator
>
> Perl has goto. Just sayin’
>
>
>
> Writing a VAX basic to perl translator sounds like fun, and when you are
> done, you’d have learned a usable language.
>
>
>
> *From:* Simh [mailto:simh-bounces at trailing-edge.com
> <simh-bounces at trailing-edge.com>] *On Behalf Of *Dan Gahlinger
> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 04, 2015 4:38 PM
> *To:* Kevin Handy; Tom Morris
> *Cc:* simh at trailing-edge.com
> *Subject:* Re: [Simh] off-topic basic translator
>
>
>
> Then I'll have to do it myself by hand, which from the manual doesn't look
> that bad.
> I'll test the vb2py script but I won't hold my breath.
> I'm not going to write my own to translate a paltry dozen or so programs
> (even if some of them are long).
>
> I shudder at having to translate "goto" :)
> But from the manual link I provided on vax basic, it doesn't look terribly
> bad.
> I'll probably convert to freepascal which has portability to many
> platforms, and is the one I'm most familiar with.
>
> Vax Basic was probably one of the easiest languages I've ever had to
> learn, in hindsight it was probably a bad idea to learn it
> so early on, should have learned C instead...
>
> Dan.
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2015 14:29:49 -0600
> Subject: Re: [Simh] off-topic basic translator
> From: khandy21yo at gmail.com
> To: tfmorris at gmail.com
> CC: dgahling at hotmail.com; simh at trailing-edge.com
>
> It won't help you. If you look at the section "U*ntranslatable Language
> Features*" it specifically mentions that MAP, COMMON, and FIELD, and MAT
> statements are not habdled.
>
>
>
> On Tue, Aug 4, 2015 at 2:19 PM, Tom Morris <tfmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> If you want to target Python, you might look at using something like vb2py
> as a starting point.
>
> http://vb2py.sourceforge.net/
>
>
>
> Tom
>
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, Aug 4, 2015 at 3:34 PM, Dan Gahlinger <dgahling at hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> I was thinking of this one:
> http://h71000.www7.hp.com/commercial/basic/t12/t12_pro.html
> so definitely there was one, it's discontinued though.
>
> I don't know what to do with MAP or MAT statements, otherwise I could do
> most of it myself.
>
> C or C++ is not an ideal language, I was thinking of easier translations,
> like say to freepascal or python, as they are most "basic like" in looks.
> Strings as you say can be tough, but that's why pascal or even python is
> good,
> strings are just strings.
> basic was great for string manipulation because you could do literally
> anything.
>
> I was kind of hoping someone might have a copy of the HP/compaq product
> listed above
> I certainly don't want to buy it (though its discontinued so I can't) just
> to translate a dozen programs
> that I wrote myself back in the 80's.
>
> Update: it looks like I might be able to do it myself using this reference
> document:
>
> http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/dec/vax/lang/basic/AA-HY15B-TE_VAX_BASIC_User_Manual_Feb90.pdf
>
> Dan.
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2015 12:29:01 -0600
> Subject: Re: [Simh] off-topic basic translator
> From: khandy21yo at gmail.com
> To: dgahling at hotmail.com
> CC: simh at trailing-edge.com
>
>
>
> I don't think DEC ever did a translator, only compilers.
>
> There used to be a company that sold one, but is definately wasn't free.
> Cannot remember their name.
>
> I wrote a heafty part of a VaxBasic to C++ translater, but never handled
> MAP's or their like very well. It is useful to do a preliminary conversion,
> but then needs a lot of editing for most programs. Things like programd
> from "101 Basic Computer Games" mostly work without any problems. Nut it's
> been a while since I did anything with it.
>
> Problems with the yranslations are mostly vaused by the way Basic handles
> variables, especially strings. C++ hastwo types of string (char* and
> std::string), but Basic has several different types mixed together. MAPs
> want a fixed length fixed position string which may overlap other strings.
> Normal nasic strings are variable length and variable position. FIELD
> statements can change a string from one type to another. It gets quite
> complicated without writing the DEC string library, which is quite complex.
>
>
>
> On Tue, Aug 4, 2015 at 9:52 AM, Dan Gahlinger <dgahling at hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> Does anyone have or know where I can get a copy of the Vax Basic
> translator?
> Especially for VMS or windows or something?
>
> I'd like to convert my old Vax Basic programs to something usable on
> modern systems,
> but while Vax Basic is simple enough there are a few things I have trouble
> with,
> such as MAP statements, records, etc.
>
> I've tried looking on the HP/etc sites and it seems it's been discontinued,
>
> does anyone have a copy I can use, or know where I can get one?
>
> I don't want to pay for a product, as this is just hobbyist use for
> personal programs I wrote
>
> thanks
>
> Dan.
>
>
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