Original Docs By Author

!WimpForth first release

Here is the first release of !WimpForth you probably waited for
a long time. Its main purpose is to make it easier to write
Forth programs running under the Wimp of RISC OS. For now it
uses in its bootup sequence Version 3.10, but I haven't used
RISC OS 3 routines awfully lot, so that it should also run
if you change the number in the code.

The Forth machine is VERY tough to the Win32Forth machine
designed by Andrew McKewan and Tom Zimmer. They both deserve
big thanks, since I reused so much code (and it was reusable!)
that you might call WimpForth a port of Win32Forth (originally
on ******* 95/NT).

But nevertheless there are some differences. WimpForth has
an ARM assembler/disassembler and a full ARM machine code kernel.
For differences in machine design please have a look at the file
"DesignNote".

Important features of WimpForth:
* As I copied the functionality from an ANS compliant system,
  you should be able to compile ANS Forth programs on it.
* source level debugger, decompiler
* ARM assembler/disassembler
* object orientation like Yerk on the Macs teached the forthers
* window, icon, control, dialog, menu... classes to
  make programming them as easy AND controllable as possible
* variable number of threads in vocabularies
* strong WORDS implementation
* easy invocation of CLI commands, time control, system variables
* local labels
* Wimp interface (yes, it's a real wimp program!)
* Drag&Drop Filer->Forth window will load forth files.
* reads normal text files with 16K buffer

* AND FULL SOURCE INCLUDED - if you find bugs or features you
  don't like, correct them in the source until they work as
  you like.
  
Otherwise WimpForth will behave like other Forths, please refer
to standard literature ("Thinking Forth" - Leo Brodie) to learn
about the power of Forth.

The first steps you could try anyway, are typing
"words",
"see interpret",
"1 2 +",
".s",
"h.",
"vocs"
"order"
clicking MENU on the Forth Window and on the icon bar.

For recompiling the whole system, run !WimpForth by double clicking
it from the filer and then start "F", which is a >130K executable
and includes the complete system. If that doesn't work, please
report to the email address below.
1) Now take the file "meta" from the filer and drop it on the
Forth window (or simply type "fload meta <return>"). Wait a few
seconds until the kernel is created, then quit WimpForth
by typing "bye" or selecting the Quit lines in the menus.
2) Then run the file "Xtend" which loads the file "extend" into the
just compiled kernel, and there you have your totally new system.
You may also take only the second step if you haven't done
anything to the kernel.

For a little documentation on the words present in Wimp Forth,
watch out in the following files:

fkernel   - holds the full source of the kernel
primutil  - some necessary utilities
dump      - a dump utility
dthread   - displays and counts threads and vocabularies
order     - implements wordlists and vocabularies
assert    - the assert wordset
primhash  - prepares class orientation
see       - a Forth decompiler
interpif  - makes conditional compiling possible
debug     - a Forth debugger
build     - experimental new defining word
words     - lists words in vocabularies, also good for searching
pasm      - ARM post-/prefix assembler
disarm    - ARM disassembler
utils     - bunch of utilities
args      - local labels
class     - object orientation
classdebug- to see/debug methods
colours   - wimp colour constants
icons     - icon classes
menus     - menu classes
windows   - window classes
controls  - dialog boxes... in classes

extend    - loads them all together and adds the Wimp objects
            for WimpForth. Adaptable to have a CLI version.
            
config    - file gets loaded whenever WimpForth starts up

ssort     - a simple Shell Sort routine, if you need it
winsee    - see words in windows

That is all. I should notice that WimpForth comes 'as is', and
the authors cannot be made responsible for damage due to errors
in the program. You may make copies of WimpForth as often as
you like (SPREAD IT), but do not charge money for it. And
please, copy it completely whenever possible.

          
Happy Forthing!

Martin Läuter