Which PowerBASIC compiler?

[Johannes]

I was thinking about getting the PowerBASIC compiler and after visiting their site saw they have two main versions (Windows and Console Compiler). My main use would be putting my Big Integer stuff into a thinBasic module (and I'm thinking about a high-precision floating-point module) and larger projects for myself. For daily programming I would probably still use thinBasic as working with an interpreter is so much easier, and thinBasic has all the stuff I could ever want.

Is it true that you need the Windows version of PowerBASIC to be able to create DLLs?

Also, the previous version of PB is a quarter of the price of the most recent one (US$49 instead of US$199), which is of course a great bargain. Would I be missing out on useful or necessary stuff if I got PB/W v8 instead of v9 (or the announced v10)? Again, I would be using PB mainly for creating thinBasic modules and speeding up processing that is complicated to program in assembler.

Thanks in advance for any information.

[danbaron]

As far as I know, it is true that you need the Windows version to create DLLs, Johannes. It was originally called, "PB/DLL".

PB/Win 10 and PB/CC 6 are supposed to be released any time now. Take a look here.

http://www.powerbasic.com/support/pbforums/forumdisplay.php?f=9

You know that in at least PB/Win 10, you will be able to create SLLs, right? Look here.

http://www.powerbasic.com/support/pbforums/showthread.php?t=46156

After reading it, I can't say whether you will also be able to do it in PB/CC 6.

I don't know much about the differences between v8, v9, and v10. Sorry.

Dan

[ErosOlmi]

To create DLLs you need Power Basic Windows Compiler.
The only missed functionalities of Console version will be native console keywords but you can create them using Windows API
So PB Windows is the choice.

Regarding which version, you can use whatever version when you develop modules for thinBasic. It is true that version 9 did a great step compared to version 8 mainly because it introduced OOP in a great way and implemented a lot COM interface but if you are not interested in this you can go with version 8.
It is also true that next thinBasic version will have a new set of interface functions that will let you implement in your module classes and use them into thinBasic scripts.

I would suggest to get at least version 9. Meybe its price will drop after version 10 will be out.

[Johannes]

Dan and Eros, thank you for the quick replies.

Right now I'm very busy with work and in March I'll be going on vacation which is always a computer-free time for me. I'll have plenty of time to think about which version of PB/WIN I'll be getting with the information you gave me.