68kMLA Classic Interface
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| Click here to select a new forum. | | Entry to Programming | Posted by: HippieMac on 2022-04-28 09:57:41
Hello everyone, I am interested in learning how to program and develop basic applications to be used on my Mac plus. I have been downloading a lot of books to read but am unsure what language or type of programming code I should put my time into. I have been looking at assembly language and pascal and have no experience in any type of programming. Does anyone have any ideas or recommendations on what type of programming I should learn first? I want to put the time in to learn but wanted to know which type would be overall the best for building applications. The type of applications that I am wanting to build would be similarly to a screensaver or just opening an app with an image like a face moving and then if the mouse is moved in anyway, the app closes. After looking over some code and books, I know this is not a simple task but I was hoping someone could point me in a direction to follow and begin my learning journey. | Posted by: Bolkonskij on 2022-04-28 10:00:41
Since you won't be coding any commercial grade stuff, just pick the one you like the most / feel home.
Pick something you enjoy and stick with it. Maybe you may want to try something easier first if you're new to coding, like Hypercard. Gives results fast. Or maybe Chipmunk Basic? | Posted by: beachycove on 2022-04-28 13:21:24
What about Hypercard and HyperTalk as a first step? | Posted by: cheesestraws on 2022-04-28 13:30:43
Have you done any programming before at all? Or are you totally new to the whole area? | Posted by: HippieMac on 2022-04-28 14:17:47
I have no experience with programming. I have Macintosh programming workshop, pascal 2.0, and some hyper card applications that I have downloaded and installed using my blue SCSI along with about 5 books to start studying but wanted to put my time into what would be best creating small applications. If I use HyperCard to begin is their a certain one I need or can anyone give me more information about that? If I use HyperCard and hyper talk will I be able to creat applications that will work on their own or will I always need to have hypercard to run them? Thanks everyone for the guidance, I really just want to learn and be able to say that I programmed a application for a classic Mac. | Posted by: Juror22 on 2022-04-28 15:53:23
There is a development environment called FutureBASIC II (there is a good write-up on the Garden) that may work well for you. My memory of it is that it was very easy to develop in. I put together a couple of apps with it, back in the day (one was to help sort out Mac functions and procedures for easier programming).
Anyway, its worth looking into, especially since it doesn't have a high learning curve and has fairly low system requirements. For me, it also served as an entry into more advanced programming. | Posted by: HippieMac on 2022-04-28 16:59:08
Thanks Juror22 for the help, I’ll start looking at that now and see what I can come up with | Posted by: dochilli on 2022-04-29 00:46:13
You could try THINK Pascal 4.5. It is a nice development tool. Pascal is easy to learn and there are a lot of books available. Apple developed a lot of software for macs with Pascal.
THINK Pascal 4.5d4 is the last, and unofficial, version of THINK Pascal released. To make it usable, it needs the included 4.5a1 update and...
www.macintoshrepository.org
If you want something newer than Pascal you can use C (lightspeed C or THINK C).
This IDE includes several tools: - the project manager with an editor, - a class browser, - a source-level debugger, - the GUI generation...
www.macintoshrepository.org
| Posted by: Mu0n on 2022-05-01 05:48:15
For old school macs, I recommend these steps:
-Hypercard: it'll make you aware of the graphical interface elements that need to interact with each other (ie text input box, buttons, scollbars, icons) and you'll have the keyword list in mind. You don't need to mess with the initialization of the mac interface's graphical capabilities and features, because it's always on and simple. Another major advantage is that you can take any hypercard stack (program) made by others and go under the hood and see how things are done and learn tons of things that way. Can't do this with compiled C programs (the source code is available only in extremely rare cases) without it being a HUGE undertaking.
-THINK C: Pascal was heavily used back in the day, but overall, you can get generic help on C way more as it completely eclipsed Pascal when you take a look at all platforms. For mac specific stuff of the days of yore, it's a wash between both languages, with Pascal getting a little more attention in the specific years between 1987-1990 ish. Starting with C would be a rough ride for a complete beginner, because there's a significant chunk of work that needs to be done before you so even a simple graphical interface driven "hello world" and still let it look like a mac application. Back in the day, when you started programming, it was all text by default and it was easy to interact with it and get immediate feedback in text form.
On the mac, you have to init a GrafPort, init the mouse (otherwise your app will display the watch icon throughout), include Quickdraw, move the "pen" to a specific location and use DrawString and have to think if you want to use standard C strings or regular Pascal strings. There are helper functions that let you deal with conversions, but this all hits at once and can deter a true beginner. All this if you just want text to appear in the background, window-less. Contrast that with the BASIC programming books you could rent out of libraries in the 80's, all for machines like the TRS-80, Commodore 64, Apple II's of this world where you don't have to think about any of that. | | 1 |
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