So how goes the next version of Allegro.pas?
I'd updaded version 4.4.2 on Monday. I didn't say it here because after this summer I have less free time (I don't know why as I didn't changed my routine).
It has new functions to calculate "paths". They're similar than the ones that draws lines, circles, ellipses, etc. but they call a callback function for each point instead. Also I've added "splines", few more examples and some other small changes.
And I've changed the demonstration game a bit. I've simplified the tilemap unit so the drawing function is simpler (actually I don't know why I did it so complicated) and I've made a better interface for the map-editor using some "algui" objects and drawings.
Download it from here.
About the next version, I've decided that version 4.5 will be fully rewritten; actually it should be version 5.0, but I want to use the old API (Allegro developers are designing a new one for 5.0). The idea is to wipe out the shared library and do everything in Pascal (first using the RTL to define the basic drivers, then adding new drivers for DirectX, DOS, Linux, GameBoy, etc), trying to make it compilable in FPC, Delphi and others (GNU/Pascal, may be)
But first I'll try to create some small games to try to attract developers that would help in the new version. And also the new TileStudio...
Last edited by Ñuño Martínez; 06-10-2010 at 11:09 AM.
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Will you rewrite some of the docs to match the changes that are done in Pascal verion of Allegro vs the C/C++ one?
How much cross platform compatibility is there? Ie. Can I run it natively on Linux and Mac? Just wondering...
I once tried to change the world. But they wouldn't give me the source code. Damned evil cunning.
DOS and DS support sound good
Hi. Sorry for this long time to answer but I was wasting my time in things that finally doesn't be useful (except an HTML5 example I wrote).
I try to keep the documentation up-to-date, and it's slightly different than the original Allegro. Actually there are some procedures, functions and variables that behave a bit different than the original.
For example: in C you do:
While in Pascal you do:Code:if (allegro_init ()) ManageError ("Can't init Allegro");
Which is just the opposite. All that is documented.Code:IF NOT al_init THEN ManageError ('Can''t init Allegro');
I know there are some lacks in the documentation, specially it lacks of "See also" links.
Actually I didn't tested it because my G4 dead some years ago, but AFAIK it should work, but you must do some work:
- Install Allegro and Free Pascal (obviously )
- Get Allegro.pas and edit the file albase.pas adding a new "ALLEGRO_SHARED_LIBRARY_NAME" for MacOS (You'll see I've added a "TODO" note mentioning MacOS X ). It should be the name of the dylib file.
- Use the "make" file to build the examples and demo game, or compile them using your favourite IDE.
- Tell me what happened and the patch so I can add it to the next release.
Note that Allegro itself doesn't work perfectly on MacOS. Also Lazarus has some problems on this platform. So be kind and don't blame me a lot if it doesn't work.
About Linux, it's my platform so it works like a charm.
Yes, I know, I should do some small game demos... Actually I have two games (one is this one ) but both are too large. I had some small game ideas but I never feel the motivation.
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