Good Advice Please, I have been searching the net to try and discover the best programming language to get started with. As a programming beginner my inclination seems to be towards QBASIC V7.1 within the Dos Environment. I would like to become familiar with ASM (says he with intrepidation, as ASM is not for Beginners!) However Does anybody know, preferably of a freeware convertor to convert QBASIC code to ASM (& back again) because certain functions I feel would benefit from the compact nature & speed of ASM. I also feel the Convertor would be invaluable as a teaching aid from the point of view of high level language to a low level language conversion & possibly incorporate it within some QBASIC code if that is possible. I hope I have explained myself correctly & have not offended any Prof coders. Regards, Dave

I'm not an up to date programmer, but I can suggest you 1) As the first programming language is just like your first sweethart, better you have the nicest trip; so start with C++. 2) There were other times... but I started just programming in minicomputers assembly (DEC PDP 11); Assembler is for beginners too! 3) What do you mean about Conveter? Everything you code and process by compiling ends to machine/assembly and the opposite process is reverse engineering; so what you state has low or no meaning. This last issue seems to me you have to clarify yourself about the fundamental of programming before taking any decision.

Thanx IVO for Your Prompt reply, Just to clarify my posting re the conversion utility. I have seen within Qbasic coding, routines placed there that are ASM in format presumably to speed up or condense/compact that part of the programming instruction. So I was wondering whether there is a freeware utility that will, say if you type in Qbasic instructions will then tell you what those instructions are in ASM. this seems to to me to be a hybrid of QBASIC or they are using the best from both worlds maybe? This tool would be a bit like a binary to hex converter. Sorry about the confusion but I am a newbie at this game as implied. regards, Dave

Hi gratis1, be sure: you do not offend anyone and you post to get knowledge, otherwise why to be here? About your question on Coverter, I guess what you discovered was "in-line assembly code" a practice used in high level languages (where the compiler allows that) to insert machine language sequences to optimioze or perform hardware related functions. Other guys can guide you on that topic in a better way than I know. As far as I can I suggest you find by googling on the net free tutorials on both assembly and the high level language you will choose. There are for everyone's taste, then download a free compiler and X86 assembly and start to code. Keep in mind it is better to code for the Windows environment turning to DOS when you want to face with hardware related issues (as that is easier to the beginner). More asembly mastering is of value if you like "system programming", otherwise better a good knowledge of a procedural language. I hope more acquainted programmers guys want to help you to get the right lane.

You wont get a converter that will convert QBASIC in to Assembler. A single QBASIC command is likely to convert into multiple pages of Assembler. The only thing I have seen that will generate Assembler code is a de-compiler and that works on the machine code after the programme is compiled. I doubt if even that would work on machine code generated by QBASIC. If you must start with a version of BASIC I suggest you start with Visual Basic. Visual Basic is native to Windows. Although QBASIC will work under Windows it is basically a DOS application and DOS is obsolete. I agree that Assembler is not just for experts. Because assembler is so radically different from any other programming method, everyone starting to learn assembler for the first time starts at the same place, regardless of their previous programming experience. Stuart

Thanx Stuart for your reply, Looks as if there is no such thing as a Bas2ASM convertor util then! Thankyou for your advice though. regards, Dave

Hi all again, I Know I am answering my own question here but I may have found a freeware BAS2ASM converter albeit within another full progey. It may be of help to others looking for a similair program here is the link. http://www.michaelhartlef.de/html/features.html Don't know how good or bad it is but if you scroll down to the tools section within the features, it mentions a BAS2ASM converter Feature. The program is called IndeED V1.19f hope this helps others, all the best. regards Dave