SMALLEXE: Functions and Subprograms
T. G. Muench January 1991


FileExist       FUNCTION

                Description: Checks to see if a file exists so that
                             it may be opened by BASIC

                Usage:       EXIST = FileExist(FILE$)

                Replaces:    No direct BASIC equivalent; use in place
                             of BASIC's ON ERROR

                Parameters:

                  Input      FILE$        File specification

                  Output     EXIST        TRUE / FALSE

                Remarks:     Uses DOS function to open the specified
                             file without causing a BASIC error


GetInput        SUBROUTINE

                Description: Gets user input from keyboard

                Usage:       CALL GetInput(PROMPT$, ENTRY$)

                Replaces:    INPUT "PROMPT$"; ENTRY$

                Parameters:

                  Input      PROMPT$      Optional prompt to display

                  Output     ENTRY$       String entered by user

                Remarks:     Very limited line editing - supports
                             only BackSpace to correct backwards;
                             there is also no check for off-screen


InputLine       SUBROUTINE

                Description: Input a line of text from a file

                Usage:       CALL InputLine (IOCHAN, BUFSIZE, _
                                             STATUS, TEXT$)

                Replaces:    LINE INPUT #IOCHAN, TEXT$

                Parameters:

                  Input      IOCHAN       I/O channel number

                             BUFSIZE      Size of I/O buffer to use

                             STATUS       Flags first access of file

                  Output     STATUS       Flags end of file

                             TEXT$        Line of text from file

                Remarks:     Much faster than LINE INPUT #; make the
                             buffersize as large as possible to min-
                             imize accesses to the disk


ReadData$       FUNCTION

                Description: Returns the next string element from the
                             passed data string

                Usage:       STRVAR$ = ReadData$(DATA$)

                Replaces:    READ STRVAR$

                Parameters:

                  Input      DATA$        Data string to parse

                  Output     STRVAR$      Next element in DATA$

                Remarks:     DATA$ must contain string elements sep-
                             arated by commas with no spaces, i.e.
                             "ONE,TWO,THREE"


ReadTimer&      FUNCTION

                Description: Returns the number of ticks elapsed
                             since midnight

                Usage:       TICKS& = ReadTimer&

                Replaces:    START! = TIMER

                Parameters:

                  Input      None

                  Output     TICKS&       Longword timer count

                Remarks:     The clock ticks approximately 18.2 times
                             per second; there is no checking for
                             passing midnight when the clock is reset


StrToInt&       FUNCTION

                Description: Returns the long integer equivalent of
                             a numeric string

                Usage:       NUMBER& = StrToInt&(NUMSTR$)

                Replaces:    NUMBER& = VAL(NUMSTR$)

                Parameters:

                  Input      NUMSTR$      Numeric string to convert

                  Output     NUMBER&      Long integer equivalent

                Remarks:     Stops when a non-numeric character is
                             encountered; no check for overflow