  2.1
Converts
This
page is dedicated to those coming from another dialect, or older versions.
You
can find a (long) list of updates and changes in the PureBasic help file.
Scroll to the bottom of the 'contents' tab and click on 'History'.
PureBasic
freshmen may want to skip this page and continue
with the primer!
2.2
GfaBasic converts
This
part of the survival guide helps former GfaBasic users to get started with
the Windows version of PureBasic.
Why?
Because Gfa is no more. Why PureBasic? Because it somewhat resembles GfaBasic.
Why convert? Because Gfa is no more, and 32 bit PureBasic makes life a
lot easier than old 16 bit GfaBasic for Windows. Why not GfaBasic32? Because
it is no more either (and I never liked it anyway).
Why
this page? To save you time (and to spare you the troubles others went
through).
First
have a look at the previous page, if
you haven't done so already. Then continue below, where you will find a
number of samples and conversions. This is far from complete, more might
be added later. Or not... eternally under construction :-)
Variable-types
Variable
names follow standard conventions. Variable types are defined using a postfix,
except for pointers.
| '
gfabasic
a%
= 1
b!
= FALSE
c$
= "test"
d%
= v:c$ ' pointers are ints |
;
purebasic
a.l
= 1
b.l
= 0 ; there's no boolean, but 0 = false, <>0
= true
c$
= "test" ; or c.s = "test"
*d
= @c$ ; pointers
resemble integers with a different name
|
See also
here.
Variable
scope
Variables
in GFA are by default global, in PureBasic they are by default local. See
also here.
Procedures
In
PureBasic there is no difference between a function and a procedure. Any
procedure can return a value. The type of variable returned is defined
in the procedure declaration.
| '
gfabasic
procedure
test1
' do nothing
return
function
test2(a%,b%)
local c%
c% = a%+b%
return c%
endfunc
test1
d%
= @test2(1,2)
|
;
purebasic
Procedure
test1()
; do nothing
EndProcedure
Procedure.l
test2(a.l,b.l)
c.l = a+b
ProcedureReturn c
EndProcedure
test1()
d.l
= test2(1,2) |
See also
here.
Keywords
Alphabetical
list of GfaBasic vs. PureBasic equivalent or alternative keywords / functions.
| '
gfabasic |
;
purebasic |
| \ |
% |
| ^ |
Pow() |
| ++ |
+1 |
| char{} |
PokeS() |
| do
.. loop |
Repeat
.. Forever |
| exist() |
FileSize() |
| function
.. return .. endfunc |
Procedure
.. ProcedureReturn .. Endprocedure |
| getprocaddress() |
GetFunction() |
| inkey$ |
Inkey() |
| input$(1) |
no
equivalent |
| instr() |
FindString() |
| l: |
no
equivalent |
| loadlibrary() |
OpenLibrary() |
| mod |
% |
| not |
Not |
| p:() |
CallFunctionFast() |
| print |
PrintN() |
| procedure
.. return |
Procedure
.. EndProcedure |
| rinstr() |
no
equivalent (see x_rfindstring()) |
| select
.. case .. endselect |
Select
.. Case .. Endselect |
| string$() |
Lset() |
| v: |
@ |
DLL's
In
16 bit GfaBasic it is necessary to do type forcing / type conversion when
making a DLL call. This is not necessary in PureBasic.
| '
gfabasic
ws_winsock_h&
= LoadLibrary("WINSOCK.DLL") ' load the DLL and get back the
DLL handle
ws_wsastartup%
= GetProcAddress(ws_winsock_h&,"WSAStartup") ' find the
address of the function
...
ws_retval&
= P:(ws_wsastartup%)($101,L:V:ws_wsadata.)
|
|
| ;
purebasic 4.30
ws_winsock_h.i
= OpenLibrary(1,"WSOCK32.DLL") ; load the DLL and get back the DLL
handle
*ws_wsastartup
= GetFunction(1,"WSAStartup") ; find the address of the function
...
ws_retval.i
= CallFunctionFast(*ws_wsastartup,$101,@ws_wsadata)
|
|
See also
here
and here.
2.3
PureBasic 4.00
PureBasic
3.94 was a giant leap forward from older versions. Now v4.00 and all later
versions go to infinity and beyond ;-) Yes, as usual they break older code
(a PureBasic habit) but what you get in trade is soooo cool, you're definitely
going to like it. Here I'll add a few of the more obvious changes...
