🚀 go-pugleaf

lucifer@unlv.edu (Marco Westerweel) writes:

>I'm assuming that this is a news network for basic programmers. I say
>"assuming" because there doesn't seem to be anybody posting anything
>to it (?)...

Well, at least here is very minimal traffic.

>Does anyone know how to get GW basic or even quick basic to recognize
>the cursor keys as printable characters? This is possible only up to
>a degree with most IBM compatibles that I know of. 

Yes, to a degree. You can use CHR$(28) to CHR$(31) for the four cursor
directions. Don't know about other controls.

>The type of
>flexibility I am hoping for is the same as that which was possible on
>the Commodore 64 (now considered a dinosaur) in which entire arrays of
>different sized strings, with color definitions and screen location
>data all included in a single print command. It was possible to get
>very fast animation in basic that way. Its a powerful technique I've
>not been able to emulate on other machines.

Oh, you must have read my 20-liner in 64'er, didn't you???
Yes, you are right, this is a really powerful, *fast* and convenient
mechanism. I always miss it in the more "modern" dialects.
These screen editor capabilities were also a key experience how I got
passionated to PETs and CBMs (long before the C64). When I saw an Apple
or a Tandy those days with their crippled editors, I laughed heartily
and hurried back to the PET...

>Would it be possible to add machine code routines to basic which would
>enhance it to the point where the home, right, left, up, and down keys,
>and reverse on/off and color options could be included in string
>arrays? If so how is that done? Anybody out there? Thanx...

Well, with normal means you can do other routines in machine language,
callable as SUBs, but then this wouldn't be any different from the 
existing CLS, LOCATE commands. If you would like to change the PRINT 
command itself, then you would need to patch GWBASIC.EXE itself. 
Not easy, I guess.

-- 
Best regards, Dr. Peter Kittel  // E-Mail to  \\  Only my personal opinions... 
Commodore Frankfurt, Germany  \X/ {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!cbmger!peterk