¢This article gives more information on QUICK and SAM from PPP.¢¢Article by Dean Garraghty.¢¢¢QUICK and SAM¢-------------¢¢QUICK and SAM are now finally on sale in the UK. After lots of problems with translation of the manuals, we finally have them ready.¢¢QUICK¢-----¢¢QUICK is a very powerful programming language for your Atari 8-bit. It is almost as fast as machine code, but as easy to program as BASIC!¢¢QUICK programs look very different from BASIC programs. QUICK takes the same approach as many other similar languages such as C, Ada, and Pascal. Everything is done in procedures. Even the main section of code is a procedure. Also, QUICK allows you to pass parameters in and out of procedures, just like in C and Pascal. This makes QUICK very powerful and professional.¢¢As in other languages, variables in QUICK have to be declared, and their types have to be specified. QUICK supports bytes, words, and arrays. A byte holds single byte numbers (up to 255), words are 16-bit numbers, and an array can hold an array of numbers, or it can be used as a string (a string is just an array of characters). Also, you can used fixed addresses. This allows you to specify an address in memory and refer to it with a variable. This makes life easier, and is very fast. This is similar to the concept of pointers in C. Also, signed and unsigned modes are available to support negative numbers. Floating point variables are not supported directly, but a library is supplied to support them (more on libraries later). QUICK also supports local variables, which only exist within the procedure they are declared in. You can also specify IN and OUT variables for parameter passing.¢¢QUICK supports the concept of libraries. These are extra files of code which are written to implement some new "commands" for some specific area. QUICK is supplied with 4 libraries: a graphics library, a maths library (for FP numbers), a string library (for advanced string functions), and a numeric library for sine, cos, etc. You can INCLUDE libraries in your programs and have the extra facilities available to you. You can write your own libraries as well if you wish. Libraries are just like .H files in C, and packages in Ada.¢¢QUICK has commands built-in to: open/close files, load/save bytes from disk to/from memory, input from input stream, line print (for printer), set signed/unsigned numbers, POS, PLOT, DRAW, COLOR, LOCATE for graphics, a built-in player missile graphics command to move PMGs easily, a fast memory clear command, a CUT/PASTE facility for quickly moving whole chunks of a screen around (Blitter), SECTCOL, sound command, a DIGI command for playing samples, a MOUSE command for using an ST compatible mouse, a SYNC command for easy synchronisation (used in interrupts), CALL to run bits of machine code (like USR in Basic), PEEK/POKE, DPEEK/DPOKE (16-bit numbers), DATA (as in Basic), BMOVE/FMOVE (for moving chunks of memory around), INLINE allows you to write machine code directly into your QUICK program, REGX/Y/Z (for copying registers in memory), PADR to print the address of a subroutine, various simple maths functions.¢¢QUICK also supports structured loops with REPEAT..UNTIL, WHILE..WEND, and JUMP supported. All the comparators available in Basic are supported.¢¢One of the most powerful features of QUICK is the way it can handle interrupts. You can very easily set up a VBI or DLI. You just write a procedure in QUICK code as usual, but you specify it as an interrupt, and it will run as an interrupt when the code is compiled! It doesn't have to be programmed in machine code!!¢¢Extra libraries are soon to be made available in the UK. One of them allows multitasking!¢¢QUICK is extremely fast at compiling, especially while using a RAMdisk. You compile the code, and can run it immediately, or save it out as a binary load .OBJ file. QUICK also has a built-in text editor to write your programs with. This is very good and easy to use. QUICK is very stable, and if anythin goes wrong in your program, pressing RESET will almost always get you back to the "shell" where you can select to run the editor or compiler.¢¢The QUICK disk comes with a few well-commented demo programs, so you can get plenty of ideas from them. As well as the disk, you get a 48 page A4 sized manual, which has been professionally typeset, and laser printed. This explains all the commands in detail, and gives some hints on how to get the most out of QUICK.¢¢QUICK costs 16pounds in the UK including P&P. You can get it direct from me at the address at the end of this article.¢¢QUICK is a very powerful language, and will appeal to every programmer who wants more power, but without the headaches of machine code.¢¢¢SAM¢---¢¢SAM is an 80 column graphics environment, much like GEM on other computers. SAM emulates 80 cols. on a standard screen, so no extra hardware is needed.¢¢SAM uses a standard WIMP (Windows, Icon, Mouse, Pull-down menu) system. You move the arrow on the screen (with a joystick or an ST compatible mouse) over the option you want and press the fire/mouse button to select it. This then gives you a set of sub-options. You just move the mouse/joystick over the one you want to activate it.¢¢On boot-up you are in the desktop, with various options available. FILE contains various disk operations, such as lock, format, delete, disk copy, sector reads/writes and so on. DIRECTORY takes a disk directory, and allows you to set-up and use EDI (Extra Disk Information). This allows you to add comments next to the filenames on the disk, with no loss of space! UTILITIES allows you to load in the utilities on the disk. More on these later. ACCESS will run special accessories. One of these (a game called FireBall) is supplied. More are soon to be made available. EXIT allows you to exit to DOS, or re-boot.¢¢Various useful utilities are included, all with 80 col. support. Two character set editors are supplied, one for mono sets, and one for colour sets. These work like any other char set editor, but it supports an ST mouse as usual!¢¢SAM Memobox is a nice card filing program, again using 80 cols.¢¢SAM Monitor is a useful program to view and change memory in a controlled way.¢¢SAM Texter is an 80 col. word processor, with support for Epson printers.¢¢SAM Painter is a very good 128 colour paint program, again with mouse support. All the usual sorts of features are offered, such as line, circle, spray can, text, zoom, and so on. You can also print and save your pictures.¢¢For the International version of QUICK only, you get an accessory called FireBall, which is a breakout game, but running under SAM.¢¢SAM also allows you to use its windows facility in your own M/C programs. A whole section of the manual explains how to do this.¢¢The SAM system costs 13pounds in the UK, including P&P. You get all the programs mentioned and a 25 page A4 sized manual. This and QUICK is available in the UK from:¢¢DEAN GARRAGHTY¢62 THOMSON AVE¢BALBY¢DONCASTER¢DN4 0NU¢ENGLAND¢¢They are soon to be available in the US from:¢¢LANCE TATMAN¢844 KERN STREET¢RICHMOND¢CA 94805¢USA¢
