Vecci / 'Moves & Draws'

[minsoft]

I have not used any of the tools within Vide yet (aside from Vedi & Vecxi) so thought I should try out Vecci...

I watched this video from Malban:

youtu.be/bhw-kUDguts?t=1000

However when I try to do the 'code export' > 'moves & draws', even using the 'TheRing.xml' example used in the video, I get the following code, which when run, does nothing (you can see why in the code). Am I doing something wrong?

;***************************************************************************
; DEFINE SECTION
;***************************************************************************
; load vectrex bios routine definitions
music1 EQU $FD0D
VIA_port_b equ $D000 ; VIA port B data I/O register
VIA_port_a equ $D001 ; VIA port A data I/O register (handshaking)
VIA_t1_cnt_lo equ $D004 ; VIA timer 1 count register lo (scale factor)
VIA_t1_cnt_hi equ $D005 ; VIA timer 1 count register hi
VIA_shift_reg equ $D00A ; VIA shift register
VIA_aux_cntl equ $D00B ; VIA auxiliary control register
VIA_cntl equ $D00C ; VIA control register
VIA_int_flags equ $D00D ; VIA interrupt flags register
Intensity_5F EQU $F2A5 ;
Wait_Recal EQU $F192 ;
Moveto_d EQU $F312 ;
;***************************************************************************
; Variable / RAM SECTION
;***************************************************************************
; insert your variables (RAM usage) in the BSS section
; user RAM starts at $c880
BSS
ORG $c880 ; start of our ram space
;***************************************************************************
; HEADER SECTION
;***************************************************************************
; The cartridge ROM starts at address 0
CODE
ORG 0
; the first few bytes are mandatory, otherwise the BIOS will not load
; the ROM file, and will start MineStorm instead
DB "g GCE 1998", $80 ; 'g' is copyright sign
DW music1 ; music from the rom
DB $F8, $50, $20, -$80 ; hight, width, rel y, rel x (from 0,0)
DB "VL CODE GEN", $80 ; some game information, ending with $80
DB 0 ; end of game header
;***************************************************************************
; CODE SECTION
;***************************************************************************
; here the cartridge program starts off
main:
JSR Wait_Recal ; Vectrex BIOS recalibration
JSR Intensity_5F ; Sets the intensity of the
; vector beam to $5f
LDA #$40 ; scalefactor
STA VIA_t1_cnt_lo
LDA #$00 ; position relative Y
LDB #$00 ; position relative X
JSR Moveto_d ; sets up VIA control register after a wait recal
JSR vData ; Vectrex BIOS print routine
BRA main ; and repeat forever

;***************************************************************************
; DATA SECTION
;***************************************************************************

vData = VectorList
VectorList:

[kokovec]

That's weird.
vData isn't a subroutine and VectorList seems to be missing data

[minsoft]

Sept 26, 2020 12:54:06 GMT -5 kokovec said:

That's weird.
vData isn't a subroutine and VectorList seems to be missing data

Yeah exactly. Is there something I haven't done? I notice it says 'To change the code generation, edit the used templates!'. I've had a look in the /templates folder but I'm not sure which one is being used. I assume one is being found or else it wouldn't generate any code at all?

[Malban]

Hi,

I just investigated this and it is indeed a bug in Vide, which was introduced with one of the last builds, which changed the java starting point of the application.

In this particular instance I didn't fix the path generation for the template directory.

It will be fixed with the next version of Vide.

For the time being I can offer a workaround though.

a) Windows

In the "main" directory of Vide there is a directory "template", copy this directory to the  "Vide/Vide.app/app" directory.

(so the template directory is in the the same directory as the "Vide.jar)

b) Mac
In the "main" directory of Vide there is a directory "template", copy this directory to the "Vide/Vide.app/Content/Java" directory (WITHIN the "app" so to say).
(so the template directory is in the the same directory as the "Vide.jar)

Thx for using Vide and reporting this!

Cheers

Malban

[minsoft]

Sept 26, 2020 17:18:15 GMT -5 Malban said:

b) Mac
In the "main" directory of Vide there is a directory "template", copy this directory to the "Vide/Vide.app/Content/Java" directory (WITHIN the "app" so to say).
(so the template directory is in the the same directory as the "Vide.jar)

Thx for using Vide and reporting this!

Cheers

Malban

Hi Malban,

Many thanks for your reply, I was not expecting it to be a bug but thanks for investigating and confirming. I can confirm that your workaround for MacOS works perfectly.

Thank you also for Vide, I am making my first game and it has been a pleasure to do with Vide. Last time I attempted Vectrex programming was in about 2007 using Notepad, DOS assembler and I think MESS...I did not get very far with that setup!

I am struggling with something else in Vecci now however...for my 'ship' design the main export options are always disabled, which I think is because 'vectors in one path' is not ticked. I don't really understand what that means but if I take away the final vector then it fixes it. However I know it is possible to draw the exact vector list using Draw_VLc because I am already doing so manually with this list (SPRITE_SCALE = 20, decimal):

vector_player:
DB 4 ; no. vectors
DB -6*SPRITE_SCALE, 3*SPRITE_SCALE
DB 1*SPRITE_SCALE,-3*SPRITE_SCALE
DB -1*SPRITE_SCALE,-3*SPRITE_SCALE
DB 6*SPRITE_SCALE, 3*SPRITE_SCALE
DB -5*SPRITE_SCALE, 0*SPRITE_SCALE ; Vecci doesn't like the equivalent of this vector

Is there a way to work around that?

Thanks again,

Steve

[Malban]

I am pretty sure, that in respect to the "simple" lists, Vide has no bug.
Finding an error from so far with so small amount of information is difficult.

In general all vectors have to be "connected", not only is no "move" allowed between the start and end points, but they must be "joined" (e.g. with continuous mode).

If they are not joined, but at the same location, cou can still join them, either by using the popup menu, or using the shortcust list button "connect where possible".

Also the directions of the vectors must match. Visualize the direction of the vectors by switching "arrows" on. If one of the faces the wrong direction, you can correct that using the popup menu also ("switch orientation").

The figure you are creating has one point, where 3 vectors start (end) at the same location. Make sure that you "connect" the correct vectors to each other, and don't join more than two vector in a single vertex.

If in doubt, grag the point and move it... are more than two vectors effected, than something is wrong.

vectrex.malban.de/vlist2.png

---

vectrex.malban.de/vlist1.png

(Those images should be displayed... the forum behaves badly!)

Cheers

Chris

[minsoft]

Sept 28, 2020 7:18:44 GMT -5 Malban said:

The figure you are creating has one point, where 3 vectors start (end) at the same location. Make sure that you "connect" the correct vectors to each other, and don't join more than two vector in a single vertex.

If in doubt, grag the point and move it... are more than two vectors effected, than something is wrong.

Aha, where I had used 'connect where possible' it had joined 'too many' points together. So my vector 3 end was connected to vector 0 start as well as vector 4 start. Many thanks again, I can now export it!