Star Micronics SB-15 user manual If YOU have Problems with Basic

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Star’s engineers have given programmers a unique shortcut for

program development though-double density double speed graphics. Although this mode requires just as much memory and computing time as double density, it prints at the same speed as normal density graphics. Amazing, you say? Well, it is-until you know the secret. Every other column of dots is ignored, so the output is actually the same as normal density graphics. The advantage is that you can write and debug your programs at double speed, then change to double density graphics for terrific output.

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IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH BASIC

You may write some graphics programs that look just right in the listing, but the printouts aren’t quite what you expected. A common problem is that the BASIC interpreter in your computer is inserting a few of its own codes. For instance, if your program generates a CHR$( 13) as valid graphics data, BASIC may follow it with a CHR$(lO). Another problem arises with certain computers that replace horizontal tabs (CHR$(9)) with a series of spaces (CHR$(32)). A possible solution to these problems is not to use the bottom dot (which has a value of 1).

.This way, you will never produce an odd number, hence, you will never have a CHR$( 13) or CHR$(9). (This is why we used only six pins in our plotting program.)

That’s one solution to one problem. You’ll find more of each (with specific information for your computer) in the appropriate appendix.

SUMMARY

Control code Function

<ESC > “K” nl n2 ml m2... Print nl + 256 * n2 columns of normal density graphics

<ESC > “L” nl n2 ml m2... Print double density graphics

<ESC > “y” nl n2 ml m2... Print double density graphics at double speed (for STAR mode)

<ESC > “Y” nl n2 ml m2... Print double density graphics at double speed (for IBM mode)

<ESC > “z” nl n2 ml m2... Print quadruple density graphics (for STAR mode)

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