Chapter 17

Business Applications

In this chapter we turn our attention to business applications. First we program a sample barchart. Then we use designs from previous chapters to develop a program that puts the FX through its paces.

The programs pull together many of the programming techniques that you’ve used in the course of this manual. The second one is considerably longer than the programs in previous chapters, and the length provides two benefits. First, you’ll have a chance to really test your own understanding of the FX printer. Second, a longer program shows you how versatile your printer can be.

Preparation

Load the LINE program you saved at the end of Chapter 16 and delete lines 1100-1170.You will use the line graphics characters to print a sales chart in this chapter.

Barchart

This program creates the barchart shown as Figure 17-1.It uses the line graphics characters from the LINE program as well as three new user-defined characters. Change the following lines:

100 LPRINT CHR$(27)"3"CHR$(10)CHR$(27)"U1";

130 LPRINT CHR$(27)"&"CHR$(0)CHR$(94)CHR$(107); 140 FOR Y=1 TO 14: LPRINT CHR$(139);

160 NEXT Y: LPRINT CHR$(27)"C"CHR$(33);

Line 100 sets up line spacing and Unidirectional print. You print in Unidirectional Mode to be sure the line graphics characters line up precisely.

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