2025 Linux Mint install

[Bonkers]

My GCB reports, using just $prompt: gcbasic, return, the build1288:

kevin@kevin-ThinkPad-A275:~/Documents/PICS/rotary_decode$ gcbasic
GCBASIC - A BASIC compiler for microcontrollers
Version: 1.01.00 2023-09-23 (Linux 64 bit) : Build 1288

[Bonkers]

Anobium -
Wow... build 1288. That is a very old build. All scripts and the toolchain is very different in the latest build.
I would download again and retry the GCBASIC install.

I'm looking into this. Perhaps in the wrong places.
Googling GCBASIC gets me to sourceforge, 1,2,3 in list.
Yes there is 4th, a GCBASIC.com page - but this has a download for Windows only.

Sourceforge shows the most recent update statistic, - i.e. when the download file was delivered to them. See screenshot attached.
It states:

GCBASIC - Linux Distribution - - 2023-09-23

Is this is the reason for the very old build?
Where should I be getting the latest build from?

[Anobium]

Totally my fault. I have automated scripts and they have been failing for a long time... clearly.

I have uploaded a new build RAR. The build number is 1450.

If you have time then this is the correct baseline. Meaning this is current automated Linux build. Yes there many by issues but we should resolve as this is the Gold build.

Sorry for the oversight by me.

[Anobium]

Ping me if you have RAR file issues. I am no expert on Linux but the RAR is my responsibility

The RAR is the very latest build - hopefully stable.

[mmotte]

Anobium and Kevin,

So the old Microchip PK2CMD has a replacement in the PICKitPlus suite as PKCMD-LX .
This is the software that burns the chips through PicKit2 programmer.

Has this got all the new chips data?

73
Mike

[Anobium]

PK+ for Linux supports all the new chips.

We are releasing a new PK2 programmer this month! If anyone is interested.

[mmotte]

I just installed the new linux build and it works.

The only stubble block was line 130 of the linuxbuild install.sh which had capitals in > turned them to lower case and it worked.

  cp -p linuxbuild/supportfiles/* ..

gcbasic /NP /K:A /A:GCASM first-start-sample.gcb
GCBASIC (2025.01.10 (Linux 64 bit) : Build 1450)

Compiling: first-start-sample.gcb
Program compiled successfully (Compile time: 0 seconds)

Summary:
     Compiled:
          Program lines: 5
          Subroutines:  User: 0 ; System: 3 of 478 ; Total: 3
     Chip resource usage:
          Program Memory: 62/8192 words (.76%)
          RAM: 0/368 bytes (0%)
          OSC: INTOSCIO, 8Mhz (Internal oscillator)

Assembling program using GCASM
Program assembled successfully (Assembly time: 0 seconds)

Using GCBASIC ?

Please donate to help support the 2025 operational costs. Donate using https://gcbasic.com/donate/ 
Done

Thanks Anobium,
Mike

[Anobium]

Great news.

Send me the updated script and I will update the master file.

Build 1451 properly supports bitwise shitfing. So, I will post build 1451 after I get the script.

[Bonkers]

Thanks Anobium, I've done a clean install from the latest file on sourceforge - it all works!

kevin@kevin-ThinkPad-A275:~/Downloads/GCBASIC/sources/linuxbuild$ gcbasic -v
GCBASIC - A BASIC compiler for microcontrollers
Version: 2025.01.10 (Linux 64 bit) : Build 1450

For reference, it's the most recent file by date, in the screenshot attached, not the "download latest version" - i.e. this file: https://sourceforge.net/projects/gcbasic/files/GCBASIC%20-%20Linux%20Distribution/GCB%40Syn_011120251450.rar/download

Interestingly, the archive can now be extracted using the "file manager" GUI - and now prompts for a password, rather than exiting unexpectedly.

I had to move the old version " mv GCBASIC old_GCB" - as deleting not an option if the folder is full. This from the command line only. Simple enough.

final proof is below, a first xx.gcb file compiled...

kevin@kevin-ThinkPad-A275:~/Documents/PICS/rotary_decode$ gcbasic TM1637_test2.gcb
GCBASIC (2025.01.10 (Linux 64 bit) : Build 1450)

Compiling: TM1637_test2.gcb
Program compiled successfully (Compile time: 0 seconds)

Summary:
     Compiled:
          Program lines: 276
          Subroutines:  User: 0 ; System: 12 of 487 ; Total: 12
     Chip resource usage:
          Program Memory: 446/2048 words (21.78%)
          RAM: 28/128 bytes (21.87%)
          OSC: INTRC_OSC_NOCLKOUT, 8Mhz (Internal oscillator)

Developing solutions using GCBASIC ?

Donate to help support the operational costs. Donate here https://gcbasic.com/donate/ 
Done
kevin@kevin-ThinkPad-A275:~/Documents/PICS/rotary_decode$ 

many thanks to all

[Anobium]

There is a new build tomorrow - but are the only on the planet on that build!!

[Bonkers]

Closing remarks, as I revisit this 7 weeks later:
TLDR summary - use WINE - astonishingly easy.

All the grief above only resulted in a command-line GCBasic compiler in Linux.
OK it was also a fresh and adaptable compile of the full GCB source code, in FreeBASIC, compiling a compiler ,..
This is not really what I was after. No blame implied, my fault for asking the wrong question.

I wanted the GCB I am familiar with, a regular windows program with buttons for ASM, HEX, HEX+FLASH.
In particular, I wanted the nice multi-coloured GCB code-editor that recognises comments, values, keywords. It's great for presentations and printouts. I've then avoided "choosing a religion" with regards to code-editors, and the ballache of setting-up reserved words, colours etc.

I'm astounded, WINE didn't need any setup , licensing, version definition - it just ran, unpacking about 20k files, DLLs, allsorts - and then popped-up the familiar GCB screen, ready to go.

It just worked.

It even mapped the Linux file system into a windows "C:\" my documents" arrangement - so I could navigate to old code (copied previously) just as before.

TLDR (too long, didn't read, IYRN2K)
The best Linux install process, IMO, consists only of downloading the latest windows install: GCstudioSetup.exe 308MB.
Navigate to that directory.., ~/Downloads$ ,,, and type :
wine GCstudioSetup.exe
Watch and admire

[Anobium]

Some great insights here! Thanks for posting.