╘HIS SECTION CONTAINS VARIOUS HINTS ABOUT THE KEYBOARD, TYPING THE LAZY WAY, AND GENERALLY FACTS YOU MAY NEED TO KNOW ... EVENTUALLY. ═UCH OF THIS KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN ACCUMULATED BY MANY USERS OF ├OMMODORE COMPUTERS. ┘OU ARE ONE OF THEM NOW, SO READ ON.
╔T'S DIFFICULT TO TYPE AND CHANGE PROGRAMS IF YOU CAN'T USE THE KEYBOARD. ╦EBOARDS DIFFER BETWEEN COMPUTERS. ├OMPUTERS DIFFER IN WAYS BY WHICH YOU CAN FIX PROGRAMS ON THE SCREEN. ═AKING CHANGES IN A PROGRAM CAN BE A DRUDGERY OR A SNAP. ╔N THE ├OMMODORE COMPUTERS, WHICH HAVE A GOOD KEYBOARD AND A SUPERB "SCREEN EDITOR", IT'S USUALLY A SNAP - ONCE YOU GET THE HANG OF USING THE KEYS THAT HELP DO THE WORK.
*** ╫╚┴╘'╙ ╧╬ ╘╚┼ ╦┼┘╙ ***
╘HE KEYBOARD IS OVERLOADED WITH CHARACTERS. ═OST OF THE KEYS CAN PRINT ANY OF THREE SYMBOLS. ╨USH THESE COMBINATIONS:
Ç*FP3
A
SHIFT AND A
LOGO AND A
╘HREE DIFFERENT THINGS, RIGHT? ╔F YOU NOW PUSH THE LOGO KEY, WHILE HOLDING THE SHIFT KEY, THE COMPUTER SWITCHES THE CHARACTER MODE BETWEEN WHAT IS CALLED TEXT MODE AND GRAPHIC/UPPER CASE MODE. ┘OU'RE IN TEXT MODE WHEN SHIFTED A PRODUCES CAPITAL LETTER ┴. ┘OU'RE IN GRAPHIC MODE WHEN SHIFTED A PRODUCES A GRAPHIC CHARACTER. (╘HE WORD "GRAPHIC" CAN BE CONFUSING, SINCE THIS COMPUTER HAS HIGH-RESOLUTION GRAPHIC MODES. ╘HAT'S NOT THE MEANING HERE; WHEN ╚IGH-RESOLUTION GRAPHICS ARE MENTIONED THEY ARE SPELLED IN CAPITAL LETTERS, ╟╥┴╨╚╔├).
╘HE BEST WAY TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT THE KEYBOARD HAS TO OFFER IS TO USE IT WITH THE MANUAL IN HAND. ╨USH ALL KINDS OF KEYS AND COMBINATIONS OF KEYS. ─O INCLUDE COMBINATIONS SUCH AS CONTROL-Q, CONTROL-S, CONTROL-T, SHIFT-CLEAR/HOME, SHIFT-INST/DEL, SHIFT-RUN/STOP AND SO ON.
*** ╥┼╘╒╥╬ ╦┼┘ ┴╬─ ╙╚╔╞╘-╥┼╘╒╥╬ ╦┼┘ ***
╔NVESTIGATE WHAT ╥┼╘╒╥╬ KEY DOES. ┘OU PROBABLY KNOW THE ANSWER. ╔T TELLS THE COMPUTER TO PERFORM WHATEVER IS WRITTEN ON THE SCREEN LINE. ╫HAT IF YOU DON'T WANT IT TO DO ANYTHING? ╨USH SHIFTED ╥┼╘╒╥╬. ╩IM ┬UTTERFIELD CALLS IT A "DON'T DO IT" KEY, AND RIGHTLY SO.
╘HE ╥┼╘╒╥╬ KEY IS A "DO-IT" COMMAND. ╔F YOU TYPE YOUR NAME AND PUSH ╥┼╘╒╥╬ IT TRIES TO INTERPRET YOUR NAME AS ┬ASIC CODE, AND SAYS ╙┘╬╘┴╪ ┼╥╥╧╥. ┬UT IF YOU TYPE YOUR NAME AND PUSH THE DON'T-DO-IT-KEY, NOTHING HAPPENS.
