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' BEE BASIC emulation in the browser(local)/on the desktop - Printable Version

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RE: ' BEE BASIC emulation in the browser(local)/on the desktop - zbfairlane - 05-08-2026

I know I am late to this conversation, I just tried Vibedrone for the first time and its pretty impressive. I really like being able to load a .txt file directly, then save straight back as .mwb.

I am working on restoring a program my dad wrote called General Ledger and being able to work quickly with a .txt and test it in the emulator quickly is a big help.

RE: ' BEE BASIC emulation in the browser(local)/on the desktop - Graham72 - 05-08-2026

(05-08-2026, 06:49 PM)zbfairlane Wrote: I know I am late to this conversation, I just tried Vibedrone for the first time and its pretty impressive. I really like being able to load a .txt file directly, then save straight back as .mwb.

I am working on restoring a program my dad wrote called General Ledger and being able to work quickly with a .txt and test it in the emulator quickly is a big help.

Glad you like it, it's got ongoing feature creep: now Includes 6.35e BASIC and I am currently integrating the ppc85. ROMS C THRU I.

RE: ' BEE BASIC emulation in the browser(local)/on the desktop - Graham72 - 08-08-2026

Question for @MbeeTech

Hi Ewan, to run Disk BASIC 6.35e, VD400 needs real BIOS/system code (not the generic CP/M core, which I understand is separately freehold)

to "boot" it. I've captured this from bq_ds40.dsk (cf https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-975.html).

Is the Microbee-specific BIOS layer OK to include as a blob in VD400? The end user still needs to provide mwb635e.com .

Thanks Graham

RE: ' BEE BASIC emulation in the browser(local)/on the desktop - MbeeTech - 08-08-2026

Hi Graham.
Is there something specific that is not working with a normal CP/M?
From my memory of the Basic Source, the only thing that would using XBIOS calls would be possibly the keyboard.
If I recall correctly, all disk activity is handled through standard CP/M BDOS calls.

RE: ' BEE BASIC emulation in the browser(local)/on the desktop - Graham72 - 08-08-2026

(08-08-2026, 06:15 PM)MbeeTech Wrote: Hi Graham.
Is there something specific that is not working with a normal CP/M?
From my memory of the Basic Source, the only thing that would using XBIOS calls would be possibly the keyboard.
If I recall correctly, all disk activity is handled through standard CP/M BDOS calls.

Thanks Ewan for that, I have extracted the blob and the emulator seems to running well without it. 

What I found examining the extracted .bin: the captured region turns out to be genuine disk-boot code (INSERT DISKETTE prompts, CCP/BDOS loading, etc.) — the sequence for booting CP/M off a floppy. 

VD400 doesn't do that; it injects BASIC.COM straight into memory and skips the boot stage entirely. Traced it properly (full boot, keyboard input, and an extended real program run) and confirmed none of that captured code ever actually got used. It was another example of GROK not being to clever in producing code. /snark. 

Going forward it's dropped from VD400 entirely -no need to include it. 

Appreciate you pointing me at the standard-BDOS angle, that's what led to checking properly.

PS The background to my query was Claude querying the IP of the blob - concerned it needed your approval. Good to see Claude is on the job.

RE: ' BEE BASIC emulation in the browser(local)/on the desktop - Graham72 - 09-08-2026

More progress with proper behaviour with BASIC boot screens, PC85 menus and BASIC 6.35 resets. 

Much hilarity/frustration with warm reboot v cold reboot v reset v total reset v total reboots and getting a regression in the middle of all that and a loop 6.35 to 5.29. I've survived. 

Figuring out rom slots 0 thru  6 compared to rom files C thru I and the actual order of pak slots and the terminology almost did my head in as well. 

Got the ability to choose whatever emulator colour you want now. I find daytime and night time i prefer different colours.

   
   
   
   
   

RE: ' BEE BASIC emulation in the browser(local)/on the desktop - Graham72 - 10-08-2026

(05-08-2026, 06:49 PM)zbfairlane Wrote: I know I am late to this conversation, I just tried Vibedrone for the first time and its pretty impressive. I really like being able to load a .txt file directly, then save straight back as .mwb.

I am working on restoring a program my dad wrote called General Ledger and being able to work quickly with a .txt and test it in the emulator quickly is a big help.

Just in case you overlooked it: use LLIST then click the PRINT button for a text file of the loaded program.

 regards Graham

RE: ' BEE BASIC emulation in the browser(local)/on the desktop - Graham72 - 11-08-2026

I've failed in my attempts to incorporate .bee file executions.

If I have them working, then HIRES in BASIC fails.

Anyway this is my latest build.

 Use the PC85 full romset and/or DISK BASIC 6.35.

RE: ' BEE BASIC emulation in the browser(local)/on the desktop - Graham72 - 12-08-2026

Persistence pays off. I decided to merge the two builds - the hires and emujoust .bee but leave out bank patches from the emujoust version. 

GROK tells me:

Cassette improvements were merged only: buffer-full protection via _casAppend, safer SAVE including raw CASSETTE.DAT. Size optimisations followed—cached status element ($st), shared _scrollUp helper, shorter status strings—recovering headroom under the 99.6 KB MBT forum limit.

HIRES and HIRES2 ran correctly on that base. PC85 menu and key B into BASIC were solid; RESET returned to the menu, WARM stayed in BASIC. EmuJoust was treated as a special .BEE case, not the core model. Minimal load path only: signature pin to 2304, pakHalf/IY/mem[255] init. Runtime bank patches were left out. EJ.BEE then started successfully alongside normal HIRES.

Generic .BEE titles (e.g. SPACEINV) used the existing detectBeeLoadAddress path. robotm.bee failed until recognised as a MICROBEE ROM header image: JP D400, not RAM at 0900. loadBEE now detects that header, pads under 8K, and routes through loadPAK at C000.
Result: ROBOTM LIVES—ROM-header PAK load working with normal .BEE, EJ special load, cassette, and HIRES on one clean build.

I'm not sure if emujoust will freeze - i've played 3 levels successfully. If freezing returns interupt and bank patches will be slowly merged in.

So the merged beta is attached. Feedback sought!

RE: ' BEE BASIC emulation in the browser(local)/on the desktop - ChickenMan - 12-08-2026

Thanks, tried the couple of MWB files on Arcade 1 disk, FROGHOP loads okay but when I run it, it errors out.  VIPER loads okay to opening screen, shows controls and then exits to READY. Emu Joust works okay. TargetC loads okay but no keys work.  Defend-2 loads and runs okay but too fast for me so selected 2KHZ speed then playable Smile .  Will try a few more tomorrow.

I entered all 3 roms but now it always boots to Basic 5.29e, how can I get to the disks Basic 6.35 that I also loaded?