BASIC 8 (orBASIC 8.0) – "The Enhanced Graphics System For The C128" – was an American-designed graphics system developed by Walrusoft ofGainesville, Florida[1] and published in 1986 by Patech Software ofSomerset, New Jersey. The system was anextension ofCommodore'sBASIC 7.0 for theCommodore 128 computer. BASIC 8.0 provided commands lacking in BASIC 7.0 to generate (color)graphics in the C128's high-resolution 80-column mode (640×200pixels) forRGB monitors.
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Unlike its competitors, such as theApple II andAtari 8-bit computers, Commodore’sBASIC 2.0 programming language built into theCommodore 64 (C-64) lacks commands for generating sound and high-resolution,bit-mapped graphics, and responding tojoysticks andgame paddles. Instead, awkward and slow BASICPEEK and POKE sequences, or custom-writtenassembly language routines, are required to accomplish these tasks. The lack of suitable BASIC commands led to the development of many third-party language extensions, such asSimons' BASIC, greatly reducing the complication of writing games in BASIC.
Upon its introduction in 1985, theCommodore 128 (C-128) had BASIC 7.0—a substantially more-powerful version of BASIC 2.0—that includes commands for sound and graphics generation, as well as joystick and paddle detection. In addition to its more-powerful BASIC, the C-128 is equipped with dual video displays: an8563 video display controller (VDC) for generating an 80-column text display, and an enhancedVIC-II video interface controller for generating a 40-column text display like that of the C-64.
When operated in its high-resolution, bit-mapped display mode, the VDC is capable of 640 × 200pixel resolution, twice that of the VIC-II’s 320 × 200 pixel resolution. However, the BASIC 7.0 commands that manipulate bit-mapped graphics are only effective on the VIC-II display. If a programmer wishes to generate bit-mapped graphics on the VDC display, s/he must resort to assembly language (there are intractable difficulties in PEEKing and POKEing VDC registers) and deal with the convoluted means by which the VDC is controlled.[1]
BASIC 8.0, available viafloppy disk orROM, provided many graphics commands that were competitive with the C128's competitors in the high-end 8-bit microcomputer market. BASIC 8.0 was fully compatible with the various first-partyRAM and video RAM expansion chips andcartridges, as well asmice andjoysticks. It also provided basic3D graphics commands.[2] Along with a 188-page manual, the software package included an example of aGUI, and a high-respaint program,Basic Paint, both developed using BASIC 8.0.
RUN magazine published in February 1986 "Ultra Hi-Res Graphics", an article describing the VDC's bitmapped mode and including atype-in program (written in8502assembly language) that extended BASIC 7.0's capabilities to support 640×200 high-resolution graphics using the 8563. Authors Lou Wallace and David Darus later developed the Ultra Hi-Res utility into a commercial package, what would becomeBASIC 8.0.
The BASIC 8 package was developed by Walrusoft's Louis Wallace and David Darus, with contributions from Ken French (printer drivers) and indirectly from Richard Rylander (who allowed his 3D solids commands for theCommodore 64, originally published inDr. Dobb's Journal, to be converted to the C128's hi-res mode).
Source code of some of the BASIC 8 package was provided, and the BASIC 8.0 disk lacked any sort ofcopy protection, but this was before theOpen Source Initiative; it was done as a courtesy. Instead of threatening legal action, Walrusoft simply asked users not to copy the software in the documentation. It worked; BASIC 8.0 became one of the best selling expansions for the C128.[citation needed]
In BASIC 8.0, all added commands were prefaced with the@ mark, which was not normally used in Commodore BASIC, to distinguish between the original and the new keywords. The use of this character would allow the developer to extend BASIC 7.0 without having to re-tokenize the commands as it was done on the C64. It was accomplished by trapping the syntax error generated by the command.
@CHAR – Displays a text string on a bitmap field (similar to the BASIC 7.0's low-resCHAR command)@MODE – Switch between one of up to 32 high-res screens@PAINT – Fill a closed area with a color or a pattern@PIXEL – Returns the color value of a pixel@STASH – Copies part or all of a screen for later usage@WALRUS – Displays the Walrusoft logo and the type/size of video RAM used (16K or 64K)@WINDOWOPEN – Define part of the screen as a 'window' for purposes of drawing{{cite magazine}}:Cite magazine requires|magazine= (help)