Table of Contents

Statements, Functions and Variables

introintroduction to statements, etc. 
absabsolute value function
ascreturn the ASCII code for a character
atnarctangent function
beepsound the speaker
bloadload binary memory image from disk
bsavesave memory image on disk
c-isamBASIC to C-ISAM interface
callcall a subprogram
cdblconvert to double-precision
chaintransfer control to another BASIC program
chdirchange current working directory
chr$convert ASCII code to character
cintconvert to integer
closeclose a file
clsclear the screen
colorset the “color” of the screen
command$return command line arguments
commondeclare variables as common
costrigonometric cosine function
csngconvert to single-precision
csrlinvertical coordinate of current cursor position
cvi, cvs, cvdmap string variables to numeric variables
cvsmbf, cvdmbfconvert floating point value from old format
datastore constants for subsequent READ access
date$current date
def fndefine a user function
def segdefine the current segment
deftypedefault variable types
dimspecify maximum subscript values for arrays
do...loopgeneral condition loop statement
$dynamicmake arrays dynamic by default
endterminate program execution
environedit the environment variable list
environ$read the environment variable list
eofend-of-file function
eraseerase array
err, erlerror code for the most recent error
errorsimulate occurrence of a run-time error
expexponential function
fieldallocate space for variables in random file buffer
fileslist files in current directory
fixtruncate numeric expression to integer
for...nextfor statement
getread a record from random access file
gosubbranch to a subroutine
gotobranch to a specified line
hex$convert numeric to hexadecimal string
if...then...elseif-then-else statement
$includeinclude a BASIC source file
inkey$read from the keyboard without blocking
inputtake input from the keyboard
input #read from sequential file
input$read characters from the keyboard or a file
instrfind one string in another
intgreatest integer function
killdelete a file
lboundreturn lower bound for array subscripts
lcase$convert upper case to lower case
left$return leftmost part of string
lenstring length function
letassignment statement
line inputread a line from the keyboard
line input #read a line from a sequential file
loccurrent position in file
locateposition the cursor on the screen
locklock/unlock file access
loflength of file
lognatural logarithm function
lposreturn the horizontal position of the line printer
lprintprint data on the line printer
lsetmove data into random file buffer
ltrim$trim left blanks
$mainidentify main module
mid$return a portion of a string
mid$replace part of a string
mkdirmake a directory
mki$, mks$, mkd$convert numeric value to string
mksmbf$, mkdmbf$convert floating point value to old format
namerename a file
oct$convert numeric to octal string representation
on errorenable error trapping and handling
on gosubbranch to subroutine based on expression
on gotobranch based on expression
openopen a file
option baseset the minimum value for array
peekread a byte from memory
pokewrite a byte to memory
posreturn the horizontal coordinate of the cursor
printdisplay data on the screen
print #write data to a sequential file
print usingformatted print
print # usingformatted write to sequential file
putwrite record from random buffer to random file
randomizereseed the random number generator
readread data statements and assign values to variables
redimredimension array
remintroduce remarks
resetclose all disk files
restoremodify read pointer for data statements
resumeresume execution after error recovery
returnreturn from a subroutine
right$return the rightmost part of a string
rmdirremove a directory
rndrandom number generator
rsetmove data into random file buffer
rtrim$trim right blanks
runrun a program
saddmemory offset of a string variable
segcurrent segment address
select caseselect branch based on expression
sgnsignum function
shareddeclare variables as shared
shellexecute background shell command
shellexecute shell command
sintrigonometric sine function
space$return a string of spaces
spcinsert spaces in a print statement
sqrsquare root function
$staticmake arrays static by default
staticdeclare variables as static
stopterminate program execution
str$convert numeric to string
string$return a string of specified characters
subdefine a subprogram
swapexchange the values of two variables
systemterminate program execution
tabtab to specified print position
tantrigonometric tangent function
time$time of day
timerreturn the number of seconds since midnight
tron & troffturn on execution tracing
uboundreturn upper bound for array subscripts
ucase$convert lower case to upper case
usrsubprogram which returns a value
valstring to numeric conversion
varptrmemory offset of a variable
varptr$character form of the address of a variable
while...wendwhile statement
widthset the width of output lines
writewrite to standard output
write #write to a sequential file
INDEXpermuted index

