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COMAL FOR THE COMMODORE 64
Welcome to COMAL, the language designed
to replace BASIC.
This information is as of November 25,
1983 and is subject to change.
COMAL TODAY newsletter is the source
for up to date information about COMAL,
as well as many helpful hints and
tutorial articles. Contributors to this
newsletter include Borge Christensen
(founder of COMAL), UniComal Aps
(Authors of all CBM COMAL systems), and
Len Lindsay (author of COMAL HANDBOOK).
It is published by the COMAL Users
Group (USA) for $14.95.
The COMAL HANDBOOK is meant to be a
complete reference for all versions of
CBM COMAL. This book is published by
Reston Publishing (1-800-336-0338). It
retails for about $18.95 and is
available through most large book
stores, such as B. Daltons, or from the
COMAL Users Group (USA).
The CAPTAIN COMAL series of book/disk
packages are meant to be tutorials to
modular programming with COMAL. The
first, CAPTAIN COMAL GETS ORGANIZED, is
available from the COMAL Users Group
for $19.95 (including book and disk).
CBM COMAL version 0.14 on this disk
includes added graphics, turtle, and
sprite commands. Also the keywords KEY$
and PRINT USING are included. Otherwise
COMAL HANDBOOK first edition can be
used as reference for version 0.14.
(Whenever the book mentions version
0.12, just replace it with 0.14). The
only difference is in selecting the
output location. Version 0.12 used
SELECT OUTPUT "LP" and SELECT OUTPUT
"DS". Version 0.14 uses SELECT OUTPUT
"LP:" and SELECT OUTPUT "DS:". The
colon is now required, allowing it to
be compatible with the advanced file
handling system employed by the version
2.00 cartridge due for release Spring
1984.
The graphics, sprite, and turtle
commands will be documented by the book
COMMODORE 64 GRAPHICS AND SOUND WITH
COMAL to be published by Reston
Publishing Summer 1984. A brief summary
of all these added commands and
statements are included in the data
file on this disk called INSTRUCTIONS.
Run the program SEE'INSTRUCTIONS to
read about them. It lists all the words
with their correct syntax.
There are two ways to store programs on
the disk, and two corresponding ways to
retrieve them:
SAVE "NAME"
This saves the program currently in the
computer onto disk as a binary file
with the name you specified inside
quotes. It can be retrieved via LOAD,
but only with an exact same CBM COMAL
version.
LIST "NAME.L"
This stores the program currently in
the computer onto disk as an ASCII file
with the name you specified inside
quotes (we suggest that you end the
file name with a .L to remind you later
that the file is a LIST file). The file
is a bit larger than the same program
stored via SAVE. However, this ASCII
file has many additional uses. It can
be retrieved by ANY CBM COMAL version.
It can be merged with another program
at a later time. It can be read by
another program using INPUT FILE
statements.
LOAD "NAME"
This will erase the current program
first, then will retrieve the program
stored on disk with the name you
specified inside quotes. Then to run
the program issue the RUN command.
CHAIN "NAME"
This is similar to the LOAD command,
but the program will LOAD and RUN
automatically.
ENTER "NAME.L"
This will merge the program or program
segment from disk with the one
currently in the computer (remember the
suggested .L at the end of the file
name). Line numbers are significant
during this process in version 0.14. If
a line is ENTERed with a same line
number as one already existing in the
computer, the previous line is deleted
and the new line ENTERed replaces it.
To avoid this problem, simply RENUMber
a program or program segment to high
line number before LISTing it to disk
(ie, RENUM 8000). To retrieve a whole
program, issue the NEW command first,
then the ENTER command.
To list the program currently in the
computer to the printer:
SELECT OUTPUT "LP:"
LIST
To see what is on your disk:
CAT
SPECIAL NOTE:
Due to a peculiarity in the C64 serial
IEEE to disk and printer you cannot
select output to printer and then do a
CAT. But the COMAL USERS GROUP (USA)
has provided you a way to print a disk
directory on the printer bypassing this
problem. Try the program called
"PRINT'DIRECTORY".
NOTE ON OLD COMAL 0.12 PROGRAMS
Programs written for version 0.12 will
run on version 0.14. But LIST them to
disk from version 0.12 and ENTER them
into 0.14. The LOAD/SAVE files are not
completly compatible and could lock out
your system.
Do NOT try to LOAD a BASIC program file
into COMAL. COMAL gets upset.
======================================
COMAL Users Group (USA)
5501 Groveland Terrace
Madison, WI 53716
(608) 222-4432
Include $2 Shipping/Handling with every
order. Or send a self addressed stamped
envelope for more information. Prices
listed are subject to change.