Released thinBasic preview version 1.2.0.1

[ErosOlmi]

Here we are again with a new development line: thinBasic preview version 1.2.0.1

Not big changes for starting but many ideas are boiling for this new preview line.

As usual, list of changes can be found in thinBasic help online at:
http://www.thinbasic.com/public/products/thinBasic/help/html/version_underdevelopment.htm

Download at:
http://www.thinbasic.com/index.php?name=CmodsDownload&file=index&req=viewsdownload&sid=34&orderby=dateD

Have fun
thinBasic Team

[kryton9]

Installed and running fine so far. The new commands will come in real handy, thanks Eros!
Thanks to Roberto for the thinAir updates too in this version.

[ErosOlmi]

Version updated.

New IsLike function added for basic string comparison.
thinAir has now defaulted .ini configuration file
New math constants added: Pi, e, Zero

[ErosOlmi]

Version updated.

Mainly internal little fix.
New thinBasic_TBGL OpenGl module. HUGE improvements in speed execution when using tbgl_m15RecalcNormals function

[ErosOlmi]

Version 1.2.0.1 updated.

I'm proud to announce what is the fastest thinBasic version ever.
This new update improve speed by a 10% and even more in some cases.
Please let me know if you are able to see the same speed improve.

Also worth to mention the new quite unique logical comparison operator >< that means between. Syntax is: AnyValue >< MinValue, MaxValue
This logical operator is faster than Between keyword because it is executed in the same function that parse numbers while Between requires 3 additional function calling.

Regards
Eros

[ErosOlmi]

Version updated.

Not big changes. More internal fix and optimizattion.
Math constants will now have names starting with M_ to avoid conflicts with other script variables

Eros

[ErosOlmi]

Preview thinBasic version 1.2.0.1 updated.

Petr just send me a new TBGL module version ( 0.1.9 ), so I couldn't resist to publish immediately a new release.
More speed, more stability, new functions working on mouse, some examples amended and a new example working with mouse.

Do not forget to let us know your impressions.

Regards
Eros

[Petr Schreiber]

Hi all,

new thinBASIC release contains new TBGL 0.1.9

What's new? What about performance tuning - whole TBGL internal code has been revisited and adjusted to best performance possible while maintaining same level of compatibility with legacy hardware.

tbgl_m15DrawModel contained few bottlenecks, which are now removed. Why to use m15DrawModel when we have display lists... Display lists are very fast, but static! tbgl_m15DrawModel is designed for real time dynamic animation. When speaking about animation - bone system has been revised too. Result? 40% speed boost in bone powered animations!

tbgl_RecalcNormals now has optional parameter to specify, which layer will use which style of shading. Imagine model of bed with pillow. In previous versions, you had to load separate bed and pillow model, first with precise and second with smoothed normals. New TBGL comes with more comfort - just load one model with layers and set to each layer different shading, all very fast.


' Individual layer care ;)
tbgl_m15RecalcNormals %MODEL_WITH_PILLOW, %TBGL_NORMAL_SMOOTH, "Pillow"
tbgl_m15RecalcNormals %MODEL_WITH_PILLOW, %TBGL_NORMAL_PRECISE, "BedBody"

' Need more layers recalculated in one go ? Use comma in one string :)
tbgl_m15RecalcNormals %MY_COMPLEX_MODEL, %TBGL_NORMAL_SMOOTH, "Engine1,Engine2,HeadOfPilot"


Ok, maybe you are not in need to use models so much. Does TBGL 0.1.9 have something for you ? ;D
Everybody needs to render text on screen sometimes. True type fonts are great, but fonts created from BMPs are faster.
Till now, tbgl_PrintBMP was usable only in 4:3 screen resolutions, else the text position was shifted and weird. Also font size was designed to display on fixed 25 lines. Usable ? Sometimes :)

In TBGL 0.1.9 this limitations disappear - plus something new! When loading BMP font, you can specify target number of lines. Any number. Want 30? Want 50? No problem!

Font plot using TBGL_PrintBMP was improved too. You can use now optional parameter, to make test aligned to various parts of screen: left-up corner, centered at line, ... up to 12 equates to handle this ! And with definable offset position from those alignments...



' Just want to create font usable in 50 lines mode
tbgl_LoadBMPFont "TBGL_Font.bmp", 50

' ...

tbgl_PrintBMP "Left-Up corner", 0, 0, %TBGL_ALIGN_LEFT_UP
tbgl_PrintBMP "Right-Down corner -1 in x and y", -1, -1, %TBGL_ALIGN_RIGHT_DOWN
tbgl_PrintBMP "Centered on line 5", 0, 5, %TBGL_ALIGN_CENTER
tbgl_PrintBMP "Subtitle in center of screen", 0, 0, %TBGL_ALIGN_CENTER_CENTER
tbgl_PrintBMP "Line under subtitle in center of screen", 0, 1, %TBGL_ALIGN_CENTER_CENTER



This TBGL comes also with new very basic mouse handling, you can check out how simple it is in attached script.
Generally usable object picking will come in next releases, but even now you can do some stuff with this :). Mouse wheel is supported too.

Hope you will enjoy functionalities of new TBGL, you can find them all in TBGL help / What's new / Version 0.1.9 :)


Bye,
Petr

[kryton9]

I wake up and find all these new goodies :) I am downloading, but will not have a chance to play with them till later tonight. Thanks in advance, will be fun to come home tonight and see and enjoy!!

[Michael Hartlef]

wow, that would have been worth a 1.2.0.2 :)

Thank you!

[ErosOlmi]

Hi Mike.
I want to give you some explanation why version remain the same for some time.

