*** *** Chipmunk Basic README *** *** (version 3.6.5b6, 2011-Oct)
Chipmunk Basic is a simple old-fashioned Basic Interpreter. Versions
of Chipmunk Basic exist for the MacOS, linux and MSWindows.
Version 3.6.5 is a both bug fix and new feature release. It is still
free for educational and non-commercial distribution and use (but only
for those who don't believe that using the BASIC language causes brain
damage. :-)
chipmunkbasic.exe has the beta test graphics commands
basic.exe can be used from the cmd console command-line, no graphics
Chipmunk Basic only comes with a simple man page. But there is more
documentation and some tutorials available on the web site:
http://www.nicholson.com/rhn/basic
The Chipmunk Basic language is mostly compatible with books on
programming in BASIC that were written between circa 1978 and 1990.
There is also a Chipmunk Basic support and discussion group on
Yahoo.com: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chipmunkbasicforum/
Please email bug reports to rhn AT nicholson.com
Shortened version history:
Version 3.6.5(b6):
fixed mat multiply
initialized mat origin
Version 3.6.5(b3):
fixed bug in format$() with leading zeros
fixed bug in exit while statement
fixed bugs in empty for and empty edit statements
fixed object string bug
Version 3.6.4(b7):
fixed some mat command syntax omissions
fixed a function subroutine return bug
allow subroutines to return 1d and 2d mat arrays
Version 3.6.4b6:
added the local keyword for declaring local sub variables
Version 3.6.4b1:
added det() function to calculate 2d matrix determinants
added pset(x,y) to Windows graphics version
Version 3.6.3b8:
bug fix in win32 rnd()
Version 3.6.3b2:
bug fix for clicking on .bas files
icon added
Version 3.6.3b1:
added some beta test windows graphics commands:
graphics 0 :' turn on graphics window
moveto x,y
lineto x,y :' draw a line
graphics color r,g,b :' set color (range 0..100)
graphics text s$ :' draw some text
graphics cls :' clear graphics window to white
added fn version$()
improved fn format$() precision capability
Version 3.6.1: changed exponentiation precedence, default mat origin
added mat print command
Version 3.6.0: added exit status, fn kill(), fn bigendian(),
Version 3.5.9b3: fixed long if, instr(), mid$(), val("..") bugs
Version 3.5.9b2: fixed intl. string compares, format$()
Version 3.5.8: fixed format$(). changed int() to round to -infinity.
Version 3.5.7: fixed some integer array bugs, added w32 sys().
Version 3.4.7: changed not operator precedence
Version 3.4.6: added matrix ops
copyright notice:
* Chipmunk Basic is (c)Copyright 1996-2007 by Ronald H. Nicholson, Jr.
* ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
*
* Permission to use, copy and distribute this software without fee
* for non-commercial or educational purposes is hereby granted,
* provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies,
* and that both the copyright notice and this permission notice with
* the following disclaimer appear in the supporting documentation.
*
* This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
* WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY OF ANY KIND; not even the implied warranty of
* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
* Portions of this release of Chipmunk Basic are
* Copyright (c) 1983 Regents of the University of California.
* Copyright (c) 1993 Regents of the University of California.
* Portions of Chipmunk Basic are Copyright (C) 1989 Dave Gillespie.
-- cut here --
Quick Reference
/*
* Quick Reference and FAQ
*
* Chipmunk Basic is (c) Copyright 1994,2004 Ronald H. Nicholson, Jr.
* ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
*
* This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
* WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY OF ANY KIND; not even the implied warranty of
* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Updates to this document may be found on the WWWeb at:
http://www.nicholson.com/rhn/basic/
---
Quick Reference for Chipmunk Basic
ported to the MacOS by Ronald H. Nicholson, Jr. rhn@nicholson.com
Supported operators, functions and statements (reserved words):
+ - * / ^ mod and or xor not > < >= <= <> =
sqr() log() exp() sin() cos() tan() atn() pi
abs() sgn() int() rnd() peek() val() asc() len()
mid$() right$() left$() str$() chr$()
goto if then else endif gosub return
for to step next while wend select case
rem let dim erase data read restore field$()
input print open for output append as close# load save
random lof loc get put
inkey$ input$ eof() files fgetbyte# fseek# fputbyte
run stop end exit quit cont renum new clear
date$ time$ timer sound morse say doevents
home cls gotoxy htab vtab pos()
graphics sprite pset moveto lineto window scrn mouse()
varptr peek() poke fre push() pop isarray
sub call usr def fn
type class string integer single double
asin acos sinh cosh tanh log10 floor true false ubound
- The "basic.man" file is included with the distribution. It describes
the above functions and statements in more detail.
- Line numbers are required for console input.
- The interpreter includes an dumb old fashioned line number based
editor. (enter a line, delete a line, edit one line at a time).
- The variable types are long floats, short integers and strings with
a maximum length of 254 characters. Variable names can be up to
31 characters long and are case insensitive.
- Math is done using the built-in double precision IEEE math.
All trigonometric functions express angles in radians.
---
Some Simple Examples:
for i=1 to 10 : print i : next i
c$ = a$ + b$ : rem string concatenation
a$ = inkey$ : rem inkey$ is non-blocking
load "sieve.bas" : rem load TEXT file as a Basic program
: rem file names should have .bas extension
open "filename" for output as #1 : print #1, "hello world" : close #1
---
MSWIndows specific commands:
SYS( "command.com /c cls" ) ' Win98/Win2K Clear Screen
---
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Is more documentation on learning how to program in the BASIC language?
A: The language is mostly compatible with books on programming in the
BASIC language that were published between 1978 and 1988. Since these
are mostly out of print, your best bet is to try your local public
library.
Also, there is a short tutorial on the Chipmunk Basic web page:
http://www.nicholson.com/rhn/basic/
Q: Why won't this Microsoft QuickBasic program run? ...
A: Chipmunk Basic was never intended to be exactly compatible with any
other commercial BAISC language product. It does include most of the
features of ANSI BASIC language definition. Many BASIC programs that
are saved as ASCII text files and that don't use special features of
the computer system can be easily ported to Chipmunk Basic.
Q: Is there a compiler for Chipmunk Basic?
A: No.
Q: What is the history of Chipmunk Basic?
A: In March 1990, p2c, a pascal to c translator, was posted to the usenet
newsgroup "comp.source.misc" by David Gillespie. One of the test
input files was "basic.p", Chipmunk Basic in Pascal. Other versions
have been written in C for the Mac and PalmPilot.
---
Other notes or Bugs:
- Programs without line numbers can be loaded from a file; however
sequential line numbers will be added. The target of a GOTO can be
a label followed by a colon. e.g.
foo: x=x-1 : if x>0 then goto foo:
- All input works like the LINE INPUT statement of other Basic versions.
- Line numbers above 999999999 will not list.
- Other reserved words (don't use these!) :
msgbox do loop until break function
method private public local menu dialog memstat()
draw play bload bsave min max mat
each redim resume static
eqv imp key is each option set width swap
A sample program:
--- cut here ---
1 rem "sieve.bas" , a prime number sieve benchmark
2 t = timer
3 dim f(8194)
4 for i = 0 to 8191 : f(i) = 1 : next i
5 s = 8191
6 for i = 0 to s
7 if f(i) = 0 then goto 11
8 p = i+i+3
9 for k = i+p to s step p : f(k) = 0 : next k
10 c = c+1
11 next i
12 print c;" primes found in ";
13 t = timer-t
14 print t;" seconds"
15 end
--- cut here ---
*/