ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN LIMA NEWSLETTER MAY 1989 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ SUPERBASIC V2.0 ^^^^^^^^^^^a review by Charles Good ^^^^^^^^^^^^^Lima Ohio User Group SUPERBASIC v1 was reviewed in the Feb 89 issue of Micropendium. Readers are referred to this review for a complete description of the features found in v1 since all of the v1 features are retained in version 2.0. The newer version is scheduled for release at the Lima UG's May 20 Multi User Group Conference. This article is based on a beta testing edition of version 2. SUPERBASIC is an extended basic programmers' aid, a "hot keys" program, and a disk manager all wrapped up into a single neat package. It boots from XB and can be programmed to immediately load another XB program if desired. SUPERBASIC resides in low memory where it does not interfere with the memory space normally occupied by XB programs. The special features of SUPERBASIC can be accessed directly from XB command mode or via CALL LINKs from within an XB program. If you decide to put SUPERBASIC CALL LINKs in your programs, it is userful to have SUPERBASIC on the same disk. The important files to copy from the SUPERBASIC master disk onto your program disk are LOAD, LOADER, SOFTKEYS, and SUPERBASIC. These 4 files total 38 sectors. All XB programs without SUPERBASIC CALL LINKs I have tested run perfectly normally when loaded into SUPERBASIC, although some XB programs with assembly routines overwrite SUPERBASIC. Version 1 of SUPERBASIC would only boot from DSK1. LOAD and LOADER files are included with version 2.0 that allow SUPERBASIC to boot from DSK1,2,3, or 5. SUPERBASIC is particularly useful to those who modify or create new XB code and is also useful to those who like easily programable "hot keys" and those who type in XB programs from printed listings. Potential purchasers should compare SUPERBASIC to EZ KEYS PLUS, another excellent "hot keys-XB programming aid" package with some similar features. DV80 TEXT FILE MANIPULATION: Where SUPERBASIC really shines and is different from most other software packages is in SUPERBASIC's ability to take complete control of text files in DV80 format from within the extended basic environment. -^A DV80 text file can be displayed on the screen in 28 columns. As it scrolls past you an temporarily stop the scroll by holding down any key. When the end of file is reached you are returned to commnand mode or to the next program line. -^You can write an XB program using any DV80 editor such as TI-Writer or Funnelweb. You can then load this DV80 file into SUPERBASIC and RUN the program. -^You can create a series of command mode commands in a DV80 file, load this DV80 file into SUPERBASIC and then run from command mode this series of commands one right after the other. This allows you to create, load, and run batch files consisting of a series of command mode commands such as: RUN "DSK1.OLDLOAD" SAVE "DSK2.NEWLOAD" DELETE "DSK1.OLDLOAD" NEW This feature resembles the command mode "proglets" that can be created with EZ KEYS PLUS. Two examples of batch files are provided with the SUPERBASIC package. One of these batch files takes an XB program and creates a DV80 text file of this program with checksums added. The batch file directs all necessary operations automatically in the proper sequence. The resulting text file can then be printed in newsletters that publish XB code. EZ KEYS PLUS accomplishes more or less the same thing much more rapidly in a different way. With EZ KEYS PLUS you load the XB program, press a few keys, and your printer grinds out a 28 column listing with checksums. With EZ KEYS PLUS you are NOT left with any disk file containg the checksums, only the hardcopy. There are advantages and disadvantages to both the SUPERBASIC and the EZ KEYS PLUS method of checksum generation for publication in newsletters. I prefer EZ KEYS PLUS for this particular job. -^You can load a DV80 text file into SUPERBASIC, edit the text from within the extended basic environment with a 28 column display, and resave the text to disk as a DV80 file. -^You can, without leaving extended basic, copy a DV80 file from one disk to another, or print the file to a printer by specifying the printer name as the destination when using COPY. -^Last, but not least, you can combine two DV80 files on a disk, adding the contents of one DV80 file to the end of the another DV80 file on the disk. This can create really massive text files. DOS-LIKE DISK MANAGEMENT COMMANDS: -^Files of any type can be renamed, protected, or unprotected. -^The COPY command will copy text (DV80) files from one drive to another drive. Unfortunately other types of files cannot be copied from within SUPERBASIC. -^Typing DIR will bring up a disk directory of the most recently used drive in 40 columns. To change the default drive type DIR X and the number X becomes the new default drive number. THIS IS A VERY HANDY FEATURE, mainly because the syntax is so simple. Usually all you need to do to get a directory of the disk in DSK1 is type DIR and press . To do the same thing using GramKracker extended basic or the Super Extended Basic module you need to type CALL CAT("DSK1.") before you press . -^Typing FORMAT n,"DISKNAME" will initialize the disk in drive n. You can optionally specify the