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BASin/Basinc, Sinclair Zx Spectrum

Basinc 1.81 Update

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This update addresses a long-standing bug that has appeared and disappeared across different versions since the original Basin.
The DEF FN command has always caused parsing issues for Basin. Its handling in memory is quite unusual: when the command is entered, a 5-byte buffer is created right after it within the BASIC listing. This buffer is used for internal DEF FN evaluations! Just imagine the complications this design can cause. It’s a rather curious design decision on the sinclair’s part.

Paul has put a lot of effort into dealing with DEF FN. My approach has always been “if it works, don’t touch it,” so I generally stayed away from it. However, this bug has kept resurfacing since the early versions of BasinC (as you can see if you check the different versions of the source code). Paul himself had rewritten and reverted this function several times at different stages.

Unfortunately, I noticed the DEF FN bug has returned in version 1.8. Now I understand that DEF FN parsing needs a complete rewrite. I added this to TO-DO list for future versions. This time, this is just a quick fix. In fact, the fix was already shared on the ZX Spectrum Discord server on June 6, 2025, and a few days later on Uwe’s Facebook BASIC group as version 1.81. Due to time constraints, I wasn’t able to post the announcement here—so I’m doing it now. As always, the updated source code is available on the GitHub page. Note that you can always ask for changes or fixed on the zx spectrum discord server, as it is the only real source of communication about BasinC. You can also reach me at @ardae.bsky.social‬

This version not only fixes DEF FN but also addresses another important issue: the new GOSUB locator was causing the cursor to jump up and down in Windows 11. That’s now resolved.
Since BasinC was originally compiled on Windows 7 for backward compatibility, certain behaviors varied. From now on, BasinC is compiled on Windows 10, and I will be dropping backward compatibility in upcoming versions. Hopefully, this will provide a more stable development environment.

⚠️ This update requires version 1.8 to be installed. If you haven’t installed it yet, you can download it from here:
Basinc 1.80 full install

🔄 To apply the 1.81 update, download the file below, go to your BasinC folder, delete the existing basinc.exe, and replace it with the new one from the archive:
Basinc 1.81 Update (1.2MB zipped exe file)

All changes in this update are listed below (including the ones introduced in 1.8, which I had forgotten to announce here at the time — you can always find this changelog inside the source code on GitHub):
Continue reading Basinc 1.81 Update →

Arda'nın Türk Yazılım Veri Tabanı, in English, Retro Oyun Makaleleri

Metallic Legend, Commodore 64 (1993,1994) [TYVT]

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While I wasn’t looking, another old Turkish game has been uncovered, and it needs to be archived here as well. This time, it’s a game made by a group of young people under the name “Turkuaz Yazılım.”

A “preview” version was released in 1993, and a new version was released in 1994.

I downloaded the game from Gamebase64 and also put a copy on my server for those interested:
MetallicLegendc64 Disk64 file

As for the game, it has 4-5 layers of parallax scrolling. There is a clear influence from Shadow of the Beast, with large sprites and technically good visuals, but the colors and graphics seem a bit odd. Instead of aiming for something aesthetically pleasing, it seems they wanted to show everything they could on the screen. The game, of course, follows the unbreakable rule of being unplayably difficult. 🙂 There are cheat options in the package; run the v2 version.

Code: Erkan Dogan, Serkan Dogan
Graphics: Taner Kaya
Music: Ali Uzcelik

Downloads and Development

Retroarch savestate packer/depacker Rzip.exe

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after a minor corruption on my RGB30 handheld filesystem, I lost the ability to restore my savestates on retroarch, after I recovered my savestate files, I couldn’t be able to figure out what’s in them because retroarch compresses state files with it’s own compressor, namely “RZIP” and you can see they are 4CC’d with “#RZIPv” header. No it’s not the same as LZMA rzip, so LZMA or LRZIP cannot decompress retroarch savestates.

Luckily there is a way to decompress those, and it’s already provided in retroarch git repository (link here).

But it’s provided as source code only, and as it is a cross platform code, you have to compile it for yourself somehow. But we are in luck, retroarch has high quality gcc code. With the help of mingw, it can be easily compiled, which I have done for you here:

230kb zip file for Retroarch RZIP Packer/Unpacker
rzip Usage:
– Query file status: rzip i input file>
– Compress file: rzip a input file> output file (optional)>
– Extract file: rzip x input file> output file (optional)>
! Omitting output file> will overwrite input file>

Downloads and Development, in English, Sinclair Zx Spectrum

New version of ZXVisionis available for windows

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zxvision5

ZXVision is a ZX Spectrum graphics viewing tool first released in 2009 under the name SpeccyView4. While the program was initially created to display SCR and MLT graphics, it can also open Snapshot types and TAP/TZX files to view graphic files within.

It intelligently determines the border color or can display in Loading Stripe mode if desired.