Changes
Some
functions have changed in naming or syntax to become more consistent, or
have been slightly improved, or are simply outright new. First stuff that
changed, by keyword...
| 3.94 |
4.xx |
| Inkey() |
only
returns a single character |
| IsFunction() |
GetFunction() |
| Procedure() |
now
supports
default
values and optional parameters |
| Protected,
Shared,
Global,
Static |
now
allows assignment of values
to variables |
| ResizeWindow(),
MoveWindow() |
now
combined similar to ResizeGadget() |
| Select
Case EndSelect |
Case
now supports ranges |
| ReadByte(),
ReadWord(), ReadString(), etc. |
specify
file number: ReadByte(<nr>) etc. |
| UseFile() |
obsolete,
file nr now specified in file commands |
| UseWindow() |
obsolete,
window nr now specified in window commands |
| WindowWidth(),
WindowHeight() |
WindowWidth(<nr>),
WindowHeight(<nr>) |
New
features
2.4
PureBasic 4.30
A new
version, and new updates! And, as usual, it breaks your existing code :-)
Biggest
change is the support of the new integer
variable type .i for 32 or 64 bit programs. Just like the size of 'char'
.c depends on Unicode mode, so
does the size of 'integer' .i depend on the platform the code will be run
on. The same applies to pointers!
The
x86 32 bits version and x64 64 bits version have two different install
packages. You can write cross platform code, but you can't generate it
on the same platform.
-
Use Linux
to generate Linux programs.
-
Use Windows
32 bits to generate and test 32 bits programs.
-
Use Windows
64 bits to generate and test either 32 bits or 64 bits programs.
Obviously
I missed most changes (hehe) but perhaps I'll run into them and mark them
with a newer version of PureBasic...
Changes.
Some
functions have changed in naming or syntax to become more consistent, or
have been slightly improved, or are simply outright new. First stuff that
changed, by keyword...
| 4.20 |
4.30 |
| CreateGadgetList() |
no
longer in use, each OpenWindow() now creates its own gadgetlist, you can
still use UseGadgetList() |
| Read |
you
now specify the type of data to be read, as in Read.s Read.l etcetera |
| StrQ(),
ValQ() |
...
are no longer needed (see the help file) |
| CountList() |
ListSize() |
| lists
and arrays as procedure parameters |
now
need additional
keywords (not sure if it was 4.30 that changed this though... could
be earlier) |
New
features.
| .i
is a new integer variable that is either 32 or 64 bits depending on the
platform |
| DesktopX()
and DesktopY() make multi monitor programming easier |
2.5
PureBasic 4.40
Another
version, another chance to break things :-)
Many
new features showed up in 4.40. Some of the changes below might have been
introduced in a previous version, in which case I simply missed them :-)
Changes.
Other.
| alphachannel
support (when things get funny try 24 bit image depth for images and /
or icons instead of 32) |
| new
unsigned
variable types .a and .u |
| hash
tables aka maps (very cool feature!) |
| regular
expressions |
| sqlite
blobs |
| projects |
2.6
PureBasic 4.50
Shorter
release cycle with perhaps fewer features but indeed some important ones!
Many bugs seem to be squashed as well.
One
of the important changes is the way lower depth images are now handled...
all images are now 24 bits (without alpha channel) or 32 bits (with alpha
channel), though you can still save them with a lower depth. Also pay attention
to the improvements to the debugger...
Changes.
| 4.40 |
4.50 |
| multiple
image depths (on Windows only) |
images
are now either 24 or 32 bits! |
Other.
| multiple
compilers selectable |
| purifier
tool |
| improved
debugger |
| data
breakpoints |
Obviously,
and as usual... this doesn't mean there were no other changes, it just
means I didn't spot them, used them, of bothered mentioning them :-)
2.7
PureBasic 4.60b1
This
upcoming release mostly brings improvements on the 3D side, but there are
some other additions and improvements as well.
2.8
PureBasic 5.11
I've
skipped a few versions, and the list of changes is humongous! Check the
'history' section in the help file for an overview of all changes. Here
are some that caught my attention:
| IP
v6 |
| retrieve
environmental information such as ComputerName() |
| line
continuation aka multiline (yes!) |
| wordwrap
in the editor gadget |
| open
files in shared mode |
| new
sounds commands like GetSoundPosition() |
| FreeXXX() |
| Bool() |
| improved
TypeOf() |
| updated
SQLite and Ogre |
| better
Mac support |
| many
3D commands |
| IDE:
reformatting code and other improvements |
| form
designer |
2.9
PureBasic 5.20
And
more changes, mostly related to audio, graphics and joystick. Especially
the sprite stuff has been redone. Good stuff for those that want to build
a game...