*** ╠╧┴─ ┴╬─ ╥╒╬ ╦┼┘╙ ***
─ON'T BE SURPRISED WHEN FUNNY THINGS HAPPEN: SHIFT AND ╙╘╧╨ (THIS TRANSLATES TO A ╥╒╬ KEY) AS WELL AS LOGO AND ╙╘╧╨ WILL TRY TO LOAD AND RUN A PROGRAM. ├AREFUL HERE! ╔F YOU PRESS THEM ACCIDENTALLY, THE PROGRAM LOADED MAY WELL OVERWRITE THE PROGRAM YOU HAVE NOW IN MEMORY. ╬ASTY. ╦EEP THE DISK DRIVE DOOR UP TO PREVENT THIS. ╘APE IS NO PROBLEM, IT'S SLOW ENOUGH THAT DESTRUCTION IS UNLIKELY TO OCCUR.
*** ├╘╥╠ ┴╬─ ├╧══╧─╧╥┼ ╠╧╟╧ ╦┼┘╙ ***
╚AVE YOU TRIED SLOWING DOWN PROGRAM LISTINGS WITH THE ├OMMODORE-LOGO KEY? ╔T WORKS. ┬UT BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DO NOT PRESS ╙╘╧╨ WHILE THE LOGO KEY IS DOWN, OR YOU'LL END UP LOADING ANOTHER PROGRAM, SEE ABOVE.
┘OU CAN ╨┴╒╙┼ LISTINGS, IN FACT ALL OUPUT, BY PRESSING ├╘╥╠ AND ╙ TOGETHER. ╘O RESTART THE OUTPUT PUSH ╙ OR ANY OTHER KEY. ╔T MAY TAKE A WHILE TO TEACH YOUR FINGERS TO DO IT RIGHT. ┴ND DON'T BE SURPRISED WHEN YOU SEE A LOT OF ╙╙╙╙╙╙╙╙'S WHEN THE LISTING IS OVER. ╔T'S A LITTLE BUG IN THE SYSTEM - THE CHARACTERS SHOULD BE, BUT AREN'T, CLEARED OUT.
*** ┼╙├ ╦┼┘ ***
┼╙├ KEY FOLLOWED BY OTHERS MAY SET A WINDOW, OR PREVENT SCROLLING, OR MAY INSERT AND DELETE SCREEN LINES ... AND SO ON. ╫HEN THE MACHINE IS NEW TO YOU, THAT'S THE TIME TO INVESTIGATE IT, SO YOU WON'T BE HIT BY SURPRISES LATER.
┼╙├ CAN BE FOLLOWED BY SEVERAL ┴-┌ LETTERS. ╘HE MANUAL HAS NOTES ABOUT IT. ┴ND THERE IS A SUMMARY OF THE USES OF THOSE KEYS AT THE END OF THIS BOOK.
*** ╘╚┼ ╤╒╧╘┼ ═╧─┼ ***
╘HE ├OMMODORE KEYBOARDS ARE A JOY TO USE. ┬UT THERE IS ONE SITUATION WHICH MAKES PEOPLE CRY: THE QUOTE MODE. ┘OU HAVE ALREADY SEEN THAT YOU CAN TYPE A QUOTE AND FOLLOW IT BY SOME LETTERS. ┘OU MAY HAVE LEARNED THAT THE ─┼╠ (DELETE) KEY WIPES OFF THE CHARACTERS YOU TYPED. ┘OU HAVE SEEN VARIOUS GRAPHIC CHARACTERS PLACED INSIDE THE QUOTES. ╔F YOU MAKE NO MISTAKES, ALL IS WELL. ┬UT WHAT IF YOU DO MAKE A MISTAKE? ╬OW YOU TRY TO USE THE CURSOR KEYS, AND INSTEAD OF MOVING THE CURSOR, THEY ARE PRINTING FUNNY LOOKING GRAPHIC SYMBOLS ... RIGHT?
╘HAT IS ╘╚┼ ╤╒╧╘┼ ═╧─┼. ┴ DREADED DISASTER. ┬EFORE YOU CRY, HERE ARE SEVERAL TRICKS WHICH HELP GET OUT OF THE QUOTE MODE:
Ç*FP4
1. ╨USH SHIFTED ╥┼╘╒╥╬
2. ╘YPE A SECOND QUOTE, THEN DELETE IT
3. ╒SE THE ESCAPE KEY: FOLLOW ┼╙├
BY LETTER "╧" (AS IN OTHER).
