It also includes a few features that C programmers will be familiar with, such as support for pointers, structures and most importantly the entire OpenGL v1.1 API.
History
Tom Mulgrew created Basic4GL from a desire to be able to run OpenGL functions easily and quickly,[1] without all of the setup normally required in a language such as c++ and be more stable. He built a virtual machine similar to one used at his workplace. It started simply, with few OpenGL functions and minimal other functionality. The first version was relatively popular.[1]
The first version was named GLBasic,[1] which also happens to be a commercial programming language. The issue was civilly resolved, and Mulgrew's project renamed Basic4GL.
Mulgrew set himself the goal to expand Basic4GL to the point that it could load and display and MD2 model.[1]
Basic4GL was designed to run on the Windowsoperating system, but versions were being developed for Linux and Mac OS. Meanwhile, Gambas also features an OpenGL 2.1 component, with GL bindings also available for FreeBASIC and QB64.
Basic4GL for Linux
Basic4GL was being ported over to Linux. The major difference between Basic4GL for Windows and the attempted Linux version is that it uses the SDL library rather than Windows specific libraries to initialize an OpenGL enabled window.
Basic4GL for Mac
A version for Mac OS was also under development. No working versions have been released.
Basic4SDL
Based on the Linux build, a project to create an extended version of Basic4GL that wraps more closely to the SDL library (not to be confused with SDLBasic).[8]
Basic4Games
A successor to Basic4GL was also being developed dubbed "Basic4Games". Only one preview has been released.
When the above code is entered into Basic4GL and executed, the following is output to the monitor screen.
Hello 0
Hello 1
Hello 2
Hello 3
Hello 4
Features
Support for sound and music
When Basic4GL was first released it could only play sounds but in 2006 support for music was added using the Open Al sound engine but later replaced with Audiere.
In August 2006 support for PluginDLLs was added to Basic4GL. This means that you can write your own commands and include them in the Basic4GL programming language, all you need is a C++ Compiler. Plugins expand the capabilities of Basic4GL and many
exist, providing such things as physics engines, TrueType Fonts, collision detection etc.
SourceForge
Both Basic4GL for Windows and the new Linux version have been placed on SourceForge, this means that people are free to develop the languages and make improvements to them.
^Mulgrew, Tom. "Home". Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
^Wybiral (2007-02-18). "Basic". Ubuntu Forums. Basic4SDL: It's mostly an OpenGL+SDL playground for 3d graphics and such... But it works on linux and stays pretty true to the BASIC syntax.
"Basic4GL for Linux". Archived from the original on September 19, 2012. Retrieved January 3, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
"Basic4GL wikispace". Archived from the original on September 14, 2008. Retrieved January 4, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
