[Coco] Rainbow IDE 1.2

[Roger Taylor]

At 10:45 AM 4/24/2006, you wrote:
>Roger,
>I've been very busy working on my Doctor of Ministry degree so I don't 
>have much time to play with the CoCo like I want to. However, I would like 
>to see FORTH implemented in Rainbow IDE if possible. I just moved to El 
>Paso (last month) and I still don't have my desktop computer setup so I 
>can't give you any helpful information from previous experiments (my 
>memory is not as good as it used to be!). Before I moved, I started to 
>play around with FORTH and I really like it. It would be nice if I could 
>get a copy of FORTH written for the Color Computer and then I could do 
>some research for you when I get the time. Anyhow thanks for creating such 
>a useful program like Rainbow IDE.
>
>Alan


Hey Alan,

Rainbow is one of those programs that had/has to be engineered instead of 
"written", and Portal-9 led the way through trial and error of what needs 
to be done for the IDE to please the entire 8-bit hobbyist/embedded 
community.  One thing that will please 1,000 more users is the addition of 
something like Forth, ofcourse.  I like it!

Lead me to a 32-bit Windows console Forth compiler, or maybe a 16-bit one 
unless it's for real MS-DOS, and I'll try to add it.  Rainbow is designed 
and being further designed to work with "source code processors" instead of 
just "assemblers".  In other words, the IDE won't limit its way of thinking 
to just assemblers but just refer to everything that takes input and 
produces an object as a processor.  Eventually, the user will be able to 
connect these to each other as well as prewritten filters, etc. in a 
graphical way much like the Windows DirectX editor that lets you drag and 
drop filters and processors and connect each other via in/out 
pins.  Ofcourse, I'm jumping the gun here by talking about my ideas, but 
that's pretty much what has to be done whether it's behind the scenes or 
visual.

The idea is to start with an object and treat it as source code, process 
it, and output another object.  Some languages require compiling, 
assembling, then linking, which would be three source processors for that 
language, etc.  I'm working hard to make this happen in near versions of 
the IDE.

So far, the OS-9 Level II RMA assembler has been added, and it works!  For 
those who aren't reading this slow enough, ... RMA for Windows!  It's like 
assembling from OS-9 but you're doing it from Rainbow and it outputs the 
same objects.  Ofcourse, these tools are part of Boisy's ToolShed package 
so I can't claim anything there except for the smooth integration and ease 
of use from the powerful IDE I'm wrapping around all these great 
tools.  The trouble with RMA is that RLink is not incorporated yet.  It 
does nothing but sit there and is not even called on yet.  Expect this to 
appear in the next few updates or so.

-- 
Roger Taylor