Getting started: GitHub

Easiest way to get started is to get the GitHub repo https://github.com/6502Nerd/dflat

By doing this all the below step by step installation and configuration for emulator is solved!

Documentation

Also the wiki pages here explain the dflat language (syntax, keywords, simple examples) : Home · 6502Nerd/dflat Wiki (github.com)

Getting started: Real Oric

On a real Oric - either you have to open it up and replace the ROM, which is a pain.. or use the expansion bus to install an external ROM.  This needs an external ROM board - which can either be purchased, or made (fairly easily).  To use on a real Oric, I made a ROM breadboard, which I can share the design of (it's very simple).

Getting started: Emulator

Easiest way to play around with this is to use an emulator - I used Oricutron version 1.2 for Win32 on Windows 10 and it works well, can be found here:

http://www.petergordon.org.uk/oricutron/

Important instructions:

  • The dflat ROM and PCH file (from emulator folder in GitHub repo) needs to be put in the /roms folder of the emulator
  • Save any dflat .tap files to the /tapes folder of the emulator (this is the default location the emulator looks in)
  • You need to edit the oricutron.cfg file to point at dflat.  Easiest way is to replace the name of a ROM you don't use often; for example I don't use the Pravetz machine so find the line starting pravetzrom and replace 'roms/pravetzt' with 'roms/dflat'
  • Change the default machine that the emulator boots in to (else you have to select it every time from the menu); find the line machine = atmos and replace with machine = pravetz.  This boots to the Pravetz each time, but of course the rom points to dflat
  • In my oricutron.cfg file, the rom names and default machine are commented out with a semi-colon - be sure to remove semi-colons from these two lines before saving the config file!

Once you have done the above, fire up the emulator, it should boot in to the dflat ROM - you can now start to program directly on the Oric using dlfat syntax!  See GitHub links above to wiki pages documentation.

Note

This is is BETA project - and will be for a while.  I am working on finalising and also adding utilities to allow transfer of programs to and from a real Oric and PC editor (including syntax highlighting).

Homebrew computer project

I started this language for my homebrew computer.  If you want to start knowing more about dflat origins and my homebrew computer, have a look at my other project here:

https://hackaday.io/project/5789-65c02-homebrew-computer-on-breadboard