2.10
PureBasic 5.70 LTS
After
a long time I'm working again on the survival guide. In the meantime, purebasic
5.70 arrived, and as usual it made some (many!) chances... As I've been
paying little attention since 5.11 the list of changes since 5.11 would
become rather large... I'll just settle for my major observations... Of
course I might simply have overlooked any of these in earlier versions...
Get
ready and start with Primer Part I! 
2.x
Uncovered...
This
little section is here for my own use, so I can see what I forgot, need
to add, or just ignore... Move on, people,
nothing to see here :-)
A
all
sprite3d stuff
alphablend()
a.point
= b.point
addwindowtimer()
Ascii()
B
blob
blob
C
cpuname()
customgradient()
clearstructure
cipher
libraryCopyList() CopyMap() CopyArray() FreeList() FreeMap() FreeArray()
CopyStructure()
cipher
library
CreateFile()
unicode support
ClipOutput(),
UnclipOutput(), SetOrigin(), GetOriginX(), GetOriginY()
CPUName(),
Un/BindEvent(), Un/BindGadgetEvent(), Un/BindMenuEvent()
D
DPI
aware support for windows apps
DesktopResolutionX(),
DesktopResolutionY(), DesktopScaleX(), DesktopScaleY(), DesktopUnscaleX(),
DesktopUnscaleY()
directx11
data
defined()
?
datasection
drawrotatedtext()
datasection
Defined()
function
drawalphaimage()
Div
?
DisplayTranslucentSprite()
-> replaced with 'Alpha' parameter for DisplayTransparentSprite()
DisplaySolidSprite()
-> replaced with 'Color' parameter for DisplayTransparentSprite()
DisplayRGBFilter()
-> can be replaced with a zoomed sprite with color
DisplayShadowSprite()
-> can be replaced with DisplayTransparentSprite() with color
E
editorgadget
wordwrap
Event()
eventtimer()
finishdatabasequery()
exist()
?
EnumerationBinary
ExamineRegularExpression()
F
fonts
FlushPreferenceBuffers()
G
GetSoundPosition()
FormatNumber()
gradientcolor()
etc.
FlushPreferenceBuffers()
grabdrawingimage()
G
GetUserDirectory()
GadgetWidth/Height()
#PB_Gadget_RequiredSize support
GIF
decoder support
H
I
Interface
imageframes
(SetImageFrame etc.)
import
/ importc / endimport
interfaces
J
joystick()
JoystickName(),
JoystickZ()
K
L
lineargradient()
etc.
line
continuation character _ ?
Literal
string escape support using '~'
license
files to easy add the needed information when shipping PB programs (see
reference documentation)
M
Module
MemoryStringLength()
Mod
?
module
support
multicharacter
stringfield
monitor
coordinates
maps
memorysize()
macro's
N
network
library
new
IDE shortcuts ^e ^m
O
OpenConsole:
an optional 'Mode' parameter for OpenConsole()
OpenScreen()
flipmode and refreshrate
on
x call y,y,y,y ?
offsetof
outputwidth()
P
postgresqldatabase()
projects
preferences
PlaySound()
volume support
PostEvent()
Q
R
Runtime
runtime
library ?
removewindowtimer()
RGBA()
Alpha()
read
resize
window / resize gadget etc. ?
ReverseString()
RoundRect()
regular
expressions
ReceiveHTTPMemory()
ReadCharacter
unicode support
RunProgram()
unicode support
ReadFile()
shared read / write
ReadProgramString()
format parameter
RefreshDialog()
ReceiveHTTPMemory()
ReceiveHTTPFile()
S
string
escape support using ~
StringFingerPrint()
SetRefreshRate()
ShortcutGadget()
StatusBarImage()
ScreenWidth()
sizeof
statusbarprogress()
statusbarimage()
shortcutgadget()
SaveImage()
depth parameter
statusbarheight()
?
sgn()
?
SetDatabaseBlob(),
SetDatabaseFloat(), SetDatabaseDouble(), SetDatabaseLong()
StringFingerprint()
StartFingerprint()
NextFingerprint() AddFingerprint() etc.
SpriteOutput()
for DX and OpenGL 32 bit support
StartSpecialFX(),
StopSpecialFX(), DisplayAlphaSprite(), ChangeAlphaIntensity(), UseBuffer()
T
toolbar
now supports large icons and text
threads
Threaded
threaded
trim
ltrim rtrim character
toolbarheight()
?
tar
archive support
U
UTF8()
V
W
X
Y
Z
zoomsprite()
#
#PB_File_SharedWrite
support to ReadFile() and CreateFile()
#StringConstant$
#PB_File_SharedRead
2d
drawing modes imageoutput()
.a
.u
^
7z
archive creation
|
