Hey Zak,
I think I know what the issue is...because I just ran into the same problem = ).
You can't simply run Contest06.exe by double clicking it, or, as you saw, it only flashes on the screen temporarily. You have to follow the instuctions on the project website below. Since I already went throught the steps I listed the specifics below below. Let me know if you have any questions and happy NANORGing!
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentorin ... estProgram
Specifically:
Using the Contest Program
The contest program (provided for Windows, Red Hat Linux, and Apple OS X) can be used to test and debug your NANORG program. Here's how to get started:
1. Unzip all of the files into a new directory (i.e., folder) on your hard drive.
2. Open a command shell (e.g., CMD.EXE under Windows) and make sure that the command shell window is at least 80 columns wide by 50 rows high. (If you do not do this, the CONTEST06 program output will be difficult to understand.)
* You can do this by going to
Start at the bottom left of your Windows screen then selecting
Run typing in
cmd.exe and hitting
OK*
3. You can start by editing the sample NANORG that Symantec provided:
samplebot.asm
Using your favorite source editor, e.g. NOTEPAD or a programming editor (e.g., Crimson Editor, Kang, 2004). You can modify the programming logic of our sample NANORG to improve it. Alternatively, you can create your own NANORG from scratch.
4. Once you have updated/created your NANORG source file, you can test it by following the instructions below. If your NANORG programming logic contains any syntax errors or other errors that prevent it from compiling, the contest program will inform you of these errors, and you can fix them.
5. You can iteratively update your NANORG's programming logic and re-test it until you are happy with it.
Then...
To assemble and run your organism source file and see how it works, use this command line (or its equivalent for Linux or OSX as detailed in the section below, Running the Contest Program on Apple or Linux Computers):
C:\CONTEST06> CONTEST06.EXE –p:yourPlayerFile.asm
Where yourPlayerFile.asm is whatever you name your NANORG's assembly file.
*If you don't change the file that you downloaded from the website you'll use samplebot.asm *
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentorin ... estProgram