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Improve your ZX Spectrum programming experience with the new ROM that adds BASIC syntax highlighting and formatting for easier code reading.
Reviving PrettyBASIC: A Modern Twist on Classic Sinclair BASIC
After seven years of silence, the intriguing project PrettyBASIC has sprung back to life on GitHub. This enhanced ROM for the ZX Spectrum 48K breathes new life into Sinclair BASIC by introducing syntax highlighting and better formatting for programs. If you’ve ever struggled with old BASIC programs crammed into thousands of lines, this modification is a game-changer.
What’s New in This ROM Version?
The primary feature of the new ROM is the color-coding of various code elements to improve readability:
- Letters
- Numbers
- Functions
- Operators
- Flow control commands like
GO TO,GO SUB...RETURN,IF...THEN, andFOR...NEXT - Comments and their contents marked by
REM
On top of that, PrettyBASIC introduces basic code formatting enhancements to make the programming experience smoother:
- The colon
:now acts as a new line separator. - The
IF...THENconstruction is extended to support multi-line commands.
Additional Usability Improvements
The upgrade also includes several subtle but valuable tweaks:
- Control codes (ASCII 00–31) are hidden in LIST mode, reducing clutter.
- The color palette dynamically adjusts according to the selected background color, ensuring a more comfortable contrast and better visibility.
Technical Mastery Behind the Scenes
This ROM modification boasts impressive technical craftsmanship. It is based on disassembled code originally created by Dr. Ian Logan and Frank O’Hara. The original routine at address 0x1937 has been swapped out for a new one at 0x386E. Color schemes are dynamically calculated depending on the PAPER attribute value.
Text color changes rely on the system register ATTR T (located at address 0x5C8F, decimal 23695), which holds the color attribute for video memory. The ROM’s output functions utilize this register when rendering characters or graphics.
Despite a few remaining bugs — like line numbers printing in the current INK color and control codes needing visibility in editing mode — the modification is stable and significantly eases reading and analyzing vintage BASIC programs.
Why This Matters to Retro Enthusiasts
These enhancements might seem minor to those used to modern integrated development environments (IDEs), but for retro geeks and researchers of old games, this is a remarkable find. Navigating the labyrinth of BASIC programs from three decades ago just got a whole lot simpler.
“Such improvements make exploring the intricacies of thirty-year-old BASIC programs so much easier.”
Where to Get PrettyBASIC
You can download the current version of PrettyBASIC from GitHub under the Releases section.
Conclusion: How do you think syntax highlighting affects the experience of programming on retro machines like the ZX Spectrum 48K? Would you give PrettyBASIC a try to breathe new life into old code?
FAQs
- What is PrettyBASIC?
PrettyBASIC is an enhanced ROM for the ZX Spectrum 48K that improves Sinclair BASIC by adding syntax highlighting and formatting. - Which elements does PrettyBASIC highlight?
It highlights letters, numbers, functions, operators, flow control commands, and comments. - How does the colon (:) function in PrettyBASIC?
The colon acts as a line break, allowing clearer, multi-line code formatting. - Are there any bugs in PrettyBASIC?
Yes, some minor bugs remain, such as line numbers printing in the current color and control codes not showing in editing mode, but overall it’s quite stable. - Where can I download PrettyBASIC?
You can download it from GitHub website.
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