Along with the slideshow feature, there are several functions to manipulate loaded images. For example, after loading an SCR, choose Glow first, then SlotMask, and then Glow again from the EDIT menu. You can see the image transform into a TV display.

The program is written in .NET Framework 4. It runs on Windows 10 without requiring any additional installations.

DOWNLOAD ZX Vision V5.2 53KB ZIP file
Just extract and run. No installation or user privileges required. ZXVision works best if you associate it with SCR and MLT filetypes.

UPDATE 21/01/24: V5.3 is available here

Need some images to look at?
DOWNLOAD ZX Spectrum Random Image Pack 360KB Zip file
Unpack all the files to any folder and drag and drop a file into ZX Vision to view it.

More images? Check out zxart.ee website.

BASin/Basinc, Downloads and Development, in English, Sinclair Zx Spectrum

Basinc 1.794

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This article is obsolete. Get basinC 1.8 instead.

There is not much in this update. First of all, you’ll see a few improvements to the UDG Editor that DamienG requested.

Second, while making a few fixes about the SimpleCON device, a bug is also fixed.

But if you came here via BasinC’s own update check reminder, congratz (to both of us)! it’s good right =) Please leave a comment. Do you think basinc will benefit from improved internet functions? And mention your own ideas. (if you are not–don’t forget to enable update check under Tools > Basinc Options > Basinc Network).

Download latest release here:
Portable Download ZIP File, with examples and fonts etc. –Extract to any folder and run.

Download Installer Exe Automatic light install and Uninstall (InnoSetup) -Note: inno didn’t include autoback folder so you have to manually add it to installation folder or disable auto backup in options (or you get errors every 3 minutes)

In the meantime, we welcome you all to our Discord server:
https://discord.gg/UXVHCxuAWg Your Invitation

Changes:

// 1.79.4
// Added - UDG Editor Window, "Save" file option, CTRL+S, CTRL+O shortcuts, keeps track of open file and notify if there is a pixel modified as * in the title bar.
// Fixed - SimpleCON register couldn't be displayed as text because it was initialized as 0, now it is spaces.
// Changed-SimpleCON window was popping up in every character output. Now it only pops up when linefeed.


// 1.79.3
// Fixed - Profile window was showing wrong token in strings. (reported by: lippmaje)


// 1.79.2 (19.05.2022)
// Added - Basin Update Check (disabled by default, enable in Options)
Downloads and Development, in English

JPG2PDF or Image to Pdf..

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Actually, it’s just jpeg to print 😀
I needed to convert a large number of jpeg files into a pdf document and I did not want to use an online service for these tasks. But I couldn’t find a free tool for this simple process either. There must be, but I couldn’t find it. Anyway, I wrote it myself, anyone can use it.

This tool does not offer any setting mechanism as it uses the default settings of your printer. For this reason, do not forget to set your printer’s settings from the control panel beforehand.

I recommend using Microsoft Print to PDF for PDF output. It’s free and comes installed on the latest versions of windows.

Of course, you can also use other printers.

We also observed that the images on a friend’s computer were incomplete, but we could not find the reason. Good luck if you find it.

Jpeg2PNG screenshot

How to use?

1. Drag and drop images into the window.
2. If necessary, you can sort the files alphabetically (sort button)
On the 3rd side, choose a printer, preferably “Microsoft Print to PDF”
4. Print by pressing the print button.

DOWNLOAD HERE 8KB zip file (No installation necessary, just unzip and run) works on WindowsXP to Win11

BASin/Basinc, Downloads and Development, Sinclair Zx Spectrum

BasinC 1.79 is available! — Snippets!

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This article is obsolete. Get basinC 1.794 instead.

Snippets Window where you can put short clips of programs and simplecon is simplified. Also basin can check updates if you enable it in options.

DOWNLOADS:
– BasinC 1.792 ZIP file 3.1MB Zip File Portable Folder
OR
– Basinc 1.792 installer 3.1MB Executable

How to manually install?
Just unzip the file somewhere you have write access to. (basin keep backups your programs automatically in autoback folder).

How to upgrade?
Unzip this archive into a *new* folder. Carry your old “basinc.ini” file so your settings could be retained.
This archive does not include a basinc.ini configuration file, it will not overwrite it. But it has include snippets file. Be careful not to overwrite your old snippets.dat file.

history:

// 1.79.2 (19.05.2022)
// Added – Basin Update Check (disabled by default, enable in Options) – basin can now notify updates.

// 1.79.1 (19.05.2022)
// Added – BasinC Snippets
// Changed – SimpleCon behaviour. Not port 1515 commands sets the byte *then* increment the index. Port 1259,0 feeds the line to the log instead of 255. See examples folder.

// 1.78 (24.10.2021)
// Fixed – IF x THEN REM couldn’t parsed by basinc, now patched, but may present new issues, due it’s just a workaround.
// Fixed – When you execute a direct command, basic was corrupted temporarily. It’s fixed by removing a wild syntax cropper.