Run-time Support Library

introintroduction to the BASIC run-time support library
alarmset time limit
arrayformat of array header
arrayarray utilities
atobasicconvert string to numeric value
bcloseclose BASIC file
bdirdirectory utilities
beepbeep the terminal
bendterminate normally
bgetget a random file record
bgetcget a character from a BASIC file
bkillunlink a file
blognatural logarithm
bopenopen a BASIC file
bputput a random file record
bputcput a character to a BASIC file
bsaveloadcopy memory to file
bwriteoutput values in WRITE statement format
casesconvert upper and lower case
catstrstring concatenation
chainchain to a BASIC program
chrascconvert ASCII characters
clsclear screen and other terminal dependent functions
cmpstrstring comparison
commamove to next print zone
comndsget command line arguments
cstringconvert a BASIC string to a null-terminated string
datetimecurrent date and time
environenvironment variable utilities
eoftest for end-of-file
fieldset-up fields of a random file buffer
filelprinter utilities
filesprint file names
filptraddress of BASIC file structure
genericformat of generic data type
hexoctconvert to hex or octal format
initioinitialize and wrap-up BASIC I/O
inittyinitialize tty state
inkeysget a “keystroke”
inputfree format read
inputsread string
instrsearch for pattern in string
ioformat of BASIC file buffer
lenlength of string
lineinread a line
lmrsleft, middle and right portions of a string
locget file location
lofget file length
lsetcopy string in place, left-justified
mbfconvert from Microsoft binary format
mids2replace middle portion of string
miscmiscellaneous utilities
namechange file name
ndirdirectory compatibility functions
newlinoutput a newline
numcvtformat numeric value
peekpokepeek and poke memory locations
powerexponentiation
printprint value
printuprint values according to format
randomgenerate random numbers
readdirlist file names
rsetcopy string in place, right-justified
runexecute BASIC program
runerrhandle run-time error
segmemory segment
sgnsignum function
sortsort strings
spacesstring of spaces
spcprint spaces
sqrsquare root
strsconvert to numeric format
strcoercecoerce between numeric values and strings
strinsstring of characters
stringformat of BASIC strings
stringstring utilities
tabmove to tab location
termcapaccess terminal capabilities database
tracetrace statement execution
trimstrim leading and trailing blanks
unixerrorhandle UNIX run-time error
usenumformat numeric value with an exponent
usfnumformat numeric value without an exponent
valconvert string to numeric value
valtointconvert to integer
valtovalconvert to numeric value
varptscharacter form of variable pointer
varptrvariable pointer
widthset width of file
INDEXpermuted index

Supplemental Documentation

  1. Basic(1) - Manual Page
    Amendment to your UNIX Programmer’s Manual

  2. A QuickBASIC Tutorial
    An instructional tour through the less widely known but powerful features of Basmark QuickBASIC including structured programming, dynamically allocatable arrays and input/output. 

  3. BASIC to QuickBASIC: A Basmark Odyssey
    A description of the major decisions of the design, implementation and marketing of the original Basmark BASIC compiler and its successors. 

  4. A Comparison of Basmark QuickBASIC and Microsoft BASIC
    An exhaustive comparison of the two compilers which addresses lexical and syntactic characteristics, the run-time environment, and hardware dependencies. 

  5. Basmark QuickBASIC Run-time Errors
    A description of all possible errors that may occur during the execution of a Basmark QuickBASIC program.  Includes possible causes and remedies. 

from The Basmark QuickBASIC Programmer’s Manual by Lawrence Leinweber