Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TowerTalk] DOS?

To: TexasRF@aol.com, towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] DOS?
From: "Roger (K8RI) on TT" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2016 01:17:20 -0400
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
If I missed the point of your question Gerald, e-mail me.

Visual BASIC is as easy to program as in BASIC, BUT it is also different. If you are proficient is working with compiled programs, it's no big deal, but for those who have not worked with compiled languages and particularly the DLLs that must be included at compile time it can be difficult. It's been so long since I used command line commands, I have to get "the book" out and look them up.

One thing I have found is the more I learned, the more difficult it has become to explain what are "to me" simple operations to a non programmer. My schooling is the science of computers and programs. IOW Computer Science, while programmers study Computer Information Services (CIS)

The main differences between BASIC and VB are the libraries that must be included at compile time and procedures that use variables.

Then there are also both local and global variables. Local variables are defined in the procedure and can be reused in other procedures

There is also the issue of inheritance, which for simple programs can be ignored and I don't want to try explaining it here although it's just like inheritance in the biological world. You can define all of the variables as global in the program header although that can be dangerous.

"I think" you are referring to running 32 bit applications on 64 bit machines? The post in question was not included on this post Straight BASIC may not work on newer machines if it accesses some machine functions directly, or uses addresses.

At least many newer mother boards now have a true serial (com) port.
It was gone for quite a while, but the last few mother boards I purchased had serial ports in addition to USB.

So far, compiled 32 bit application have been, install and run, at least all I've tried so far. DOS = Disk Operating Systems. DOS applications may be 32 bit, or 16 bit for really old stuff.. As it's interpreted at run time it really shouldn't make a difference. I run Win 7 and 10, 64 bit operating systems. I did run XP Pro 64 bit. (I think I still have two, unopened packs of OEM 64 bit XP Pro) Applications, (programs) will often ask if I want to use 32, or 64 bits when I install or them.

"So far" all my older 32 bit windows programs have worked on the newer 32 and 64 bit systems. I know there are some that will not run on the newer versions

The problems "may" come from DOS applications that directly access addresses. I don't know. I'm not a windows programmer. The programming I still do,(VB and various flavors of C, C++, etc, but none of the newer stuff) get compiled on windows. I programmed in the early C which was hardly typed at all. IOW, you could add anything to anything. For the code to work on other machines, the compiler must contain the run time library. The compilers that come with the books you find in most book stores do not contain that library and use machine specific code from the operating system in the machine on which it's compiled. The difference is a substantial difference in price.

I believe it was with XP that Windows dropped a lot of the DOS commands from the command line. I know I have them back to Win 98 including some of the less desirable versions <:-) but I'd have to go out to the shop to check. I would think (guess) the problems arise with DOS emulators and how they handle the DOS commands that are no longer included in the OS

73

Roger (K8RI)


On 10/12/2016 Wednesday 9:01 PM, TexasRF@aol.com wrote:
Roger, please elaborate on how this is done. I have had no success doing this and have a number of applications that need this.
Thanks/73,
Gerald K5GW
In a message dated 10/12/2016 7:03:53 P.M. Central Daylight Time, K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net writes:

    64 Bit Win 7 and 10 will run 32 bit applications.

    73

    Roger (K8RI)


    On 10/12/2016 Wednesday 6:58 AM, john@kk9a.com wrote:
    > Will DOSBox run on 64 bit Windows?
    >
    > John KK9A
    >
    >
    > To:    K7LXC@aol.com
    > Subject:    Re: [TowerTalk] DOS?
    > From:    Ed Muns <ed@w0yk.com>
    > Date:    Tue, 11 Oct 2016 22:30:53 -0400
    >
    > It should run fine as is in DOSBox on any Windows version.
    >
    > 73,
    > Ed W0YK
    > On Oct 11, 2016 12:57 PM, K7LXC--- via TowerTalk
    <towertalk@contesting.com>
    > wrote:
    >> Howdy, TowerTalkians --
    >>
    >>      I sell a little app for mast calculations called  MARC
    (Mast, Antenna
    >> and Rotator Calculator) and it was written in ye olde days  of
    DOS. It
    > has an
    >> early version for Windows as well but doesn't work on any  current
    >> operating systems. Is there someone out that could update it
    for me? I
    > don't
    >> know
    >> what's involved but will be willing to pay for your efforts.  Tnx.
    >



---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus


_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>