Skip to content

Obscure commands, part 4

1 message · 2002-12-09 → 2002-12-09 · Yahoo Group era · View archive on archive.org

Participants: ekrampitzjr

Preserved from the Timex/Sinclair 2068 Yahoo Group (2001–2019), which is no longer online. Text reproduced from the archive.org archive; email addresses masked.

Messages

1. Obscure commands, part 4

ekrampitzjr · Mon, 09 Dec 2002 17:22

4.  OPEN #n,x$  CLOSE #n  n = 0-15; x$ = "k", "p", "s"

These commands are related to the INPUT # and PRINT # commands.  OPEN 
# opens a data stream for your use as follows:

x$ = "k" (keyboard): data prints on the bottom portion of the screen

x$ = "p" (printer): data prints on the printer

x$ = "s" (screen): data prints on the top portion of the screen, 
lines 0-21

For n = 0 or 1, the normal printing position is as for "k".  INPUT 
normally uses these streams.  For n = 2, the normal printing position 
is as for "s"; LIST and PRINT use this stream.  For n = 3, the normal 
printing position is as for "p".  LLIST and LPRINT use this stream.  
COPY will not be affected if you redefine this stream.  For n = 4 
through 15, these were meant for future peripherals and may be 
redefined for your own use.

CLOSE #n returns a channel to its normal value.

What's the point?  Let's say you want to conserve printer paper.  
Keying OPEN #3, "s" will have all printer output go to the screen 
instead.  CLOSE #3 reverses this.  Also, you may remember that INPUT 
#2 and up and PRINT #4 and up are invalid commands.  OPEN can change 
this.

Indexed under

BASIC programming