number of sides and density. These have defaults of 1. The disk is initialized, varified, and bad sectors are marked as unusable all automatically. THIS IS ANOTHER REALLY NEAT FEATURE, and is new to version 2 of SUPERBASIC. You no longer have to exit XB and load a disk manager when you run out of preinitialized disks. Very few other software packages permit you to initialize disks from within XB without disturbing the XB program already in memory. Wouldn't it be nice if ARCHIVER, or the various terminal emulators could initialize disks? XB PROGRAMMING ENHANCEMENTS: After SUPERBASIC is loaded, a number of enhancements are available to the XB user that aid in the typing in from printed listings, in the creation of, or in the modification of XB programs. Several of these enhancements are similar to those available in the various "extended extended basic" packages such as GK extended basic or the Super Extended Basic module. - You can tab foreward or backward one half of a screen line. -^Partial erasing from the cursor position to the beginning or the end of a program line is possible. -^When it is time to SAVE your XB code press FCTN/-. The computer will then type SAVE followed by the file name you used in your most recent OLD and wait for you to press . -^Groups of line numbers can be deleated. You are no longer forced to delete line numbers in memory one at a time. -^Segments of the program in memory can be renumbered without altering the line numbers of the rest of the program. -^You can JOIN two consecutive line numbers together into one XB line with a double colon between. This allows you to write easily understandable code "one line number-one statement" as in TI BASIC and later combine this code into compact multistatement XB lines. - The QUIT key (FCTN/=) can be turned off or on. -^You can search the XB code in memory for specific strings, either quoted or unquoted. This is similar to the "find string" function of TI-Writer or some disk sector editors. The ability to do this is particularly useful in locating references in an XB program to particular variable names or to particular line numbers in GOTO and GOSUB statements. -^POKEV and PEEKV are available. Both are new to version 2.0. HOTKEYS: There are 32 user programmable hot keys accessed by pressing the CTRL key and one other key at the same time. A-Z and 6 other keys are available as hot keys. You can, if desired, add a space or software controlled press of after the text of each hot key. For example, you can program CTRL/L so that when these two keys are pressed the computer will type LIST on the screen, automatically press , and begin listing the program in memory on the screen. Each hotkey can be assigned a string of up to 30 characters, including the subsequent space or . Besides SUPERBASIC, other hot keys packages I am familiar with are TI KEYS and EZ KEYS PLUS. Of the three, I like EZ KEYS PLUS best for creation of hot keys. EZ KEYS hot keys can be much longer than 30 characters in length and can have other useful features. Of course SUPERBASIC is much more than just a hot keys program. Hot keys are just a part of the entire SUPERBASIC environment. PROBLEMS: You cannot access Horizon Ramdisks that are set at a CRU address other than 1000. I am not an assembly programmer, but I suspect there is a way to program around this problem. Earlier versions of Funnelweb had the same problem. Current Funnelweb releases have no problem finding Horizons at any CRU address. Neither version 1 or version 2.0 of SUPERBASIC work reliably with a Geneve or a DIJIT AVPC card. With both of these pieces of hardware SUPERBASIC appears to load properly and function normally. However if you OLD or type in an XB program, the XB program will not RUN properly and will look weird if it is listed. EZ KEYS PLUS has the exact same compatibility problem. You can't use joysticks while in the SUPERBASIC environment. This is because you need a special physical "key plugged into the joystick port" in order for SUPERBASIC to function properly. This is a very effective protection scheme, but it does prevent the use of joysticks. CONCLUSION: The particular combination of features found in SUPERBASIC is not found in any other software package. The DOS-like features and ability to manipulate DV80 text files all from within the XB environment are outstanding. If you like the idea of creating or typing in XB programs using the TI-Writer or the Funnelweb editor, with full screen cursor movenent and editing capitilities, then SUPERBASIC deserves your consideration. I have seen other software that allows you to create XB code with TI-Writer, and nothing I have seen is as good as SUPERBASIC for this purpose. COST AND AVAILABILITY: The price is $25. This includes on disk documentation, and one "key that fits into the joystick port." The software is available directly from the author: Steve Karasek 855 Diversey Dr. St. Louis MO 63126 Phone 314-961-2052 Paid members of the Lima UG can borrow the Version 2.0 owned by the UG to play with and see if they like it. Non-local members can send a disk and paid return mailer. We will copy the SUPERBASIC files onto your disk and send it back to you along with the group's "key that fits into the joystick port". When you are finished playing with SUPERBASIC, mail the key back to us. .PL 1