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blog:pcdevtools [2023/01/15 13:22] – [DOS - Modern Development Tools] johnblog:pcdevtools [2023/01/15 13:54] (current) – [Audio Only] john
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 This is my page which collects links/information on various modern development tools and languages for writing new code on old PC/IBM/DOS systems. This is my page which collects links/information on various modern development tools and languages for writing new code on old PC/IBM/DOS systems.
-==== 16bit & 32bit Tools ====+===== 16bit & 32bit Tools =====
  
-   * Homepage +=== OpenWatcom === 
-   * Documentation+ 
 +   * Homepage: https://github.com/open-watcom 
 +   * Documentation: https://github.com/open-watcom/open-watcom-v2/wiki
    * Sample makefiles    * Sample makefiles
      * 286 / Real mode target      * 286 / Real mode target
      * 386 / Protected mode target      * 386 / Protected mode target
-OpenWatcom+ 
 +OpenWatcom is a very useful suite of development tools (C and C++, Fortran, etc) that can target both the traditional, early 16bit DOS environment, as well as the later 32bit protected mode environment taking advantage of the 386 and later processors. It is a continuation of the earlier commercial Watcom product now turned over to the community and available for free. 
 + 
 +The syntax of the OpenWatcom compilers and make utilities are a little 'off' compared to many of the GNU tools, but once you've worked out the various incantations to use, it works quite nicely.
  
 ==== 32bit Only Tools ==== ==== 32bit Only Tools ====
 +
 +
 +=== DJGPP / GCC ===
  
    * Homepage    * Homepage
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    * Sample makefile    * Sample makefile
  
-DJGPP / GCC 
  
-==== DOS SDK's & Libraries ====+ 
 +===== DOS SDK's & Libraries ===== 
 + 
 +==== Audio & Video ====
  
 === Allegro 4 === === Allegro 4 ===
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 Most of the DOS binaries (.exe files) in my archive have been compressed with **upx**, if you build from source you will want to install and use upx, as otherwise you'll find that even the tiniest Allegro tool will be 700-800KBytes in size (you pretty much end up with an entire copy of the Allegro library embedded in each one due to the limitations of the linker/runtime on DOS). Most of the DOS binaries (.exe files) in my archive have been compressed with **upx**, if you build from source you will want to install and use upx, as otherwise you'll find that even the tiniest Allegro tool will be 700-800KBytes in size (you pretty much end up with an entire copy of the Allegro library embedded in each one due to the limitations of the linker/runtime on DOS).
 +
 +==== Audio Only ====
 +
 +=== Apogee Sound System ===
 +
 +   *[[https://github.com/jimdose/Apogee_Sound_System|Homepage]] at Github
 +
 +The historic Apogee Sound System, as used on many Apogee software titles in the early 1990's. This only builds on Watcom/OpenWatcom, so there may be additional effort in using this with a more modern toolchain like DJGPP.
 +
 +No specific documentation other than what is in the source code itself.
 +
 +---
  
 === Judas Sound Library === === Judas Sound Library ===
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 As an example of the performance, on Dosbox with the 386 core and 5000 fixed cycles (which in most estimates is equivalent to something like a 386 25-33MHz), the basic player with Judas will play an 8 channel module without issue in 8bit stereo. Depending on the complexity it can handle up to around 16 channels. Obviously with higher specification DOS environments (486 and Pentium settings) you can turn on higher quality output, play more channels etc. As an example of the performance, on Dosbox with the 386 core and 5000 fixed cycles (which in most estimates is equivalent to something like a 386 25-33MHz), the basic player with Judas will play an 8 channel module without issue in 8bit stereo. Depending on the complexity it can handle up to around 16 channels. Obviously with higher specification DOS environments (486 and Pentium settings) you can turn on higher quality output, play more channels etc.
 +
 +---
 +
 +=== Miles Sound System ===
 +
 +   * [[http://www.ke5fx.com/|Homepage]] at Jon Miles' personal site
 +   * [[http://www.thegleam.com/ke5fx/misc/AIL2.ZIP|Download]] the source code
 +
 +Used in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Sound_System|many commercial titles]] back in the days of DOS, the author (John Miles) has opened up the sound system for anyone to use.
 +
 +Do note that there were many, many updates to the drivers used in the Miles Sound System over the years, and some games/manufacturers distributed updated drivers with their games, so the driver/sdk source linked above probably isn't an exhaustive list of all the supported sound cards.
  • blog/pcdevtools.1673788955.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2023/01/15 13:22
  • by john