How do I type a " in Atari Basic

bkumanchik

rkoster

I just tested this, and it looks to me like it's actually the SHIFT key. I can't get to ANY shifted characters. Can you?

FWIW, Atari800 maps the internal Atari keyboard so that your regular keyboard should work like normal. So the " symbol is reached by typing " as you normally would.

rkoster

Further testing shows that CTRL and SHIFT are not being recognized in lr-atari800.

They ARE recognized in atari800, the non-libretro version.

Given that they use the same atari.cfg I suspect that this is a bug in lr-atari800. I have filed an issue on github.

I tested every combination of control settings and options I could think of, and it refused to work. They aren't recognized in the keyboard self-test mode. They don't register even when pressed in the virtual keyboard.

ericbsmith42

@rkoster I wonder if the alt codes would work here. alt+0061 on the numpad normally brings up the double quote " character.

If it does work there's a list of alt codes her:
https://www.alt-codes.net/

rkoster

@ericbsmith42 It might, but we're talking every shifted character, that's a lot to use keycodes for!

bkumanchik

@rkoster Thanks for looking into this guys, hope it gets fixed

rkoster

I have fixed this and submitted a pull request for it.

If you need to install my version sooner (since we have no idea when they might merge my fixes, the lr-atari800 core does not seem to have been touched in months), this is the repo:

https://github.com/raphkoster/libretro-atari800

In the process I noticed that the onscreen keyboard doesn't seem to work at all. I don't think I broke it though. Anyone run into this?

bkumanchik

@rkoster even the ALT+ code doesn't work

bkumanchik

@rkoster Thanks!

bkumanchik

@rkoster How will I know when it is submitted, I don't know how to install your version.

Thanks!

rkoster

@bkumanchik For the official version to be updated, we have to wait for the libretro maintainers to take my fix and merge it in. I don't know how long it will take for them to notice the pull request and review it.

To get my version, you likely need to be comfortable on the command line in Raspbian. You'd have to compile it yourself on your Pi and copy it to the right place.

bkumanchik

@rkoster OK, thanks for the reply - and the fix!

rkoster

@bkumanchik I put a binary release on github. It was built on a Raspberry Pi 3 running Stretch.

Log into your pi using SSL, or get to the command prompt using a keyboard.

Enter the following:

cd ~

sudo wget https://github.com/raphkoster/libretro-atari800/releases/download/v.3.1.0.1-alpha/atari800_libretro.so

sudo cp /opt/retropie/libretrocores/lr-atari800/atari800_libretro.so /opt/retropie/libretrocores/lr-atari800/atari800_libretro.so-backup

sudo chmod a+x atari800_libretro.so

sudo mv atari800_libretro.so /opt/retropie/libretrocores/lr-atari800/atari800_libretro.so

Then relaunch Emulationstation and try a game where you have to type (Eliza, Abuse, a text adventure, Memo Pad, BASIC, whatever).

If it didn't work, let me know.

If you feel comfortable compiling it yourself, that would be better, but this way if you have a Pi3, you should be able to at least test it real quick.

bkumanchik

@rkoster Thanks, I will try this ASAP and get back to you later today

bkumanchik

@rkoster That worked, thanks so much! ;)

rkoster

@bkumanchik You're welcome!

You doing some Atari BASIC programming? Or was this for just being able to load files up?

bkumanchik

@rkoster Programming - just for fun. I used to have a 600XL way back when. I loved playing with Player Missile graphics.

rkoster

@bkumanchik Nice. I got my start programming games on the Atari 8-bits. :)

bkumanchik

@rkoster Cool!