Gemini Industries Printer user manual Problem with Basic, Getting Online, Lprint CHR$

Gemini User’s Manual

LPRINT “A” means the same as

LPRINT CHR$ (65)

The CHR$ function (pronounced “characterstring”) allows you to transmit special characters and ASCII control codes that are not directly available through your computer.

The Problem with BASIC

The “basic” problem with BASIC is similar to the problem with the ASCII code: While there are many program statements that are standard, there is no standardization of the BASIC language.

The IBM-PC, TRSBO, Atari, and many other computers (as well as Microsoft BASIC for CPIM) use the statement PRINT to send information to the screen, and the statement LPf?IIVTto send information to the printer.

The Atari can also use a variation of the LPRINT statement, requiring (for example) that a file number(such as # 1)be assigned to the printer.Therefore, PRiNT# 1 sends information to the printer, and PRINT sends information to the screen.

Other BASIC versions, such as Applesoft and CBASIC for CPIM, use PRINT to send information both to the screen and to the printer. Using the PR#l statement before PRlNT sends information only to the printer, and using PR#0 sends information only to the screen. Confused?

The example programs in this manual will use IBM-PC Microsoft BASIC. For those of you with other computers, we have included appendices (at the back of this manual) for the Apple II - Plus, Atari, TRS80, Commodore VIC-20 and C-64, and Osborne computers. These appendices discuss the modifications necessary to run the example programs. If your computer is not included in the appendices, look at the appendix for the system that seems most similar to your own, and look at the section in your ccmputer’s instruction manual pertaining to printers.

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GETTING “ONLINE”

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You can’t learn to swim in an armchair. The only way to use BASIC is to try it. So, after you’ve reviewed the chapter on BASIC in your

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