Dive a bit deeper into Lua

OZApps

Here is an Article I wrote, http://howto.oz-apps.com/2012/04/lua-riff-source-code-and-bytecode.html For the advanced users here that already know all about it and the beginner developers who are still grappling with the lua basics, you can avoid reading it, it will save both of us the extra comments.

@Atilim there was a question and hint/direction for you, can we have that all the lua source files be compiled and created into a single file like the RIFF format as described which can be extracted on launch, in fact a similar theory to encrypt it was suggested by @Gorkem a while ago on the topic of lua compilation and safe guarding the source code.

Need to also check if the bytecode in a released app can be changed and if it will still work, reminds me of the POKE and PEEK in the 80's which was used to POKE and change certain locations to cheat, get maximum lives, etc.

atilim

Hi @OZApps,

Thank you for this article. Diving into the details of Lua VM is fun

Recently, I've finished the implementation and testing of our virtual file system. So that the whole file system can be any media (e.g. a password protected zip file). This is the first step of encrypting and protecting the Lua bytecodes and other assets on our side.

After you've mentioned PEEK and POKE, I read the news about Jack Tramiel. Is it a coincidence? :-?

OZApps

I guess Jack Tramiel was the C=64 man, my influence was Sir Clive Sinclair & the ZX Spectrum (Now owned by Sir Alan Sugar from Amstrad). The POKE, PEEK was actually changing the bytecode (or rather the Assembly codes), not related really.

The Virtual FS sounds interesting, will look forward to that.

Scouser

@OZApps: I was also inspired by Sir Clive but was originally introduced to computing using a Tandy (Radio Shack in US) TRS-80 and was given my first assembler for it by Matthew 'Manic Miner' Smith who developed and sold his first game 'Delta Tao One' for the machine. Happy days

Magnusviri

@OZApps, interesting article. Lua is so simple yet powerful that it keeps blowing my mind. I have started learning things about programming that I doubt I ever would have before because of Lua. I still can't figure out a way to describe Lua to my satisfaction.

I remember PEEK and POKE on the C64.  Yes, it's sad about Tramiel passing away.  It's also interesting to find out that the Amiga died after he left Commodore.  Vic-20 was the first computer I "owned" (a hand me down from my older brothers who got a C-64).  The nostalgia is unbelievable.  I'm tempted to start a new topic on this lol.  Elite was an obsession.  And M.U.L.E. is such a classic.  Not to mention GEOS. And I remember the "trash-80" hehehe O:)

techdojo

As an original Vic-20 then a C64 owner I was also saddened to hear of Jack's passing - his bio on the commodore site makes for interesting reading.

I had the pleasure of meeting his Leonard a few occasions when I was working at Atari back in the mid 90's and a brief meeting with his older son Sam, I never had the pleasure of meeting Jack though - my condolences go out to the family.

atilim

I'm also sad to hear Jack Tramiel passed and as you said he has a very interesting bio. Our first computer was Amstrad CPC6128 (and then C64). It was a pleasure playing games on its green screen. (@techdojo exciting history btw)

atilim

@Magnusviri let's open a new topic