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BNDSH ROM - Help required

Started by krusty_benediction, 18:35, 29 July 17

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krusty_benediction

Some weeks ago, I have started the project BNSH which is supposed to bring a better user experience on the CPC in a non intrusive way: you launch the CPC and - you can use it as when it has been created - or you can use it with extra-functionnalities (presence of additional commands, history of the commands typed, autocompletion on filenames/command names, shortest way to type RSX commands, etc). Indeed these functionnalities allow you to do the same things by typing less.
Currently the ROM needs a M4 if you want to download DSK on cpcrulez and a memory card if you want to not lost memory.The main code consists in a replacement of the system call TEXT_INPUT.
The code is still not enough mature to be widely spread; and I doubt I will have enough time to finalize and spread it;I need to focus on demo code, not to code a tool only used by me.

So if people are interested, the project is available here https://github.com/rgiot/bndsh
You can:

       
  • download the ROM to install it (I only tested slot 1)
  • fill issues to list all the remaining issues I have missed
  • fill issues to request additional functionnalities
  • propose pull requests to fix (or partly fix) some issues
  • propose pull rquests to add additional functionnalities



Gryzor

Sounds very interesting, so I'm pasting here the readme, if I may :)



# Benediction Shell




## Purpose


Minimalist shell for Amstrad CPC with m4. People not interest by QuickCMD by No Recess may not be interest by bndsh...
Bndsh consists in a simple line editor where you'll type various commands.
The additional value in comparison to the BASIC prompt of the Amstrad is the ability to propose completions a better integration of RSX with string parameters and a native folder management.


The main difference between BNDSH and QUICKCMD is that QUICKCMD is an application, whereas BNDSH replace the system call `TEXT_INPUT` (&BD5E) by a modified one.


However, fell free to test and provide patches as there are tons of bugs.




## Usage


The line edition is similar to the one provided by the BASIC and can be used in the following way: `COMMAND [ARGUMENT...]`.


- If command is an `internal command` the internal command is executed.
- If command is an `RSX`, the RSX is executed with the following string arguments (currently only up to 2 arguments are possible).
- If command is a `folder` then it becomes the working directory.
- If command is a `file` then the firmware tries to load and launch it. If it succeed you have no more access to bndsh. (highly limited has bndsh is still not in ROM)
- Otherwise the system displays an error message.




The current `internal command`s are:


  - `basic` to inform that the remaining part of the line concerns a BASIC instruction (only useful when a commad/executable/RSX has the same name than a BASIC instruction and would be automatically selected instead)
  - `clear` to clear the screen (as `cls`).
  - `crtc` to display crtc number.
  - `exit` to jump to BASIC interpreter
  - `header` to display the header of a file
  - `help` to display the list of internal commands
  - `ls` similar to cat (M4 required)
  - `more` print an ASCII file on screen
  - `mv` rename a file (some order of parameters than `mv` of unix, not `|REN` of `AMSDOS`)
  - `pwd` to print the current working directory (M4 required)
  - `rom` to manage the roms (currently nothing more that a listing)




The original shortcuts are:


  - left: move cursor to the left
  - right: move cursor to the right
  - CONTROL + left: move cursor to the beginnig of the line
  - CONTROL + right: move cursor to the end of the line
  - CONTROL + up: move cursor to the beginnig of the text
  - CONTROL + down: move cursor to the end of the text
  - SHIFT + left: move copy cursor to the left
  - SHIFT + right: move copy cursor to the right
  - SHIFT + up: move copy cursor to the up
  - SHIFT + down: move copy cursor to the dowa
  - CONTROL + TAB: switch between insert/replace modes
  - BREAK: breaks the input control flow
  - ENTER: validate and execute the instruction of the line by the BASIC interpreter


The additional shortcuts are:


  - TAB: control autocompletion on filenames, RSX, internal commands. **Note that there are still bugs there**
  - ENTER: before the BASIC interpreter manages the line, the shell execute its own instructions


The additional `RSX` commands are:


- `|DSKSEARCH,"KEY"` or `DSKSEARCH KEY` makes a search on CPCRULEZ and print on screen pairs of code and filename (M4 ROM needed)
- `|DSKGET,"CODE"` or `DSKGET CODE` download the 1st DSK file from the archive identified by the code (given by DSKSEARCH). **A current limitation of the `|HTTPGET` RSX imposes to manually rename the downloaded file: `MV BRIDGE.PHP MYDSK.DSK`.**




## Additional features I plan to code


- Better integration of RSX (currently only 2 string arguments are possible ...)
- More internal commands if needed
- Ability to bypass internal commands or rsx
- Better RAM management (use the latest page of the latest bank available on the machine in order to work on CPC6128 without extra RAM)




## Known bugs


- Autocompletion is a bit capricious (files search fails elswhere than in the root folder, completion sometimes fail)
- The ROM must be deactivate to launch some program (ESC at startup) with RUN"XXX; no idea why
- The auto run features considers that the file is a binary one (so expect a nice reboot for basic ones)


## Construction


~~~bash
$ ./bootstrap.sh make
~~~


## Requirements


  - Mandatory


    - Ramcard or equivalent (Megaflash, X-Mem, M4, ...)
    - Additional Memory (X-Mem, ...)


  - Optional


    - M4 (the project has less interest without it)



## Installation & launch


Use your rom manager to put `BNDSH.ROM` in the slot of your choice. Note that I have never tested in another place than 1.
The indirection is automatically installed.


If you want to disable BNDSH, pres `ESC` while the firmware initialises the ROMs.
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krusty_benediction

Hello;just a short message to update the subject and say that nothing has changed a lot since 3 years ;)

CRTC was my main priority and I have to focus on the next demo now.So I will not spend more time on bndsh and anyone can take the lead on it. I can remove all the Docker stuff around it to build it in an easier way on other machines than mine.
Anyway, I am pretty sure that such kind of (if finished) project would increase the user experience of the Amstrad CPC as the locomotive basic command line is rather crappy (no autocompletion, rsx syntax too verbose, no conventional naming of standard rsx in regards to unices).

Here is the project. https://github.com/rgiot/bndsh

Gryzor

Quote from: krusty_benediction on 08:22, 16 April 21Hello;just a short message to update the subject and say that nothing has changed a lot since 3 years

Changelog:

+nothing
-nothing
*nothing


:D

Thanks for your work, see you in the next demo and hope someone picks it up!!

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