[Coco] Back to BASIC

Tue May 2 11:04:27 EDT 2017

It for sure wasn’t in the original Color Basic and Extended Basic manuals (and it works on both DRAW and PLAY). Not sure if they updated it later.

L. Curtis Boyle
curtisboyle at sasktel.net

> On May 2, 2017, at 8:18 AM, Arthur Flexser <flexser at fiu.edu> wrote:
> 
> I was referring not to the X option, but to the use of a variable with an
> equals sign within the DRAW string:
> 
> Example 1:
> 
> To draw a box in medium resolution:
> 
> 10 SCREEN 1
> 20 A=20
> 30 DRAW "U=A; R=A; D=A; L=A;"
> 
> 
> Is that documented in the Tandy manuals?
> 
> Art
> 
> On Tue, May 2, 2017 at 6:43 AM, S Klammer <sklammer at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> I've used the "X" (eXecute a substring) in ECB and it is documented on page
>> 115 of the manual, as available in the "Getting started with Extended Color
>> Basic" in the archive.
>> 
>> Shain
>> On May 2, 2017 2:30 AM, "Arthur Flexser" <flexser at fiu.edu> wrote:
>> 
>>> I now think maybe the ability to use variables within the DRAW argument
>>> string may have been one of the things not documented by Tandy, as in
>>> Example 1 at the bottom of the GWBASIC page.
>>> 
>>> Art
>>> 
>>> On Mon, May 1, 2017 at 7:40 PM, Steve Strowbridge <
>> ogsteviestrow at gmail.com
>>>> 
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> That's a great reference link for the GW BASIC version, thanks Arthur.
>>>> I haven't finished the entire chapter yet, so I haven't gone over all
>> the
>>>> options, but "S" Scale and "R" rotation are included in ECB and have
>> been
>>>> covered already, I haven't gotten to "N" (return) or "X" (Execute sub
>>>> string) yet, and there may be a few other options, too.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Steve Strowbridge, aka
>>>> The Original Gamer Stevie Strow
>>>> http://ogsteviestrow.com
>>>> ogsteviestrow at gmail.com
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On Mon, May 1, 2017 at 6:15 PM, Arthur Flexser <flexser at fiu.edu>
>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> P.S.  This description of the DRAW command in GWBASIC may have some
>> or
>>>> all
>>>>> of the undocumented features of the Extended Basic DRAW command, as
>> the
>>>> two
>>>>> versions of BASIC are very similar, probably coded by the same guy at
>>>>> Microsoft.
>>>>> 
>>>>> http://www.antonis.de/qbebooks/gwbasman/draw.html
>>>>> 
>>>>> Art
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Mon, May 1, 2017 at 5:59 PM, Arthur Flexser <flexser at fiu.edu>
>>> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> I seem to recall that there are useful options in the DRAW command
>>> that
>>>>>> were undocumented in the manuals and discovered by people who
>>>>> disassembled
>>>>>> the ROM code.  A scaling option was one of them, I think, if that
>> is
>>>> not
>>>>>> among the documented ones.  This was written up in at least one of
>>> the
>>>>> CoCo
>>>>>> magazines.  Were you aware of this in writing the chapter?
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Art
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Mon, May 1, 2017 at 5:51 PM, Steve Strowbridge <
>>>>> ogsteviestrow at gmail.com
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Part two of Chapter 21 is now online, Chapter 21 was released just
>>>>> before
>>>>>>> CoCoFEST! and it's all about the DRAW command, it's a big chapter,
>>> as
>>>>>>> there
>>>>>>> are a lot of options to use with the DRAW command.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> The first part brought us up to a DIY challenge, which was to DRAW
>>>> your
>>>>>>> name using the DRAW command.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Part 2, recorded and released today is my attempt at doing just
>>> that,
>>>>>>> using
>>>>>>> DRAW statements to display my name graphically, but I got a little
>>>> fancy
>>>>>>> with it, using string arrays to be able to print out letters in
>>> order
>>>> or
>>>>>>> randomly.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Let me know what you think:
>>>>>>> https://youtu.be/PSxezYqsqp0
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Steve Strowbridge, aka
>>>>>>> The Original Gamer Stevie Strow
>>>>>>> http://ogsteviestrow.com
>>>>>>> ogsteviestrow at gmail.com
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On Wed, Apr 19, 2017 at 9:56 AM, Alexander Wallace <
>>>>>>> alexander.o.wallace at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> I have a lot to catch up now! Thanks for all you do man!
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> On Apr 19, 2017, at 8:21 AM, Steve Strowbridge <
>>>>>>> ogsteviestrow at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Chapter 20 is now online covering the PAINT command, I'll try
>>> and
>>>>> add
>>>>>>>> some
>>>>>>>>> painting examples to the DIY graphics demo we've been building
>>> up
>>>>>>> during
>>>>>>>>> this series as well
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> https://youtu.be/WT4IB_GPgGU
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Steve Strowbridge, aka
>>>>>>>>> The Original Gamer Stevie Strow
>>>>>>>>> http://ogsteviestrow.com
>>>>>>>>> ogsteviestrow at gmail.com
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> On Sun, Apr 16, 2017 at 9:06 PM, Steve Strowbridge <
>>>>>>>> ogsteviestrow at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> Happy Easter everyone!
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> I have come up with a small demo showing off the CIRCLE
>> command
>>>>> that
>>>>>>> was
>>>>>>>>>> recently covered in chapter 19 of my series.
>>>>>>>>>> This demo shows off the various ways to create circles,
>>> including
>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>> RADIUS, the Height and Width, and starting and ending
