Running ACE on Medley for DOS

[pamoroso]

This discussion documents my attempt to run the ACE LispUsers module on Medley for DOS under DOSBox-X and see how far I can go. @masinter suggested this in the August 14, 2024 external meeting.

I downloaded two .ACE demo files and renamed them to the DOS file name format:

• ACE-BOUNCINGBALL.ACE -> BALL.ACE
• ACE-FOUETTE.ACE -> FOUETTE.ACE

I also copied the files to C:\MEDLEY\ACE.

After loading ACE with (FILESLOAD (SYSLOAD) ACE) from an Interlisp Exec I launch the program with (ACE). I recover from the startup error as explained in #525. When asked for the animation directory I enter medley>ace and the control window appears.

To load the BALL.ACE demo I execute the Get Sequence command, type ace>ball.ace, and a new animation window opens:

The command Run Sequence > Loop animates the bouncing ball continuously and I can stop it by holding the SPACE bar. The FOUETTE.ACE example works equally well:

Pretty cool.

Everything seems to be running fine but there's something I don't understand. When Get Sequence prompts to position the Animation Sequence Window and I left-click, sometimes the window appears and a new frame immediately appears as when opening and positioning a new window. Left-clicking again, the Animation Sequence Window finally shows up and the first window disappears.

For more details on ACE see the documentation and the paper A differential compiler for computer animation.

Anything you'd like me to try?

[pamoroso]

Here are the screen recordings of the ACE demo animations I tried.

Bouncing ball

ace-ball.mp4

Ballet dancer performing a fouette turn

ace-fouette.mp4

[pamoroso]

Two more screen recordings of ACE demos.

Movie credits

ace-ewoks.mp4

How a photocopier works

ace-rdhdemo.mp4