FreeBASIC Extended Library 0.3.1 Released

[sir_mud]

About the Extended Library:
Since 2007, the FreeBASIC Extended Library aims to provide a portable, community-driven set of libraries designed exclusively for FreeBASIC development, and includes many commonly used game-oriented and general purpose APIs written by the community and licensed under a BSD type license to maximize user freedom.

Big thanks to everyone who has contributed to this and previous releases, we couldn't do it without you!

Changelog:
Now includes Windows Installer with bundled Documentation
Numerous Bug Fixes
New Module: Options - command-line option parsing (similar to GNU getopt)
Version Control switched to Mercurial
Lot's more!

Downloads: http://code.google.com/p/fb-extended-lib/downloads/list
Online API Reference: http://ext.freebasic.net/dev-docs/

Also new with this release is the launch of our revamped website: http://ext.freebasic.net. We'll be posting more articles and tutorials for your pleasure so check back soon. The new site also includes a new forum exclusively for the discussion of the Extended Library @ http://ext.freebasic.net/forum/

We need your help!
The FreeBASIC Extended Library is always looking for new submissions. Submissions do not necessarily need to be code, in fact our primary concern at the moment is improving the documentation. We feel the best way to improve the documentation is with more tutorials and a User's Guide that combines an overview of the api (the what) of the modules with the why, the how and the when. So if you are handy with a text editor and know your way around a certain part of the library, please help us out by writing a tutorial or an in-depth article about a submodule/class/set of functions. After review, your submission may be added to the User's Guide. For other ideas on how to contribute to this (or any other open source) project here: http://www.softwarequalityconnection.com/2012/03/14-ways-to-contribute-to-open-source-without-being-a-programming-genius-or-a-rock-star/ is a great article. Thank you for your time and I hope you enjoy using the FreeBASIC Extended Library as much as we have enjoyed working on it!

[dafhi]

In frogger example, I get file not found:

Code: Select all

#include once "ext/graphics/sprite.bi"

I installed the lib. Also, FB is in a partion other than windows, and I didn't install FB, but rather unzipped it from a previous install under a different windows. I usually have problems with libs .. I don't know what to do other than installing fb 'as intended,' which I'd rather not.

Is there an easy path to success here?

[sir_mud]

The installer prompts you for the location of the FreeBASIC directory to ensure the headers and libraries are placed in the correct location. Being on a different partition will not affect it at all, but you may need to uninstall and reinstall giving the correct location.

[dafhi]

problem for that fixed: fbc wasn't in a folder called FreeBasic.
but now I get "ld.exe: cannot find -lext-z-win32

[sir_mud]

That one is located in the ext-bin directory along with the DLL files. You can safely move it to lib/win32.

[dafhi]

works now, thanks!

[VANYA]

I do not get the template: (
Please tell me what's wrong doing?

And why do we need : in a macro?

Code: Select all

 include once "ext/templates.bi"

' ElementType - the type of elements iterated through.
# macro Find_Define( __, ElementType )
:
    ' Gets an iterator `it` to the first element in the range [first,last) for
    ' which `*it = value` is true, or `last` if there is no such element.
    function Find overload ( first as fbext_TypeName(ElementType) ptr, _
                             last as fbext_TypeName(ElementType) ptr,  _
                             value as fbext_TypeName(ElementType)      _
    ) as fbext_TypeName(ElementType) ptr
    ? first,last,value
        do while first < last
            if *first = value then exit do
            first += 1
        loop
        return first
   
    end function
:
# endmacro

Dim a As UByte Ptr  = New UByte[10]
Dim b As UByte Ptr  = a 'save a
For i As Integer = 0 To 10
   *a=i
   a+=1
Next

? Find_Define(Find(b,(b+8),6),(ubyte) )
Delete[] b
sleep


[Merick]

Meh, Norton deleted the installer as soon as it finished downloading, stupid norton, the only reason I keep using it is that it's free with my internet service.


Anyway, that installer is a bit confusing. When you run it it says that if FB is installed in "C:\FreeBASIC" you need to put in "C:\", but if you do that it just dumps everything into c:\ and not c:\FreeBASIC as the installer it saying it would

[MOD]

I would prefer a zip-version, I hate installers.

[Coolman]

I would prefer a zip-version, I hate installers.

+1

[sir_mud]

Thank you for your feedback! I've modified the wording in the installer so it is more clear now, you may need to edit the path in the box once you've browsed for the correct directory as it seems the installer insists on putting *something* after the directory you provide, i'll reupload when I figure that out. The installer now also places the included static zlib and sqlite3 libraries in the lib/win32 directory by default as they are renamed to not conflict. Per popular demand i've also added a zip file containing the windows binaries. to install copy the inc and lib directories to your freebasic install.

[sir_mud]

I do not get the template: (
Please tell me what's wrong doing?

And why do we need : in a macro?

Code: Select all

 include once "ext/templates.bi"

' ElementType - the type of elements iterated through.
# macro Find_Define( __, ElementType )
:
    ' Gets an iterator `it` to the first element in the range [first,last) for
    ' which `*it = value` is true, or `last` if there is no such element.
    function Find overload ( first as fbext_TypeName(ElementType) ptr, _
                             last as fbext_TypeName(ElementType) ptr,  _
                             value as fbext_TypeName(ElementType)      _
    ) as fbext_TypeName(ElementType) ptr
    ? first,last,value
        do while first < last
            if *first = value then exit do
            first += 1
        loop
        return first
   
    end function
:
# endmacro

Dim a As UByte Ptr  = New UByte[10]
Dim b As UByte Ptr  = a 'save a
For i As Integer = 0 To 10
   *a=i
   a+=1
Next

? Find_Define(Find(b,(b+8),6),(ubyte) )
Delete[] b
sleep


Code: Select all

#include once "ext/templates.bi"

' ElementType - the type of elements iterated through.
# macro Find_Define( __, ElementType )
:
    ' Gets an iterator `it` to the first element in the range [first,last) for
    ' which `*it = value` is true, or `last` if there is no such element.
    function Find overload ( first as fbext_TypeName(ElementType) ptr, _
                             last as fbext_TypeName(ElementType) ptr,  _
                             value as fbext_TypeName(ElementType)      _
    ) as fbext_TypeName(ElementType) ptr

        do while first < last
            if *first = value then exit do
            first += 1
        loop
        return first

    end function
:
# endmacro

Find_Define(__,(ubyte))

Dim a As UByte Ptr  = New UByte[10]
Dim b As UByte Ptr  = a 'save a
For i As Integer = 0 To 10
   *a=i
   a+=1
Next

? Find(b,(b+8),6)
Delete[] b
sleep


Define is not a function call, it produces the code for you to call. As for the colons, you'd have to ask stylin for sure, as that part is his baby, but I know it prevents an error.

[Merick]

Can you do something about the line endings? Whenever I try to open one of the headers or the examples in FbEdit, it all ends up on one line.

[sir_mud]

There is now an additional package containing just the headers with win32 line endings for those of you with editors that don't do the right thing.

[VANYA]

sir_mud thank you!