Getting Started
Overview
This document covers getting Tiny Basic in Python (tbp) installed and options for running at the command line.
Installation
It seemed nuts to put this up on PyPI, which is for important modules, not learning experiments. If you have the git executable for your operating system in your path, pip is happy to install directly from GitHub. Of course, you will want to have all this fun in a virtual environment so set that up first.
Installing from GitHub
% pip install git+https://github.com/John-Robbins/tbp.git
Cloning and Installing
Download the code from the Latest release. Expand the compressed file into a directory, then execute the following.
% pip install .
Starting tbp
As tbp is a command line program, once you have it installed, you can simply run it directly from your favorite command shell.
% python -m tbp
Tiny BASIC in Python - github.com/John-Robbins/tbp
_______ ____
|__ __| _ \
| | | |_) |_ __
| | | _ <| '_ \
| | | |_) | |_) |
|_| |____/| .__/
| |
|_| version 1.0.0
Party like it's 1976!
Look at that cool CN tower in Toronto!
tbp:>
Command Line Options
You can see the command line options supported by tbp by using the --help command.
% python -m tbp --help
usage: tbp [-h] [-c COMMANDS] [-nl] [file]
Tiny BASIC in Python - github.com/John-Robbins/tbp
positional arguments:
file Optional Tiny BASIC in Python program to run
options:
-h, --help Show this help message and exit.
-c COMMANDS, --commands COMMANDS
String of Tiny BASIC and/or command language instructions
to execute. Use ^ to separate individual commands.
-nl, --nologo Do not display the glorious tbp logo 😿
File to Load
To start tbp with a program file ready to run, pass it on the command line. After tbp started and loaded the program, the example shows using the RUN command to execute the loaded program.
% python -m tbp ./examples/rand.tbp
Tiny BASIC in Python - github.com/John-Robbins/tbp
_______ ____
|__ __| _ \
| | | |_) |_ __
| | | _ <| '_ \
| | | |_) | |_) |
|_| |____/| .__/
| |
|_| version 1.0.0
Party like it's 1976!
What do I do with a $2.00 bill?
tbp:>RUN
69 12 83 53 59 16 62 36
7 80 13 92 93 46 32 44
36 54 71 26 58 0 56 28
29 66 5 40 86 60 83 79
43 64 48 66 68 12 0 86
19 32 71 97 81 65 34 70
35 67 80 40 76 30 39 5
36 61 6 32 44 5 88 51
tbp:>
Run Commands at Start
The --commands option allows you to specify any Tiny BASIC language statements or tbp command language commands you want to run at startup. Separate the commands with the ^ character.
In the following example, it shows starting up with the tbp.tbp example program but using --commands to run the Tiny BASIC LIST statement followed by the command language %quit command.
% python -m tbp ./examples/tbp.tbp --commands LIST^%quit
Tiny BASIC in Python - github.com/John-Robbins/tbp
_______ ____
|__ __| _ \
| | | |_) |_ __
| | | _ <| '_ \
| | | |_) | |_) |
|_| |____/| .__/
| |
|_| version 1.0.0
Party like it's 1976!
Star Wars Episode IV started filming. May the Force be with them.
10 REM Displays the ultra-sexy tbp logo.
11 REM You are welcome!
20 PR " _______ ____"
30 PR " |__ __| _ \"
40 PR " | | | |_) |_ __"
50 PR " | | | _ <| '_ \"
60 PR " | | | |_) | |_) |"
70 PR " |_| |____/| .__/"
80 PR " | |"
90 PR " |_|"
100 PR " Party like it's 1976!"
110 END
Thank you for using tbp! Your patronage is appreciated.
Turning Off the Startup Logo
There is no reason you should ever skip the glorious, beautiful, awe-inspiring, and sexy tbp logo. It will hurt my heart if you do, and you don’t want that. Thank you for your kindness.