4 ms·
It really isn't - from the docs themselves: FreeBASIC gives you the FreeBASIC compiler program (fbc or fbc.exe), plus the tools and libraries used by it. f
by vunderba 1y ago
It really isn't - from the docs themselves:
FreeBASIC gives you the FreeBASIC compiler program (fbc or fbc.exe),
plus the tools and libraries used by it. fbc is a command line program
that takes FreeBASIC source code files (*.bas) and compiles them into
executables. In the combined standalone packages for windows, the main
executable is named fbc32.exe (for 32-bit) and fbc64.exe (for 64-bit)
The magic of QuickBasic was that it was an editor, interpreter, and help system all rolled up into a single EXE file. Punch F5 and watch your BAS file execute line-by-line.
- anthk 1y agoKinda like any Forth. Even PForth has a bundled block editor and a rudimentary help system.
- bencollver 1y agoWasn't QBasic the interpreter as opposed to QuickBasic the compiler?
- analog31 1y agoThis is what I recall too. QuickBasic was perhaps BASIC's answer to Turbo Pascal, a relatively lightweight but usable text based IDE. I knew some happy users.
- orionblastar 1y agohttps://winworldpc.com/product/quickbasic/45 https://winworldpc.com/product/quickbasic/45 for a look at QuickBASIC 4.5 abandonware; they also had QuickC and QuickPascal.
- pjmlp 1y agoNo, the answer was Quick Pascal, however Microsoft didn't really cared that much about it.
- deleted 1y ago[deleted]
- vunderba 1y agoIt's been a long time, but my impression was that QuickBASIC had an interpreter and the ability to compile. Then later on, Microsoft bundled a more limited version called QBasic with later versions of MS DOS which lacked the compiler. But all of them (QBasic, QuickBASIC, Microsoft PDS, and even Visual Basic for DOS which almost nobody remembers sadly) had the editor, interpretative execution, and built-in help.
- 90s_dev 1y agoI remember VB-DOS, and fondly too. It was magical. I think I used it even before VB3.
- agf 1y agoThis matches my memory. When I got my dad's old work computer with QuickBASIC on it, and I discovered the compiler, and could write programs other people could "just run", I felt like a real programmer for the first time.
- 90s_dev 1y agoYet you were even before that, the moment you made programs work at all.
- pjmlp 1y agoYes that was the case, by the time Visual Basic 5 came to be, its compiler was based on Visual C++ backend.
- deleted 1y ago[deleted]
- DCKP 1y agoAll this brings back fond memories of my first programming foray, an ASCII game in QBASIC from Mars and Back: Computer Programming Handbook by Andrew J. Read. So much fun, so much frustration.
- the_af 1y agoNo, QuickBasic was both an interpreter and a compiler. QBasic was just an interpreter.
- klipt 1y ago"Compiler". Even Visual Basic only compiled to p-code, which had to be interpreted at runtime. Not to fully native code. That's why it always ran slower than Delphi.
- pjmlp 1y agoWrong, starting with with Visual Basic 5, a proper compiler was introduced based on Visual C++ backend, in addition to the P-Code interpreter. Additionally VB devs no longer needed to rely on C++ for ActiveX controls, aka OCX, the VBX replacement.
- dspillett 1y agoVB6 (and IIRC 5 too) could compile to native, as seen in the compile options: https://imgur.com/a/v0QcbBU https://imgur.com/a/v0QcbBU P-code was still offered as an option because some wanted the smaller output binary sizes, and the build process was faster⁰. Some incorrectly assume that the native option wasn't really fully compiled because the main supporting library (msvbvm60.dll) was still used¹, but this was for common library functions³ and the interpreter portion was not touched. There were unofficial tools that would statically link your exe with the relevant VB runtime (and certain other libraries) but the use of those was rare. ---- [0] Though I don't think the build speed matter was actually significant for many, if any, workflows, even on really slow kit. [1] Some didn't distribute it after a time, to reduce download sizes, as they were included with Windows so users already had them. Windows 7 (and maybe Vista?) included msvbvm60.dll and friends by default, and most XP and 98 installs² had it too as it came with Internet Explorer updates. [2] though there was a compatibility break at one point that meant you needed to recompile with VB6sp6 if you hadn't included a local copy in your apps directory [3] Much like many C programs don't have glibc statically linked into them, but work because it is practically ubiquitous on the systems they target.
- westurner 1y ago> The magic of QuickBasic was that it was an editor, interpreter, and help system all rolled up into a single EXE file. Punch F5 and watch your BAS file execute line-by-line. That's still how vscode works; F5 to debug and Ctrl-[Shift]-P like CtrlP.vim: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/debugtest/debugging https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/debugtest/debugging FWICS, The sorucoder.freebasic vscode extension has syntax highlighting: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=sorucoder.freebasic https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=sorucode... There's also an QB64Official/vscode extension that has syntax highlighting and keyboard shortcuts: https://github.com/QB64Official/vscode https://github.com/QB64Official/vscode re: how qb64 and C-edit are like EDIT.COM, and GORILLA.BAS: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41410427 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41410427 C-edit: https://github.com/velorek1/C-edit https://github.com/velorek1/C-edit
- vunderba 1y agoI tried QB64 a couple years ago, but IIRC it's still compiled as opposed to interpretative, e.g. you can't Ctrl-Break and drop into the current executing line of BASIC code unless they've radically changed how it works.
- 90s_dev 1y agoRather, QB was the pico8 of the 1990s. Convenient, self-contained, mysterious, quasi-powerful, in-app help menu for the entire language and API, and a few built-in demo games.
- westurner 1y ago'Edit' - a CLI/TUI text editor similar to EDIT.COM but written in rust - is now open source https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44031529 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44031529
- pjmlp 1y agoA magic also available in Turbo BASIC. Ironically Borland gave up competing against Microsoft on BASIC tooling, while Microsoft gave up competing against Borland on Pascal tooling (Quick Pascal). Both products where short lived, Microsoft killed Quick Pascal quite quickly, while Borland sold Turbo BASIC, which became Power BASIC.
- orionblastar 1y agoPowerBASIC is dead; the website no longer works. The old PowerBASIC for DOS abandonware can be found here: https://winworldpc.com/product/powerbasic/3x https://winworldpc.com/product/powerbasic/3x It is a DOS 16-bit program.
- pjmlp 1y agoYeah, I lost track of where it went back in Windows 9X days. Real BASIC seemed the only alternative to VB that was somehow still market relevant.