>> positions
>>>> of
>>>>>>> ARCs,
>>>>>>>>>> both forward and reverse.
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> I have showed what the demo looks like, and what to expect,
>>> and I
>>>>>>>> thought
>>>>>>>>>> it would be cool to set this up as a challenge for somebody
>> to
>>>>>>> re-create
>>>>>>>>>> their own version of this demo and then send it to me, and
>> I'll
>>>>> show
>>>>>>> off
>>>>>>>>>> the contributions I get.
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> Here is the video of the demo:
>>>>>>>>>> https://youtu.be/2lnav77mCFQ
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> Love to see what people come up with.
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> Steve Strowbridge, aka
>>>>>>>>>> The Original Gamer Stevie Strow
>>>>>>>>>> http://ogsteviestrow.com
>>>>>>>>>> ogsteviestrow at gmail.com
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> On Sat, Apr 15, 2017 at 8:09 AM, Steve Strowbridge <
>>>>>>>>>> ogsteviestrow at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks for the scratch tip Salvador.
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> Chapter 19 is now on-line going over the CIRCLE command, and
>>>>>>> expanding
>>>>>>>>>>> upon a DIY graphics demo that's taking all the graphics
>>> commands
>>>>>>> we're
>>>>>>>>>>> learning and doing random graphics on the screen.
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> I'm going to try and throw together another DIY program to
>>>> better
>>>>>>>>>>> demonstrate and visualize all the cool things you can do
>> with
>>>> the
>>>>>>>> CIRCLE
>>>>>>>>>>> command later today.
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> Steve Strowbridge, aka
>>>>>>>>>>> The Original Gamer Stevie Strow
>>>>>>>>>>> http://ogsteviestrow.com
>>>>>>>>>>> ogsteviestrow at gmail.com
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> On Fri, Apr 14, 2017 at 2:31 PM, Salvador Garcia via Coco <
>>>>>>>>>>> coco at maltedmedia.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> If you and your daughter are going to get into Scratch, you
>>>> might
>>>>>>> find
>>>>>>>>>>>> the following enjoyable:
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> https://hourofcode.com/us
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> At the top nav bar, click on Activities. Many of these are
>>>> based
>>>>>>> on a
>>>>>>>>>>>> Scratch-like language. (They may be Scratch, but I don't
>> know
>>>>> what
>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>> going
>>>>>>>>>>>> on behind the scenes of this Web site.)
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> Salvador
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>     From: Steve Strowbridge <ogsteviestrow at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>>>>> To: CoCo Mailing List <coco at maltedmedia.com>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Sent: Friday, April 14, 2017 9:30 AM
>>>>>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Coco] Back to BASIC
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> That's awesome Bruce, I had to mostly teach myself, but we
>>> did
>>>>> swap
>>>>>>>> ideas
>>>>>>>>>>>> at clubs, and of course the Rainbow.
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> What a great bonding experience to be able to share with
>> your
>>>>>>>> children.
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm going to go through a project with my 8 year old
>> daughter
>>>> in
>>>>> a
>>>>>>>>>>>> language
>>>>>>>>>>>> called Scratch that is a simple way to teach coding and
>>> create
>>>>>>> Sprite
>>>>>>>>>>>> based
>>>>>>>>>>>> video games.
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> On Apr 14, 2017 10:02 AM, "D. Bruce Moore" <
>>> bruce at gracenote.ca
>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Steve,
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I have been teaching my son, Jacob, BASIC from out of the
>>>>>>> manual.  We
>>>>>>>>>>>> will
>>>>>>>>>>>>> likely be looking at the later chapters (PMODE) later on
>>> and I
>>>>> can
>>>>>>>> see
>>>>>>>>>>>>> using these videos as a great teaching tool.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Looks like our table is in the middle next to yours - see
>>> you
>>>> at
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>> Fest!
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Apr 14, 2017, at 8:14 AM, Steve Strowbridge <
>>>>>>>>>>>> ogsteviestrow at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Happy Good Friday everyone!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Chapter 18 is uploaded in 3 parts, it was a doozy, but
>>> we're
>>>>>>> dealing
>>>>>>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the PMODE command, and Page Switching, and Page copying,
>>>> pretty
>>>>>>> cool
>>>>>>>>>>>>> stuff.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> So we cover PCLEAR, PMODE, and PCOPY.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Coco mailing list
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Coco at maltedmedia.com
>>>>>>>>>>>>> https://pairlist5.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> --
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>>>>>>>>>>>> Coco at maltedmedia.com
>>>>>>>>>>>> https://pairlist5.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> --
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>>>>>>>>>>>> https://pairlist5.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> --
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>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
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>>>>>>> 
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>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>> 
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