No published 'Free Pascal' Books

[Legolas]

It would be just as nice to see a PGD magazine - much like the DevMag.

Stay tuned....

YAY!!! :drool:

[WILL]

Now, I'm intrigued... even I've not heard of any plans.

[arthurprs]

Don't found nothing on the web

if someone found please PM ^^

[sekelsenmat]

Recently, a brazilian publisher named Editora Erica (www.erica.com.br) published a brand new book about introdutory computer programming with
FreePascal.

http://www.editoraerica.com.br/buscafinal.asp?cod=1369

[WILL]

Very cool! Nice find.

Here is a pic of the front cover...



Too bad it's not in English. Or on Amazon.com/etc for that matter. Mind you, covering DOS is a bit of a weird move. I guess some still haven't gotten into 32/64-bit systems yet. :?

So... when is someone going to write/translate a book into English? :lol:

[arthurprs]

Very cool! Nice find.

Here is a pic of the front cover...



Too bad it's not in English. Or on Amazon.com/etc for that matter. Mind you, covering DOS is a bit of a weird move. I guess some still haven't gotten into 32/64-bit systems yet. :?

So... when is someone going to write/translate a book into English? :lol:

100R$ here ;/

I don't work, so vry heavy to my wallet

[edexter]

It doesn't realy cost anything to self publish... I have a users manual (that I already have online) that I can polish up and self-publish just so free pascal is on amazon.com. IF ANYONE CAN DO THE PDF COVER I WILL POST IT.... I see the book ads as a dare..

[Legolas]

....
So here is what I propose... Someone write a book!

Seriously there are a number of topics that could be found useful out there. Here a few sample titles for thought:
...
Homebrew Nintendo DS Programming with Free Pascal
...
Would anyone be seriously considering writing a book in the next year or so?

I'm resuming this old post, because I've started writing something on this subject
It's a spare time project, so I don't know when (and maybe if) I'll finish it... I think I'll release it on lulu.com as pdf for free and as real book for a small fee, in order to cover the printing costs. The book will be available in English and Italian; it will be a bonus cd with compiler, tools and sources too, that I'll put for download on my home page.
At this time I have written a draft for chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4 in Italian. Here's a draft of the index:

[list][*]I. First steps

• 1. Two word to start
  
  • 1.1. Why programming the Nintendo DS?
  • 1.2. Is homebrewing legal?

• 2. Hardware
  
  • 2.1. NDS tech info and features
  • 2.2. Backup devices
  • 2.3. Other devices

• 3. Development tools
  
  • 3.1. Compilers
    
    • devkitARM
    • Free Pascal
  • 3.2. Libraries
    
    • libnds
    • libndsfpc
    • palib
  • 3.3. Emulators
    
    • Debuggers
  • 3.4. Other tools
    
    • Tools for graphics
    • Tools for sound

• 4. Introducing fpc4nds
  
  • 4.1. Get it
  • 4.2. Installing
  • 4.3. Other needed stuff
  • 4.4. Configuration
  • 4.5. Recompiling from sources

• 5. Let's start!
  
  • 5.1. Differences between arm7 and arm9
  • 5.2. Hardware initialization
  • 5.3. Usign both screens
  • 5.4. Using the touch screen and keys
  • 5.5. Loading and saving data
  • 5.6. First example (hello ds!)

[*]II. Graphics

• 6. Backgrounds
  
  • 6.1. What's a background?
  • 6.2. Graphic modes
  • 6.3. Tiles Background
  • 6.4. Extended Background
  • 6.5. Setting memory banks for background
  • 6.6. Example: static background
  • 6.7. Example: dynamic background
  • 6.8. Example: tiled background

• 7. Sprites
  
  • 7.1. What's a sprite?
  • 7.2. Sprites handling on NDS: OAM
  • 7.3. Initialization
  • 7.4. Updating sprites
  • 7.5. Attributes
  • 7.6. Activating and deactivating a sprite
  • 7.7. Moving a sprite
  • 7.8. Rotating a sprite
  • 7.9. Setting the priority
  • 7.10. Setting memory banks for sprites
  • 7.11. Example: Showing some sprites on the screen
  • 7.12. Example: Moving a sprite with the stylus

[*]III. Other stuff

• 8. Sound
  
  • 8.1. Sound handling on DS
  • 8.2. ARM7/ARM9 interworking
  • 8.3. Example: playng a sound
  • 8.4. Example: using modules

• 9. WiFi
  
  • 9.1. WiFi on DS: what can do and what can't do
  • 9.2. Esempio: exchanging data on the web

• 10.Touching things up
  
  • 10.1. Example: interacting with the microphone
  • 10.2. Example: interacting with closing lid
  • 10.3. Example: grab the screen

[*]IV. Appendix

• 11.Tips‚Äôn‚Äôtricks
  
  • 11.1. Fixed-point maths

• 12.References
  
  • 12.1. ]

The writing tool I'm using is LyX, with Koma-script and a hand made template. About the title: something like

[list=a][*]Homebrew Nintendo DS Programming with Free Pascal[*]Nintendo DS for Pascal people[*]Nintendo DS for Pascal addicted[*]Nintendo DS homebrewing with Free Pascal[/list]

Well, I'm open to suggestions :mrgreen:

The book is open to external contributions too: if someone wants to write about a subject on the index, or even about a new argument, please PM me

[arthurprs]

nice idea legolas!

good luck on it

[LP]

Well, I'm open to suggestions :mrgreen:

I'd suggest adding a section on how and where to acquire the license to develop for Nintendo DS. Something about whom to contact, what are the requirements, pitfalls, limitations, the prices and how/where to pick the distribution channels. Also, perhaps a section with an overview of publishers for Nintendo DS.

Unless, of course, your book is targetted at hobby/freeware developers only.