ThinBasic Tutorial needed here!

[Justlearning51]

??? Hello everyone,
I was wondering is there some tutorials on ThinBasic, & where can I find some? Any help is appreiated.

[ISAWHIM]

Welcome, Justlearning51

In the forum... http://community.thinbasic.com/index.php?board=46.0
That is where samples are born... and adopted into the samples files/folder of ThinBasic.

Do you have ThinBasic installed yet?

ThinBasic comes with a large number of samples, found in the start-menu folder that it adds when it installs. They have many comments, which makes them half-tutorials.

You can also reach them through the thin-air client. (The GUI for thin-basic.) Going to OPEN, on a fresh launch should bring you to the main folder, which has the samples folder. If not, you just have to locate the folder where you installed the ThinBasic program.

Actually, you should suggest that a SAMPLES list be added to the ThinAir client. (That is not part of thinBasic, but it is an adopted creation that comes with ThinBasic.)

I thought it would be nice to have it "Watch" the samples folder, and create an auto-menu to open it, or list all contents and sub contents of the folder.

As for pure tutorials... Most "Basic" tutorials work here. However, there are many specialized commands that can reduce the complex code they use in the tutorial, into a few lines of ThinBasic code. The help-files, and the forums, are the unofficial tutorials location. As ThinBasic grows and changes, so would most tutorials.

What exactly did you have an interest in?

[Justlearning51]

Yes I have ThinBasic installed, I'm interested in doing GL programming.
OR maybe some console programming as well.

[ISAWHIM]

Well, there are many good GL examples, for RAW GL (Native code/interface), and MODULE GL (TBGL controlled code). I think that is how I would describe the two sets of code.

Raw GL, being direct manipulation of objects, creation, matrix data, and all the goodness at the heart of GL.

Module GL, acting as a controller for combined functions, including bones, pivots, lighting, through an entity system.

All code goes through the module, but the module itself, has additional functions created to make GL more of a game-display, as opposed to only being a rendering device. (Advanced collision is under development, but the ability to use TBGL's custom format, which is an adoption of OBJ file, provides the greatest flexibility to the module.)

As for the console...

MDI is rapidly being developed for the next stable release, which brings the GUI development to a new level.

Console (dos-screen), is about as developed as it can get. I believe the newest addition of CALLBACKS, which will be out in the next stable release, will bring console to a whole new level also. (Callbacks allow you to get direct feedback from windows, controllers, API, and other programs.)

I know this may sound like I am pushing you out the door... But...

Many of the tutorials that exist for GL, Console, UI/GUI/Windows, and even most BASIC... can be applied here, with little change. (Except for VB, which still translates directly, in most cases, but with greater internal control exposed. Stuff that was "Hidden" from developers, in VB.)

With GL... I have found that the largest learning curve, has been the ORDER of operations. (For years, I have been use to setting up things, in any order, with the same output each time. GL is highly sensitive to the order in which you build your code. It assumes little, or nothing, except when using the ENTITY system in the MODULE.)

Don't hesitate to throw up some code, and ask... "Why is this, doing that?"

[ErosOlmi]

Ciao Justlearning51.

There aren't yet full/complete thinBasic tutorial but there are a lot of source code examples you can look at.

After installation of thinBasic, check \thinBasic\SampleScripts\ directory. You will find a list of subdirectories in which to find many examples covering the many thinBasic modules. In particular, because you are interested in OpenGL, have a look at subdirectory named TBGL. TBGL is a specific thinBasic module developed by Petr Schreiber that implement and extend OpenGL functionalities in thinBasic programming language.

And more, we have released a TBGL Bonus Pack full of TBGL examples that can be downloaded separately from http://www.thinbasic.com/index.php?option=com_jdownloads&Itemid=95&task=view.download&cid=6
TBGL Bonus Pack is full of thinBasic examples working with TBGL module. It is the contribution of many thinBasic users here in forum. You will find in there full source code examples ready to be used, studied, changed, improved.

Let me know if all is ok and ... welcome here.
Ciao
Eros

[Petr Schreiber]

Welcome JustLearning51,

as the guys said - the best resource should be the SampleScripts and BonusPack.
There is also TBGL website with some extra tutorials: http://psch.thinbasic.com/

Also Matthew did perfect translation of NeHe tutorials - you can check them here: http://community.thinbasic.com/index.php?board=87.0
Stay tuned as more tutorials are heading your way in next ThinBasic Journal as well.


Petr

[Justlearning51]

;D :)
Thank you all for helping me, & it makes me feel welcome to come home to this board with friendly people to get help from. They were very helpful, Thanks! Now I can learn this new programming environment for sure! 8) ;D :)