VolksForth/8086/msdos
Philip Zembrod 4939662c55 Build v4th.com from .fth sources instead of .fb sources.
This needs two adaptions in the .fth sources:
1. Replace screen comments \\ with multiple line comments \
as fth files have no screens.
2. Move Create Does> constructs each into a single line because the
metacompiler chokes on line breaks in Create Does> when including from
an .fth fileb - unclear atm why.
C64 metacompiler has the same issue - don't remember if I understood
the reason when I encountered the issue there.
2022-03-05 23:21:37 +01:00
..
AtariPortfolio created arch directory for 8086 VolksForth 2021-04-11 13:43:39 +02:00
cursor created arch directory for 8086 VolksForth 2021-04-11 13:43:39 +02:00
emulator First test rule for the freshly-built-from-fb-src v4th.com, including 2022-01-31 00:14:47 +01:00
src Build v4th.com from .fth sources instead of .fb sources. 2022-03-05 23:21:37 +01:00
tests First build of v4th.com with compile log file written and 2022-03-01 14:02:46 +01:00
FORTH.COM created arch directory for 8086 VolksForth 2021-04-11 13:43:39 +02:00
kernel.com created arch directory for 8086 VolksForth 2021-04-11 13:43:39 +02:00
kernel.org created arch directory for 8086 VolksForth 2021-04-11 13:43:39 +02:00
Makefile First build of v4th.com with compile log file written and 2022-03-01 14:02:46 +01:00
META.COM created arch directory for 8086 VolksForth 2021-04-11 13:43:39 +02:00
MINIMAL.COM created arch directory for 8086 VolksForth 2021-04-11 13:43:39 +02:00
readme.org created arch directory for 8086 VolksForth 2021-04-11 13:43:39 +02:00
source.img created arch directory for 8086 VolksForth 2021-04-11 13:43:39 +02:00
v4thfile.com Copying over the Hayes tester tests from C64 to msdos VolksForth. 2022-01-16 21:16:48 +01:00
volks4th.com created arch directory for 8086 VolksForth 2021-04-11 13:43:39 +02:00

VolksForth MS-DOS README

How to meta-compile a new kernel

After making changes the the Forth kernel source in kernel.fb, restart volksforth.com to have a clean system and compile a new "minimal" kernel with include kernel.fb. This will create a new FORTH.COM executable.

creating a minimal system with a simple editor

Execute forth.com include minimal.sys to generate the file minimal.com which contains a minimal VolksForth system with the Retro-Forth editor https://fossil.forth-ev.de/volksforth/wiki?name=Atari8bit-retrofortheditor

This system can be used to edit the file volksforth.sys or other Forth source block files needed to create a full VolksForth system.

creating a full VolksForth system from the minimal kernel

Execute forth.com include volks4th.sys to create a new fully equipped VolksForth executable volks4th.com.

creating a version of VolksForth that works with emu2

EMU2 is a nice PC Emulator that can run MS-DOS console applications as Linux/MacOS/Windows console applications. EMU2 can be found at https://github.com/dmsc/emu2

The standard Keyboard-Interface of VolksForth (BDOS) does not work with EMU2, however it is possible to switch to the simpler BIOS keyboard interface. For that, comment out the blocks #114 and #115 by placing \\ at the beginning of the first row of these blocks and comment in block #116 by changing the \\ in the first row to \. (\ is "skip to end of line" comment, while \\ is the "skip to end of current block" commend).

The downside of this change is that the VolksForth full screen editor does not work anymore, as the BIOS interface does not support special keys like cursor or function keys. As a replacement, the Retro-Forth Editor rfe.fb or some other Forth Editor can be used.