We usually have two development lines: one stable and one preview.
Currently, stable version is 1.2.0.0 while preview version is 1.2.0.1

Preview version is continuously updated as soon as users find bugs or we release new features.
When we think preview version has been tested enough, we release it as stable and open a new preview.

The main reason why we follow this method is because we update thinBasic very, very often. Changing release version every time would be a nightmare because for every version we maintain the history of the sources and all the material we have used for it.
Another reason is to give users enough time to test new features letting them know what will be released very soon as stable.

Ciao
Eros

[ErosOlmi]

Preview thinBasic version 1.2.0.1 updated.

Main change: introduction of thinBundle !!!!!!

[Michael Hartlef]

That shoudl have deserved at 1.3.0.0 ;)

[ErosOlmi]

Yes :D
We will move preview version 1.2.0.1 to stable release when thinBundle will be tested for a while.

[ErosOlmi]

Preview thinBasic version 1.2.0.1 updated.

Fixed some initial thinBundle problems: http://www.thinbasic.com/public/products/thinBasic/help/html/version_1_2_0_1.htm

[kryton9]

Reading yours and Roberto's threads about thinBundle, wow you guys went through all the bugs so quickly. Really impressive, thanks so much. This is really a big step in thinBasic I think to really attract many new users!!!

[ErosOlmi]

We want thinBundle stable first.
Than we will go on with features ;)

[ErosOlmi]

Version updated.
You can now select multiple files when adding into thinBundle.
Little optimization in exe extraction speed.

[kryton9]

Thanks Eros.

[ErosOlmi]

Version updated.

Speed improvements when using ITERATE FOR statement.

[ErosOlmi]

Version updated.

Some important fix on EXIT FOR cicles.
Some new functions added
TBGL module updated with new keyboard functions added. No more needed to use UI module to handle keyboard input.

[kryton9]

thanks for the update!!

Is it possible to show how to use thinBundle in a video tutorial.
I couldn't figure out how to put files in folders into the bundle.
Take TopDown for example, how do you make thinBundled version with all the subdirectories and files?
Thanks, it will be neat to know how to use.

[RobertoBianchi]

Hi Kryton9,

good idea make a video tutorial on ThinBundle.
About add foldes I'm still working on, please be patient.

Bye,
Roberto

[kryton9]

Oh ok, thanks Roberto!!

[ErosOlmi]

Version updated.

Important fix when passing UDT as parameter to functions.
A brand new module: TBDI. TBDI interface with Direct Input devices. Module is developed by MikeHart. Mike added a lot of functions in this module.
Few new functions working with text file line input/output. See File_ReadAndPrintLine.tbasic example in ...\SampleScripts\File directory.

I think this will be latest update of preview version 1.2.0.1 before releasing as stable (I hope)

Ciao
Eros

[ErosOlmi]

Version updated.

Important fix in FOR/NEXT loops. This fix force me to remain alittle bit more on this preview before moving to stable.
New TBGL version !!!!!
Some internal tune up

Eros

[kryton9]

Downloaded and installed, thanks!!

[ErosOlmi]

Version updated.

Amended TBGL module included.

[ErosOlmi]

Version updated.

Fixed a bug in TBGL module occurring when full screen

Added some under construction functions in UI module working with window regions.
It will be quite easy now to create strange windows shapes starting from BMP files. Those functions are still under development. We have to figure out how do automatically redraw window background in case of focus losing. See example in SampleScripts\UI\Region directory to get indications on how to use it.

Have fun
Eros

[Michael Hartlef]

Cool man, thinbasic is getting better in better. ;)

[Petr Schreiber]

Wow ( but I am not afiliated with Microsoft :) ) !

bitmap region looks extremely nice !


Thanks,
Petr

[ErosOlmi]

New preview version 1.2.0.1

Forget about previous update on functions to shape windows.
Now you need just one line of code to shape any window to a bitmap image:

DIALOG SHAPETOBMP hwnd, BitMapFileName [, TranColor]
Now bitmap is persistent even if window losse focus.

See example in SampleScripts\UI\Region directory to get indications on how to use it.

More presents will come. Stay tuned.

[ErosOlmi]

Version updated.

Petr sent me latest version of TBGL module. New function added to TBGL:
TBGL_PointInside3D for faster detection of basic collisions
TBGL_m15GetVertexXYZ and TBGL_m15GetVertexRGB for faster work with "model shaders".
See TBGL help for more info.

OK, if no big problems or no new module versions, on monday this will become definitive stable 1.2.0.1 version.

Have fun.
Eros

[kryton9]

Oh wow, so many new cool commands and features to play with!! Thanks guys!!!

[ErosOlmi]

Version updated.

Better and more secure handling of CALL statement.

[Michael Hartlef]

thinBasic... were find something new everyday ... :)

[ErosOlmi]

At least we try :D

Starting from next version I will implement both full and incremental updates for preview version.
This will let you download only updated parts avoiding 5/6 mb dowload every time.

Ciao
Eros

[kryton9]

small MB download size of 5 or 6 mbs is not a problem for me. That is small if you ask me. If it takes any work load off of you in having to prepare separate downloads.

[RobertoBianchi]

Eros,

incrementals updates are very usefull specially if they are done automatically by web update, otherwise they could be a problem.

Ciao,
Roberto

[Michael Hartlef]

With the frequent updates to thinbasic lately, incremental updates would be nice. Or at least only update the new stuff. Now I have uninstall (by going into the program folder, click uninstall) and then reinstall. I mean, it is 5 minutes work for me, so no deal. I can live with it how it is now.