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Topic   6 Date: Tue Nov 26, 1985
DEB                          at 16:36 EST
Sub: Compiler Advice

Anyone with experience or advice on the following compilers, can you
please leave your comments here...?
12 message(s) total
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Category 3,  Topic 6
Message 1         Tue Nov 26, 1985
DEB                          at 16:39 EST

Just received this in my Mail.  Sam would like some advice before
buying a Compiler.  Whats been your experience:
  
+*+
Sub: compilers
 
Anyone out there have any suggestions or comments about the following
compilers I am deciding on?
 1) BLITZ
 2) ABACUS BASIC COMPILER
 3) DTL-BASIC
 any comments or prvious experience with these would be most helpful....
 
Thanx...Sam Lewit   (SALEWIT)
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Category 3,  Topic 6
Message 2         Wed Nov 27, 1985
CKAISER                      at 21:14 EST

BLITZ! is my personal favorite, as it is the *only* compiler I've found
that produces code that runs fast enough to service the RS-232 port
for 1200 baud terminal program operation.  DTL-BASIC, now marketed
by CodeWriter, makes nice small run files, buyt *requires* that its
Run-time Library be present on the same disk.  It is a fine compiler,
but the code it produces cannot keep up at 1200, so it is not well
suited for rapid I/O tasks such as 1200 baud terminals.  Your
applications may not need this sort of blistering speed.
 
I have not used it, but f5om messages I've answered concerning it, the
ABACUS compiler sounds like a sub-set of blitz that has problems
with most forms of I/O, though it might be suitable for games without
any more complicated i/o than booting the game from disk.
 
I recommend BLITZ! highly.  It is extremely simple to use, and it does a
fine job.  It has its peculiarities, buut for the most part, is about
the fastest, easiest to use compiler being offered for the 64 today.
 
And SKYLES didn't pay me a nickel to say that.  Its a good product.
 
                                                   -Chris
 
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Category 3,  Topic 6
Message 3         Wed Nov 27, 1985
P.OGREN                      at 23:11 PST

I can't speak for the other compilers but Blitz has worked fine for me.
It allows multiple programs to be compiled together and, yes  you can
make 1200 baud work fine.  It's fast and easy to use.  It can be used with
one or two drives.  Also can be deblitzed.

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Category 3,  Topic 6
Message 4         Thu Nov 28, 1985
GRAFIX                       at 21:16 EST

All in all, BLITZ seems to be the
lesser of the evils.  All of the compilers
seem to have 'bugs', but BLITZ seems to
mask them the best!  
BLITZ-Very fast, but has problems keeping
 track of string space when RS-232 and 
 multiple string arrays are used.  The
problems will vary depending on the size
 and number ofarrays used.

BASIC-64 - Very complex compiler, and can
 produce true ML code.  This means you
 can switch out the BASIC ROM and make
 use of that memory space.  BUT, a simple 20 block BASIC program will compile to
 a HUGE 58 block ML program or 47 block
 P-Code program.  BASIC-64 seems to have
 the most to offer, but also WORST
 docs, and the MOST problems.  Any project 
 can become a nightmare with BASIC-64.

AUSTRO COMP.-I don't know if this is
 a recognized compiler, but it is very
 close to BLITZ.  It does not handle the
 RS-232 as well as BLITZ, but other than 
 that, seems to work well, plus, it
 produces smaller P-Code files than
 BLITZ does.
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Category 3,  Topic 6
Message 5         Fri Dec 06, 1985
FAFHRD                       at 19:05 EST

Anyone seen the Pro Compiler?
I have heard it creates true op-code,
rather than p-code...I'd like to
hear some comments before i lay out
100 dollars.
.          Faf
 <Hm, pardon that ., i just logged
off of a TBBS!>
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Category 3,  Topic 6
Message 6         Fri Dec 06, 1985
DEB                          at 19:55 EST

Access software was supposed to have released such a compiler last JANUARY!
Is your Pro Compiler from Access???
 *deb!*
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Category 3,  Topic 6
Message 7         Sat Dec 07, 1985
FAFHRD                       at 16:56 EST

Hmm... not sure.
             Faf
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Category 3,  Topic 6
Message 8         Fri May 23, 1986
SURVIVOR                     at 22:45 EDT



I have BLITZ!, BASIC 64, and CODEWRITER.  In almost 100% of all areas
BLITZ! wins hands down.  Easy to use, fast, no bugs, works with almost all
BASIC programs.


I also have BASIC 128, and BLITZ! 128.  Again Skyless did a good job.  Had
a few bugs with BLITZ! 128 at first, but update was recieved in the mail
soon enough.
 
Stephen Gutknecht
  Author of *ZBBS*

s
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Category 3,  Topic 6
Message 9         Sat Jul 05, 1986
D.ROMERO                     at 03:28 EDT

The only weakness I've found in Blitz! is its string nction 
handling... it can actually be slower than 2.0 BASIC!

Yours In Commodore Computing...
Don Romero
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Category 3,  Topic 6
Message 10        Sat Jul 05, 1986
SURVIVOR [S. Gutknecht]      at 21:15 EDT


Blitz! 128 (the January release I have) has a """"""minor""""""
bug.... will mess up with more then two FAST/SLOW commands!
Just use POKE 53296,0 and ,1!
 
Stephen Gutknecht
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Category 3,  Topic 6
Message 11        Sun Jul 13, 1986
DEB [*deb!*]                 at 16:14 EDT

Can BLITZ with the 64 be used if you are using STRING THING???
 ... or BLITZ 128 with Rickers' STRINGIE THINGIE???
  
     ** <<she hates garbage collects>>
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Category 3,  Topic 6
Message 12        Sun Jul 13, 1986
GRAFIX.M [Mike Hooper]       at 16:24 EDT

BLITZ and STRING THING are VERY compatable!  I'm running a BBS that I installed
ST on, and then BLITZ.  It's done WONDERS for Garbage Collection!
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