››Useful Short Routines in Turbo-Basic›by Ron Fetzer››› TURBO-BASIC XL is turely the best›language for the 8-Bit Atari. It is 5›times faster than ATARI BASIC. It has›a great compiler that increases the›speed up to 15 times over the BASIC›version of your program. It is›completely compatible with ATARI BASIC›and it gives you 1,747 more bytes of›free RAM than ATARI BASIC.› If you are going to run your›present programs on TURBO-BASIC be›sure to change your time delay loops›to the PAUSE command. The increase in›speed will make it too fast otherwise.›If you compile a program you should›also use PAUSE otherwise the speed›increase will be unacceptable. The›compiler is very easy to use and you›can make self booting programs with›it.› If you are interested in›TURBO-BASIC please get from our›library THE COMPLETE TURBO-BASIC KIT.›I do not know what number it is. You›should also get from our library the›COMPILER DISK. These 2 disks are all›you need. For $6.00 you have a›fantastic programming language that›rivals the best anywhere.› On the TURBO-BASIC KIT disk you›get a 37 page documentation manual for›the language. It has an index to the›page numbers and every command is›explained in detail. The manual also›gives you examples of how to use each›command. In addition you get tutorials›on sorting, arrays and matrixes as›well as utilities. I think you will›like it.› The following programs require›that you use TURBO-BASIC. They are›short programs that you can use›frequently››THE QUICK FORMATTER›› This short program lets you›fromat a disk in BASIC without going›to DOS. The XIO 253,#1,0,0,"Dx:"›formats in single density. XIO›254,#1,0,0,"Dx:" will format in 1050›density. For "x" specify your drive›number that you are going to use.›› 10 --› 20 REM QUICK FORMATTER› 30 CLS:DIM A$(1):?:?› 40 ?:? "PLEASE INSERT A BLANK› DISK IN THE DISK DRIVE"› 50 INPUT "DENSITY - SINGLE OR› 105O>>",A$› 60 IF A$(1,1)="S" THEN XIO 253,› #1,0,0,"D1:"› 60 IF A$(1,1)="1" THEN XIO 254,› 0,0,"D1:"› 80 CLS:POSITION 16,12:? CHR$(253);› "DONE":PAUSE 60› 90 CLS:GOTO 40› 100 --›› One of the quirks of TURBO-BASIC›is that if you go to DOS you cannot›return without loosing your program.›The reason for that is that in›TURBO-BASIC most of the DOS commands›are accessed in the programmed mode.›There is no need to go to DOS. Most›progammers save their program before›going to DOS.› If for some reason you do go to›DOS you do not have to loose your›program and you CAN return to›TURBO-BASIC. On DOS 2.5 go to OPTION M›and for the address type in 2447 and›then list your program. Address 2447›is VERY FRAGILE. The following actions›will destroy this location and you›cannot get your program back.›› 1. Deleting or locking your› DOS.SYS on the RAMDISK D8:› 2. A very large program that› approaches the available free› RAM› 3. On DOS when you use the› OPTIONS› C,J, and O›› This address will only work with›an unmodified DOS 2.5.›› The next program is for the math›wizzards that have to pull roots other›than square roots. In the program the›rounded root is the more accurate›one.›› 10 --› 20 REM ROOT PULLER› 30 A=0:B=0:R=0› 40 CLS:?:?› 50 INPUT "WHAT IS THE NUMBER";N› 60 INPUT "WHAT ROOT TO PULL";R› 70 A=N^(1/R)› 80 ? "THE ROOT NOT ROUNDED =";A› 90 B=INT((A+.00001)*100)/100› 100 ? "THE ROOT ROUNDED OFF =";B› 110 --›› Every once in a while you get a›disk with a documentation file on it›and no instruction on how to print it.›This hint works with TEXT FILES, WORD›PROCESSING FILES, DOCUMENTATION FILES,›PILOT, ASSEMBLY, VISICALC TEMPLATES›and LISTED FILES. It does not work›with saved files because they are in›tokenized form on the disk and make no›sense when you see them. Go to DOS›OPTION C›› OPTION C 'GAME.DOC,E:' = SCREEN› OPTION C 'READ.ME,S:' = SCREEN› OPTION C 'DOCS.TXT,P:" = PRINTER›› Either E: or S: or P: will copy›the file to the specified device. Use›CNTRL + 1 to stop the scrolling so you›can read then.›