*** ╔╬╙┼╥╘ ═╧─┼ ***
┴ CLOSE RELATIVE OF THE QUOTE MODE IS ╔╬╙┼╥╘ ═╧─┼. ╔F YOU TYPE ANYTHING FOLLOWED BY CURSOR LEFT AND THEN THE ╔╬╙╘ (INSERT) KEY, IT PUSHES THE TEXT TOWARDS THE RIGHT, SO YOU CAN FILL IN THE BLANK. ╓ERY CONVENIENT. ┬UT, WATCH OUT! ╘HIS IS THE SAME AS THE QUOTE MODE FOR AS MANY CHARACTERS AS YOU'VE INSERTED.
*** ╘┘╨┼ ╘╚╔╬╟╙ ╩╒╙╘ ╧╬├┼ ***
─ID YOU KNOW THAT IN ├OMMODORE COMPUTERS YOU NEVER HAVE TO RETYPE ANYTHING TWICE? ╔F YOU HAVE ONCE ASKED TO COMPUTER TO
╨╥╔╬╘"╘╚┼ ╘╔═┼ ╔╙:"╘╔$
╘O ASK IT AGAIN, DON'T RETYPE! ╘HE SCREEN EDITOR WILL PICK UP FROM THE SCREEN WHATEVER IS ON THE LINE THAT YOU PUSH ╥┼╘╒╥╬ OVER. ╙O, USE THE CURSOR KEYS, IN THIS CASE CURSOR UP, CHANGE THE LINE, PERHAPS THE NAME, PERHAPS YOU DON'T WANT ╘╔$, BUT ╪ INSTEAD ... GO AHEAD, CHANGE IT. ╔T WILL HEAR YOU AS SOON AS YOU PUSH RETURN.
╘HIS IS FOR LAZY PEOPLE. ╓ERY USEFUL STUFF. ╫ATCH, HOWEVER SOME PITFALLS: IF AN ANSWER IS REQUIRED, WIPE THE OLD ANSWER OFF FIRST, OR YOU'LL HAVE A MESS. ╘RY IT! ┴LSO WATCH THAT YOU DO NOT PRESS ╥┼╘╒╥╬ OVER ANY OLD GARBAGE ON THE SCREEN. ╘HAT MIGHT ENTER LINES INTO A PROGRAM, OR MIGHT DELETE THEM. ╔F YOUR PROGRAM HAS LINE 100 IN IT, AND YOU PRESS ╥┼╘╒╥╬ OVER A RESULT OF SOME CALCULATION THAT PRODUCED 100 ... LINE 100 FROM YOUR PROGRAM WILL VANISH INTO THIN AIR. ╨USH ╥┼╘╒╥╬ ONLY WHEN YOU KNOW IT'S APPROPRIATE, WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING. ╧THERWISE GET IN THE HABIT OF PUSHING ╙╚╔╞╘-╥┼╘╒╥╬ ROUTINELY.
*** ┴┬┬╥┼╓╔┴╘╔╧╬╙ ***
─ID YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN PRINT A QUESTION MARK INSTEAD OF A LONG WORD ╨╥╔╬╘? ╘HIS IS ONE SMART COMPUTER. ╘HE QUESTION MARK ISN'T ITS ONLY TRICK. ╘RY TYPING LETTER L (AS IN A WORD LIST) FOLLOWED BY SHIFTED LETTER I (AS IN WORD IN). ╨USH ╥┼╘╒╥╬, AND A PROGRAM LISTS. ╚OW IS THAT FOR CONVENIENCE? ┴LL WORDS CAN BE ABBREVIATED IN SOME FASHION. ╘HE FIRST ONE OR TWO LETTERS HAVE TO BE NORMAL, HOWEVER. ┘OU CAN LOOK UP THE DETAILS IN THE MANUAL. ╘HEY ARE IN THE APPENDIX.
