Screen formatting

[FFMan]

Occasionally i need to (re)config my GPS module and/or other stuff that is connected to a zbasic micro-controller using ttl serial comms.

I either use a level converter and do it on the PC (minigps.exe is excellent for GPS) or i write zbasic code and execute it.

Really I'd like some decent user interaction for testing and config. I assume there is no screen formatting available in the zbasic ide debug window ?

So I guess I could use VT100 commands or similar with Realterm and create character a based display that I could interact with via the zbasic console commands or am i (1) going about this the wrong way or (b) reinventing something that has already been done ?

[dkinzer]

I assume there is no screen formatting available in the zbasic ide debug window ?

That is correct. The Debug output window is essentially a "dumb terminal".

>So I guess I could use VT100 commands or similar with Realterm
That may be the best approach. You could also write an application to run on the PC that provides the user interface, sends data/commands to the ZX and displays the data received from the ZX. Another option is to add a keypad and buttons and a suitable display to the ZX itself.

[FFMan]

ok i understand.

adding a display etc to the h/w isn't an option as this new config program may be called upon to run on various bits of hardware which may or may not have a display, or may have different types.

something simple using vt100 or ansi will be just fine and can be loaded to most projects if the setup is flexible enough to specify com ports and pins etc

i'll post it up when its done as it might prove handy for others.