Subject: Re: Q: Newbie programming help
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From: Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>
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Date: Sat, 10 Jul 1999 13:15:33 -0500
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Sean Alexander Cooke writes ...
> 
> Hi:
> 
> I just recently downloaded (and got working) Applewin. It's been about 11
> years since I last saw the screen of an Apple II and it's great to return.
> I remember a good deal about all the games I used to play as a kid, and
> downloading the images and playing them is a thrill. Who would think
> Bouncing Kumangas could be so much fun?
> 
> Anyway, what I don't remember much about is programming. Like I said, I
> was a kid when I first started with an Apple II (we got ours when I was 5)
> and I wrote some basic (no pun intended) programs back then (to pick
> lottery numbers, do math problems, etc.) I remember a small portion, but
> enough to be any fun. In fact, I'd love to learn more advanced programming
> for the Apple II. I am aware that this is not really a practical skill to
> learn,

     Tsk! Bit of a diplomatic slip there. (This is, after all the comp.sys.
-->apple2<-- .programmer newsgroup.) The place to comment about how impractical
Apple II programming is would be a PC, Mac, Amiga, C-64, Tandy, TI, ...
newsgroup.

     Anyway, if you want to make an Apple II do stuff for you, Apple II
programming is as practical as most things.



>  but I thought it would be fun, and probably within my range of
> ability. Can anyone suggest to me a good place to find information
> (hopefully free...i.e., on the web) about programming for the Apple II.
> I'm willing to learn just about anything that I can make do something,
> from BASIC programs to graphics to whatever.

     Your best Apple II 'getting started' web resource is probably the
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) maintained for comp.sys.apple2 and newsgroups
in the Csa2 family on the Ground archive and other major Apple II sites.

     If you are on the net with a browser, you can get to the FAQs at 
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/A2FAQs1START.html . Click on "Enter Main Hall"
for 'getting started' Q&A or on "Major Apple II Links" for a listing of many
useful places to visit.



Otherwise, see the file Csa21MAIN at ...

Ground offers pure Text for downloading or Viewing via
  an FTP program ...
  ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2/Faqs/
 
Text on the ACN Florida, ACN Tarnover, and USA2WUG sites is
 line-length formatted for on-line perusing via Netscape, etc. ...
 
 ftp://24.96.48.134:6502/Cabi_Archives/FAQs.and.INFO/A2.Csa2.FAQs/
 ftp://tarnover.dyndns.org/cabi/FAQs.and.INFO/A2.Csa2.FAQs/
 http://www.grin.net/~cturley/A2.FAQs.and.INFO/CSA2.FAQs/



Here are some good web sources for BASIC programming help:

Apple Cabi.net- Tarnover
  ftp://209.180.253.179/cabi/FAQs.and.INFO/LanguagesAndProgramming/
  ftp://209.180.253.179/cabi/Languages.Programming/

Apple II Lessons & Software
  http://www.iglou.com/qwerty/kb/dlfiles.html

Apple II Programmer's Archive
  http://net-24-42.dhcp.mcw.edu/a2pa.html

Apple2.org- old faqs
http://www.apple2.org/faq/FAQ.applesoft.html

Ground
  ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/MiscInfo/Applesoft/

Home of the Apple II
  http://www.educate.net.au/~apple2/

SoWhat Software
  http://www.sowhatsoftware.com/home.html

comp.sys.apple2.programmer

comp.sys.apple2



> I understand there are
> probably some books I can buy, maybe on eBAY, that would be interesting,
> but I thought I'd start here first.
> 
 ....

     There are many good books on Apple II BASIC (Applesoft) programming.
Places like eBAY and comp.sys.apple2 marketplace would have some books for
sale. On-line sellers, such as Amazon.com, list many titles which they will
search for if asked. Definitely, check out used book stores, swap meets, school
sales, ..., too.

     For a listing of Apple II vendors and publishers with web links, see the
Csa2MAIN files mentioned earlier or go to
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/A2FAQs3VENDORS.html .
 

     Of course, the #1 Applesoft information source is the Basic Programming
Reference Manual  from Apple. Here are some other good materials to look for
...

     Apple II User's Guide   by Poole, Martin, and Cook
     Apple II Reference Manual  from Apple
     Beagle Bros "Peeks, Pokes, and Pointers" (poster)   by Beagle Bros
     ProDOS Inside and Out   by Doms and Weishaar
     The DOS Manual   from Apple



     One of the best ways to learn BASIC programming is to find some old game
you like written in BASIC and experiment with customizing it. You can download
piles of games and other software from the major archives and transfer it to
your Apple. This is discussed in the FAQs, too.

     For sure, you'll want to get Program Writer-- the absolute best ever
Applesoft BASIC program writing editor. It is available for downloading from
Ron Kneusel's Programmer's Archive site at
http://net-24-42.dhcp.mcw.edu/a2pa.html .


     Programming on an Apple IIe emulator running on your PC is not quite the
same as programming on the real thing. Emus, for example, generally seem not to
handle Apple II sound very well.

     Eventually, you may decide to move to a real II and get a IIgs with
super-res display, lots of RAM, hard disk, stereo card, etc.. If so, you will
still be able to program in Applesoft BASIC and have to option of moving up to
the new Byte Works GS-BASIC.



Rubywand