Getting Started With Beta BASIC, Part 2

In Part 1 (SWN Vol, 5 No. 5) of this intro to Beta Basic (BB) we looked at some of the editing and data-manipulation features which may be used on programs entered in T/S mode as well as those written in BB. This time let’s see how it may be adapted for use with a Spectrum-compatible DOS and also how to install relocatable machine code routines with BB in-residence.

The listings as shown were done in LIST FORMAT 2, using the printer driver routine from ProFile re-located into BB to send LLIST output to the printer. Someone may protest, “But the P/F driver doesn’t expand token words for an LLIST.” True, but BB will do this before sending the LLIST data to a SW driver as well as sending the proper number of TAB n spaces for whatever printer column-width has been set by POKE 57500,n. The USING or USING$ function allows fixed-digit justification of columnar tabulations on either or both sides of the decimal point for screen displays and printouts. (LPRINT will work OK with the Oliger EPROM driver routine and possibly others, but BB keywords will not be expanded for LLIST.)