Nouvelles des Amis -

GuppY : the easy and free web portal that requires no database to run

Hollywood 11 - by bohun 15/03/2026 11:04

Hollywood (MAL for short, from Multimedia Application Language) is a high-level programming language designed to create multimedia applications, games and graphical interfaces. Here are its main features and characteristics:

1. Purpose and Use Cases

Multimedia and Graphics: Hollywood is designed for creating multimedia-rich applications, games, and graphical interfaces.
Games and Presentations: Ideal for 2D games, demos, educational apps, and interactive presentations.
Cross-Platform: Runs on AmigaOS, MorphOS, AROS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and more.
Scripting and Compilation: Can be used as both an interpreted scripting language and compiled to native code.

2. Syntax and Structure

Simple and Readable: Syntax resembles BASIC, making it easy to learn and write.
Dynamic Typing: No need to declare variable types, speeding up prototyping.
Functions and Procedures: Supports modular code with functions and procedures.
Event Handling: Responds to system events like mouse clicks and key presses.

3. Graphics and Animation

Built-in Graphics Functions: Supports sprites, layers, transitions, and frame-by-frame animation.
Image Format Support: Loads and displays images in popular formats (PNG, JPG, IFF, etc.).
Special Effects: Includes built-in functions for transparency, scaling, rotation, and more.

4. Sound and Multimedia

Audio Playback: Supports multiple audio formats (MP3, WAV, OGG, MOD, etc.).
Synchronization: Syncs sound with graphics and animations seamlessly.

5. Graphical User Interfaces (GUI)

RapaGUI Framework: Integrated framework for creating native-looking GUIs (windows, buttons, text fields, etc.).
System Integration: GUIs can match the look and feel of the host operating system.

6. Networking and Communication

Network Protocols: Supports TCP/IP, HTTP, FTP, enabling networked applications.
File Operations: Read/write files and handle data storage.

7. Libraries and Extensibility

Rich Standard Library: Includes libraries for graphics, sound, networking, math, and more.
Plugin Support: Extend functionality by writing plugins in C.

8. Performance

Optimized for Multimedia: Efficient for graphics and audio applications.
Native Compilation: Compile to native machine code for improved performance.

9. Example Code

A simple Hollywood program that displays a window with text and waits for a mouse click:

@APPTITLE "My First Hollywood Program" @DISPLAY {Width = 640, Height = 480, Title = "Hello!"}  DisplayBrush(1, #WHITE) -- Set background color to white SetFont(#SYSFONT, 20) -- Set font TextOut("Hello, World!", 200, 200) -- Display text WaitLeftMouse() -- Wait for left mouse click End() -- End program

10. Versions and Compatibility

Hollywood 11.0: Latest stable version (as of 2024), with many improvements and new features.
MiniWood: Limited versions requiring the @USING directive to include libraries (full version includes all libraries by default).

11. Advantages

Ease of Use: Simple syntax and extensive documentation.
Versatility: Suitable for a wide range of multimedia projects.
Active Community: Forums, tutorials, and code examples available.

12. Limitations

Niche Use Case: Best for multimedia; not suitable for system programming or server applications.
Smaller Community: Less popular than languages like Python or C++, so fewer learning resources.

Summary

Hollywood is a powerful, easy-to-use language for creating multimedia applications, especially on Amiga and MorphOS platforms. Its simplicity, rich graphics/sound features, and cross-platform support make it a great choice for developers focused on 2D games, demos, and interactive content.

If you’re planning to use RapaGUI for GUIs or develop multimedia apps, Hollywood is a strong option.