╫ATCH OUT FOR A TRAP! ╫HEN YOU ABBREVIATE WORDS AS YOU ENTER PROGRAM LINES, THE COMPUTER "UNCOMPRESSES" THEM LATER WHEN YOU ╠╔╙╘. ╘HE LINE MAY EXCEED THE 88-CHARACTER LIMIT AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO EDIT THE LINE CORRECTLY. ╘HE BEST, THE SAFEST POLICY IS TO STAY WITHIN EIGHTY (80) CHARACTER LINES. ┴LWAYS. ┘OU WON'T REGRET IT, NO MATTER WHAT THE MANUAL SAYS.
*** ╞╒╬├╘╔╧╬ ╦┼┘╙ ***
╘HIS IS ABOUT KEYBOARD MAGIC, ABOUT COMPUTER TYPING BY ITSELF.
╘HERE IS ANOTHER NICE FEATURE ON THE KEYBOARD. ╞UNCTION KEYS. ┘OU CAN PUT THEM TO WORK, WHILE YOU'RE AT IT. ╔MAGINE THAT YOU HAVE TO DO A REPETITIVE CHORE, SUCH AS TYPING ╥╒╬140 TO DEBUG SOME SECTION OF A PROGRAM. ╨ERHAPS IT'S ╠╔╙╘140-320 OR ╨╥╔╬╘ ╦,╘╪,╓(7)... IT CAN GET BORING TO TYPE IT OVER AND OVER. ├OMPUTER CAN DO IT. ─EFINE A FUNCTION KEY:
╦┼┘1,"╥╒╬140"
╫HEN YOU GET TIRED OF TYPING ╥╒╬140, YOU CAN JUST PUSH FUNCTION-1 KEY. ╔T WILL TYPE FOR YOU. ╘IRED OF PUSHING ╥┼╘╒╥╬? ╠ET'S REDEFINE THAT KEY AS FOLLOWS:
╦┼┘1,"╥╒╬140"+├╚╥$(13)
╘RICKY PROJECT: TRY TO DEFINE A KEY TO PRINT
┌=ÇúÇúÇú:╟╧╘╧1250
IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE CURSOR WILL END UP BEHIND THE EQUALS SIGN SO THAT YOU CAN JUST FILL IN THE VALUE IN THE ALLOCATED GAP AND YOU'LL PUSH THE ╥┼╘╒╥╬ KEY.
╘IRED OF RUNNING LINE 140? ╠ET'S CLEAN UP THE HOUSE. ╔T'S ALWAYS A GOOD POLICY. ╘YPE:
╦┼┘1,""
┴LL DONE.
╘HIS IS GOOD AND USEFUL MAGIC. ─O YOU SUPPOSE YOU COULD REDEFINE A KEY TO PRINT PICTURES OR SAVE PROGRAMS, OR PRINT VALUES OF VARIABLES THAT ARE CAUSING YOU TROUBLE? ╫HY NOT? ╘RY IT. ╘RYING TRICKS IS THE KEY TO THE DISCOVERIES ABOUT THE COMPUTER'S POWER.
╘HE MANUAL THAT CAME WITH THE COMPUTER TELLS MUCH, MUCH MORE ABOUT THE EXCITING AND USEFUL THINGS RELATED TO THE FUNCTION KEYS. ╘HERE ARE OTHER THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT, AND THAT'S THE PLACE TO LOOK. ╠OOK IN THE MANUAL INDEX UNDER ╞╒╬├╘╔╧╬ ╦┼┘╙. ╬OTE, WHILE READING IT, THAT FUNCTION KEYS ARE ALIVE INSIDE A PROGRAM. ╘HIS CAN BE PUT TO GOOD USES, OR CAN GIVE YOU LOTS OF TROUBLES - YOU CODE A ╟┼╘ AND ALL THAT STUFF YOU DEFINED GET'S DELIVERED! ┘OU MAY NOT WANT THAT. ╥EDEFINE KEYS TO NOTHING IF YOU DON'T WANT THE INTERFERENCE.
╘HE LIMIT ON ALL THE CHARACTERS THAT DEFINE THE KEYS IS 127 BYTES. ╔T'S NOT VERY MUCH ROOM, BUT DON'T FORGET THAT YOU CAN REDEFINE KEYS YOU NO LONGER NEED TO NOTHING TO GAIN EXTRA SPACE.
