---
title: "Simulated Underline Cursor"
id: 64785
type: "computer_media"
slug: "simulated-underline-cursor"
url: "http://localhost/computer_media/simulated-underline-cursor/"
markdown_url: "http://localhost/computer_media/simulated-underline-cursor.md"
published_at: "2026-03-08T01:15:17+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-03-30T21:45:20+00:00"
author: "David Anderson"
featured_image:
  url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/ScreenUtil-1-scaled.jpg"
excerpt: "A reusable TS2068 screen-printing routine that animates each character with a flashing underscore cursor, with a two-screen demo and a pager subroutine for longer text strings."
category:
  - name: "Archived Media"
    slug: "archived-media"
    taxonomy: "category"
    url: "http://localhost/category/archived-media/"
post_tag:
  - name: "Downloadable"
    slug: "downloadable"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/downloadable/"
  - name: "TS 2068"
    slug: "ts2068"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/ts2068/"
model:
  - name: "Timex/Sinclair 2068"
    slug: "ts-2068"
    taxonomy: "model"
    url: "http://localhost/model/ts-2068/"
indiv:
  - name: "Richard Bredhoff"
    slug: "richard-bredhoff"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/richard-bredhoff/"
genre:
  - name: "Utility"
    slug: "utility"
    taxonomy: "genre"
    url: "http://localhost/type/utility/"
media_type: "Program"
programmers:
  - name: "Richard Bredhoff"
    slug: "richard-bredhoff"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/richard-bredhoff/"
download_url: "https://archive.org/download/timex-sinclair-software-archive/Simulated%20Underline%20Cursor%28198x%29%28Richard%20Bredhoff%29%28TS2068%29%28US%29%28Programs%29.zip"
mediadate: "1985"
images:
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/ScreenUtil-1-scaled.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Underln-1.png"
article_media:
  - id: 39170
    title: "The Fame & The Glory"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/the-fame-the-glory/"
media_type_tags: "Utility"
---

# Simulated Underline Cursor

Demonstrates a simulated underline cursor routine for the TS2068, submitted to *[Syncware News](http://localhost/category/periodicals/syncware-news/)* as a competition entry by [Richard Bredhoff](http://localhost/indiv/richard-bredhoff/) in 1985. The effect prints each character of a string individually, flashing an underscore ahead of each letter using PRINT, CHR$ 8, BEEP, and two PAUSE 1 calls — producing a typewriter-style reveal that avoids text appearing all at once. A multi-paragraph demo string assembled by concatenation illustrates the technique across two screens, with a simple pager subroutine triggered at a calibrated character position to pause and clear between pages. The program is intended as a reusable snippet: the string variable name, BEEP parameters, and PAUSE durations are all designed to be modified for use in games or utilities.

## Source Code

```
    1 REM Simulated Underlining           Cursor Routine
    2 REM RESET  1985 Richard Bredhoff                962 E 107 St                    Brooklyn, NY                    11236
    3 REM SYNCWARE NEWS                   2068 Screen Utility             Competition Entry
    9 BORDER 1: PAPER 1: CLS : INK 6
   10 LET g$="This is a demontration of the   simulated 'underline' cursor    routine."
   11 LET g$=g$+CHR$ 13+"It can be used to print any     instructions for games, or util-ities and effect of a screen    full of printing appearing      suddenly is avoided."
   12 LET g$=g$+CHR$ 13+"The string to be printed can be of any length, have any legal   'name' and may include any of   the control characters, simply  by concatenating the new charac-ters to the existing string."
   13 LET g$=g$+CHR$ 13+"Of course, the BEEP can be made longer or shorter or eliminated entirely, as can the two PAUSES in line 30.     " 
   14 LET g$=g$+CHR$ 13+"If the text is longer than one  screen, any additional screens  may be displayed on demand, to  allow for variations in reading speed and comprehension, as     shown."
   15 LET g$=g$+CHR$ 13+"The variabe 'pager' is initiallyset to 0, turned on when the    first page is nearly full (PRINTLEN g$) and turned off by the   subroutine."
   19 LET pager=0
   20 FOR t=1 TO LEN g$
   22 IF t>520 AND t<522 THEN LET pager=1
   24 IF pager=1 THEN GO SUB 1010
   30 PRINT "_";: BEEP .001,20: PRINT CHR$ 8;" ";: PAUSE 1: PRINT CHR$ 8;g$(t);: PAUSE 1
   40 NEXT t
   45 PRINT AT 21,0;"Press any key to reread Page 1..": PAUSE 0: CLS : GO TO 20
   50 STOP 
 1010 PRINT AT 21,0;"Press any key to continue...": PAUSE 0
 1020 LET pager=0: CLS : RETURN 
 9990 STOP 
 9995 CLEAR : SAVE "A WINNER !" LINE 1
```