---
title: "Diagonal Movement"
type: "article"
slug: "diagonal-movement"
url: "http://localhost/article/diagonal-movement/"
markdown_url: "http://localhost/article/diagonal-movement.md"
published_at: "2026-10-22T13:43:43+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-10-22T13:46:40+00:00"
featured_image:
  url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20230809-041332.jpg"
excerpt: "If you have always wanted a joystick for your Sinclair, but were a little intimidated about making hardware modifications, the article -\"Adding a Joystick to the Timex-Sinclair 1000\" by James Stephens, SYNC, Vol 3, No 4 Jul/Aug 1983, page 52 is for you. It shows a simple inexpensive way to add an atari type joystick.The…"
post_tag:
  - name: "TS 1000"
    slug: "ts1000"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/ts1000/"
  - name: "Type-in program"
    slug: "type-in-program"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/type-in-program/"
model:
  - name: "Timex/Sinclair 1000"
    slug: "ts-1000"
    taxonomy: "model"
    url: "http://localhost/model/ts-1000/"
indiv:
  - name: "Gary Cole"
    slug: "gary-cole"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/gary-cole/"
publication_r:
  id: 14989
  title: "Sincus News"
  type: "periodical"
  url: "http://localhost/periodical/sincus-news/"
authors: "Gary Cole"
authors_r:
  - name: "Gary Cole"
    slug: "gary-cole"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/gary-cole/"
volume: "1"
issue: "9"
issues_articles:
  - id: 72169
    title: "SINCUS v1 n9"
    type: "issue"
    url: "http://localhost/issue/sincus-v1-n9/"
pages: "2"
pubdate: "October 1983"
archive_link: false
---

# Diagonal Movement

If you have always wanted a joystick for your Sinclair, but were a little intimidated about making hardware modifications, the article -“[Adding a Joystick to the Timex-Sinclair 1000](http://localhost/article/adding-a-joystick-to-the-timex-sinclair-1000/)” by [James Stephens](http://localhost/indiv/jim-stephens/), SYNC, Vol 3, No 4 Jul/Aug 1983, page 52 is for you. It shows a simple inexpensive way to add an atari type joystick.The only catch is that the program listed in the article provides only for up-down and left – right movement – it will not do the diagonals. The following program uses the system variable LAST K instead of the function INKEY$. LAST-K (PEEK 16421 + 256 * PEEK 16422), provides a useful value even with two or more keys simultaneously depressed, exactly what we need for diagonals. The program is a little slow as it stands, but it maybe compiled (using Bob Beach’s compiler), without changes. The resulting machine code is surprisingly fast.

### The program listing:

```
001  SLOW
005  LET X = 20
007  LET Y = 20
010  LET A = PEEK 16422
015  LET B = PEEK 16421
020  IF A = 255 THEN GOTO 10
040  IF A <> 223 THEN GOTO 80
050  IF B <> 239 THEN GOTO 60
052  LET Y = Y - 1
056  GOTO 500
060  IF B <> 247 THEN GOTO 70
062  LET X = X - 1
066  GOTO 500
070  LET X = X - 1
072  LET Y = Y - 1
076  GOTO 500
080  IF A <> 239 THEN GOTO 100
085  LET Y = Y + 1
090  GOTO 500
100  IF A <> 247 THEN GOTO 130
110  LET X = X + 1
120  GOTO 500
130  IF A <> 207 THEN GOTO 170
140  LET X = X - 1
150  LET Y = Y + 1
160  GOTO 500
170  IF A <> 215 THEN GOTO 210
180  LET X = X + 1
190  LET Y = Y - 1
200  GOTO 500
210  IF A <> 231 THEN GOTO 290
220  LET X = X - 1
230  LET Y = Y + 1
240  GOTO 500
290  IF A <> 253 THEN GOTO 10
300  RETURN
500  IF X > 63 THEN LET X = 63
510  IF X < 0 THEN LET X = 0
520  IF Y > 43 THEN LET Y = 43
530  IF Y < 0 THEN LET Y = 0
570  PLOT X,Y
600  GOTO 10
```

enter the program and RUN – use the ” magic arrow ” keys, 5, 6, 7, 8 to move the dot around- try pressing two keys in combination.