Here, we'll prepare the environment to use VCSSL and start writing some programs!
First, let's set up the necessary environment.
The most crucial component is the "VCSSL Runtime," required to execute VCSSL programs. This software is available for free and can be downloaded from the following page:
On the aforementioned page, you will find detailed instructions tailored to your operating system. Follow these instructions to ensure that VCSSL programs can be executed on your PC.
Next, you'll need software for writing programs. VCSSL programs are plain text files, so any text editor can be used for this purpose.
While some operating systems come with built-in text editors (such as Notepad on Windows), these basic editors may not offer features that facilitate coding. Therefore, you might want to consider one of the many free text editors that are enhanced for programming tasks. Here are a few recommendations:
In addition to the above, there are other popular editors like Emacs and Vim. Each editor has its strengths, so we recommend trying a few to find the one that suits your needs best.
Lastly, let's consider adjusting your computer's settings as needed.
On many PCs, file extensions are not displayed by default. This setting is often intended to prevent accidental changes to file extensions. However, in scenarios where understanding the type of files is crucial, such as in programming, not being able to see or modify the file extension can be a hindrance.
Therefore, it is advisable to adjust your settings to display file extensions. For example, on Windows, you can find instructions by searching for "how to display file extensions in Windows."
Now that your environment is ready, it's time to start writing some VCSSL code!
Let's begin with a simple program that displays the message "Hello, World!". This is known as the "Hello, World!" program, which serves as the traditional introduction to programming in many languages. Here's how you can do it in VCSSL:
First, open your text editor and type the following code:
In VCSSL, this line of code displays "Hello, World!" on the console.
Next, save this program in a convenient working folder with the filename "HelloWorld.vcssl". Be mindful of the ".vcssl" extension, which might not be visible depending on your PC's settings.
Once you've successfully saved the VCSSL program as described above, now let's run it. The method varies depending on your operating system and whether VCSSL is installed. Detailed instructions can be found on the following page:
Follow the appropriate instructions to run the 'HelloWorld.vcssl' program you created earlier. When executed, a black screen will appear, displaying the following message in white text:
Congratulations! You've successfully executed the Hello, World! program.
The screen where the message appeared is called the "VCSSL console" or simply "console" for short.
When you close the console, the execution of the VCSSL program ends. Additionally, pressing the "Reset" button on the console's menu bar (or the F11 key) reloads the currently running program and executes it again from the beginning.
When you're writing a new program, you'll often edit and execute it multiple times. In such cases, it's convenient to keep the console open and work alongside the editor. This allows you to smoothly edit in the editor, press "Reset" in the console to execute, and repeat the process seamlessly.