🚀 go-pugleaf

roth@csoadm.enet.dec.com (Lee Roth) writes:
>Any suggestions as to which PC Basic would fill the following requirements?
>
>1) Compiler to produce standalone runnable programs (no interpreter baggage,

What is "interpreter baggage"?  That aside, there are a variety of
BASIC compilers for the PC that will produce standalone executables.
The only ones I'm aware of that *don't* do this are the interpreters
that come bundled with DOS (BASICA, GWBASIC, QBASIC).

>2) Program lines without numbers
>
>3) Can label sections of code and use GOTO or GOSUB label instead of
>   line numbers

This is also commonplace.  Microsoft's QBASIC, QuickBASIC, PDS, VB,
and VB/DOS all allow you to label any line with either a number or an
alphanumeric label, or leave the line unlabeled.  Line numbers and
alphanumeric labels can be used interchangeably.

Additionally, most modern PC BASICs (including the Microsoft products
mentioned above) have 'real' procedures (usually called SUBs) and
functions, like C and Pascal.  I don't find myself using GOSUB very
much these days.

>4) Variable names of at least 12 characters (so you can understand them)

Most modern PC BASICs allow variable names longer than 12 characters.

>5) 'Option explicit' so you can force declaration of variables when coding

This is a new one in VB/DOS, I don't know of any other products that
have this feature.  Does anyone else know?

>6) Decent ON ERROR handling

Depends on your definition of decent.  What are you looking for?

>7) Select/case statements, VAX Basic-ish, e.g.

Microsoft's SELECT CASE (which has been copied in some competitors) is
one of the most flexible case structures I have seen, and is much
better than what is found in C and Pascal.  I don't think you'll be
dissapointed.

>8) ISAM file support

Microsoft BASIC PDS has this, and so does VB/DOS Professional.

>Also, don't need any windows support- just plain vanilla ASCII character
>terminal I/O type stuff. 

Most of these don't have Windows support.  There are three Windows
BASICs that I know of, of which Visual BASIC is the only one I know
anything about.

>My experience with Basic in the PC arena is zilch as you can tell.

You should consult the FAQ for more information on what is available
in some of the current PC BASIC products.  More products will be
included when I find out the information (i.e. when people post it or
email it to me).

  --  Cos (Ofer Inbar)  --  cos@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu
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