10.Feb.2026
Manfred Bergmann (ANF)
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AmigaBASIC compiler ACE: update to version 2.8.0
Last week, after more than 27 years, a new version of the AmigaBASIC compiler ACE has been released (amiga-news.de reported). Now developer Manfred Bergmann has already followed up with an update.
New features
- INVOKABLE Keyword: New SUB modifier for closures used as callbacks. SUBs declared with INVOKABLE can be passed via BIND and correctly invoked through function pointers with runtime CLSR detection in both expression and statement contexts.
- YAP Preprocessor: New BASIC preprocessor (Yet Another Preprocessor) replacing the legacy APP. Supports #define/#undef macros, #ifdef/ #ifndef/#else/#endif conditionals, #include "file" and #include with nested includes (up to 8 levels), include-once tracking, -D/-U CLI options, and -I include path. Written in ACE BASIC.
- List Submodule: Lisp-style linked list library (submods/list/) with typed cons cells supporting INTEGER, SINGLE, STRING, and ADDRESS values. Lists are effectively immutable when only non-destructive functions are used. Includes higher-order functions (LMap, LFilter, LReduce, LForEach) using closures/INVOKABLE. Comprehensive test suite with 190+ assertions.
- REM #using Directive (#47): Source files can now declare object file dependencies with REM #using. The bas script automatically parses these and links the specified object files.
- Installer (#32): AmigaDOS Installer script (Install-ACE) for end-user installation with Cubic icons.
New submodules
- list.b: Lisp-style linked list with higher-order function support.
Changes
- 68000 Runtime Libraries: Separate runtime libraries (db.lib, startup.lib) for 68000 targets, alongside the default 68020 builds.
- Removed Legacy APP Preprocessor: The old C-based APP preprocessor source has been removed in favor of YAP.
- Deprecated ACPP and NAP: The C-comment preprocessor (ACPP) and NAP preprocessor are deprecated. YAP supersedes both (influenced by NAP's design) and provides a unified preprocessing solution.
- CubicIDE Integration: Added CubicIDE ACE plugin and IDE folder.
Bug fixes
- Fix Assembler Label Suffixes (#44): Type qualifier characters (%, &, !, #, $) in SUB/FUNCTION names are now mapped to portable assembler-safe suffixes (_IS, _IL, _FS, _FD, _ST) for vasm compatibility.
- Fix INVOKE in Statement Context: INVOKE with runtime CLSR detection now works correctly in statement context (previously only worked in expression context).
- Fix REM #using with No Directives (#47): The bas script no longer errors when source files contain no REM #using directives.
Compiler internas
- Major refactoring (#55): Extracted codegen.c module with reusable code generation helpers (gen_rt_call, gen_frame_addr, gen_push, gen_pop, gen_lib_call, gen_var_addr, etc.). Broke up large functions (statement, factor, compile, insymbol, for_statement) into focused handlers. Extracted invoke.c for SUB/FUNCTION call handling. Total reduction of ~1500 lines of duplicated code.
Testing
- 60 new test cases across 10 categories (strings, math, logic, fileio, memory, control, syntax, subs, arithmetic, errors). Recursion test suite (7 tests).
- YAP preprocessor test suite (11 tests covering all features).
Documentation
- Internal calling conventions document (AmigaGuide).
- INVOKABLE keyword documented in ref.txt and ace.txt.
- List submodule README and API documentation.
ACE can be downloaded from the developer's GitHub page and is also available on Aminet. (nba)
[News message: 10. Feb. 2026, 09:44] [Comments: 0]
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