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SuperBASIC

November 26, 2023

This article is about the interpreter included in Sinclair QDOS. For the unrelated BASIC system by Tymshare, see SUPER BASIC.

SuperBASIC is an advanced variant of the BASIC programming language with many structured programming additions. It was developed at Sinclair Research by Jan Jones during the early 1980s.

Originally SuperBASIC was intended as the BASIC interpreter for a home computer code-named SuperSpectrum, then under development. This project was later cancelled; however, SuperBASIC was subsequently included in the ROM firmware of the Sinclair QL microcomputer (announced in January 1984), also serving as the command line interpreter for the QL's QDOS operating system.[1][2]

It was one of the first second-generation BASICs to be integrated into a microcomputer's operating system (unlike BBC BASIC which preceded it in 1981), making the OS user-extendable—as done by Linus Torvalds in his formative years.

Advanced features edit

  • RESPR for resident procedures, e.g. to extend QDOS
  • choice of parameters passed to procedures
  • procedures return parameters as chosen
  • IF - THEN - ELSE - END IF
  • FOR - NEXT - EXIT - END FOR
  • REPeat - NEXT - EXIT - END REPeat
  • SELect ON - ON - REMAINDER - END SELect
  • arbitrarily RETurn from within procedures & functions
  • data type coercion between numeric and string variables
  • actual parameters passing data type to formal parameters
  • array operations: slicing, joining etc.
  • LOCal arrays & (string) variables
  • AUTOmatic line numbering
  • relative RESTORE & DATA

The function below illustrates the last eight of these features. After having RUN it, entering 

 PRINT weekdays$(Iso("19631122",1))

will print FRI to the screen. Until cleared (e.g. by entering NEW), the function Iso[3] will act like an extension to the operating system. Similarly, according to the QL User Guide, "many of the operating system commands are themselves defined as procedures."[4]

Example edit 

AUTO 11,2 DEFine FN Iso(S,O) LOCal y%,m%,d%,i$,n%,w% REM Step 0 - to isolate components of date-stamp S="YEARMoDa" LET y%=S(1TO 4) : m%=S(5TO 6) : d%=S(7TO 8) REM Step 1 - to initiate Lachman's Congruence[5] LET i$=m%*2.56+ 193 : S=S(1TO 6)- 3 REM Step 2 - to compute the day-number within the week LET w%=(S(1TO 2)&"32"DIV 16+ S(1TO 4)DIV 4+ y%+ i$(2TO 3)+ d%)MOD 7 REM Step 3 - to return result SELect ON O ON O= 5 : n%=i$(2TO 3) ON O= 4 : n%=y% ON O= 3 : n%=m% ON O= 2 : n%=d% ON O= 1 : n%=w% ON O= REMAINDER : n%=-1 END SELect RETurn n% REM data statements DIM weekdays$(6,3) RESTORE 190 FOR count=0 TO 6 : READ weekdays$(count)

ctrl+space 

 100 DIM month$(12,9)  110 RESTORE   120 REM QL User Guide's "Data Read Restore" example ii  130 REM appropriately amended relative to example i  140 FOR count=1 TO 12 : READ month$(count)   150 DATA "January","February","March"  160 DATA "April","May","June"  170 DATA "July","August","September"  180 DATA "October","November","December"  190 DATA "SUN","MON","TUE","WED","THU","FRI","SAT"  199 END DEFine Iso

Bibliography edit

  • Donald Alcock: Illustrating Superbasic on the Sinclair QL. Cambridge University Press, 1985. ISBN 0-521-31517-4
  • Roy Atherton: Good Programming with QL Superbasic. Longman Software, 1984. ISBN 0-582-29662-5
  • A. A. Berk: QL SuperBasic. Granada Publishing, 1984. ISBN 0-246-12596-9
  • "Illustrating Superbasic on the Sinclair QL - World of Spectrum". www.worldofspectrum.org. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  • Jan Jones: QL SuperBasic: The Definitive Handbook. McGraw-Hill, 1984 ISBN 0070847843 (e-book reissue 2014)
  • Dick Meadows, Robin Bradbeer, Nigel Searle: Introduction to Superbasic on the Sinclair QL. Hutchinson Computer Publishing, 1984. ISBN 0-09-158951-7
  • Dick Meadows, Robin Bradbeer, Nigel Searle: Making the Most of the Sinclair QL: QL Superbasic and Its Applications. Hutchinson Computer Publishing, 1985. ISBN 0-09-160561-X
  • Andrew Nelson: Exploring the Sinclair QL: An Introduction to SuperBasic. Interface Publications, 1984. ISBN 0-907563-84-8
  • John K. Wilson: QL Superbasic: A Programmer's Guide. Micro Press, 1984. ISBN 0-7447-0020-5

References edit

  1. ^ "Illustrating Super-BASIC on the Sinclair QL". Computing History. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  2. ^ Apostolo, Alberto. "Sinclair QL: mistakes, misfortune and so many regrets". RetroMagazineWorld. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  3. ^ gopher://sdf.org/0/users/retroburrowers/TemporalRetrology/QL/JG
  4. ^ Berry, Stephen (1984). QL User Guide (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Sinclair Research Ltd.
  5. ^ "Motorola 68000", Wikipedia, 2023-01-11, retrieved 2023-02-06

External links edit

  • The Quantum Leap - to where?: a chapter from Sinclair and the 'Sunrise' Technology

November 26, 2023
superbasic, this, article, about, interpreter, included, sinclair, qdos, unrelated, basic, system, tymshare, super, basic, advanced, variant, basic, programming, language, with, many, structured, programming, additions, developed, sinclair, research, jones, du. This article is about the interpreter included in Sinclair QDOS For the unrelated BASIC system by Tymshare see SUPER BASIC SuperBASIC is an advanced variant of the BASIC programming language with many structured programming additions It was developed at Sinclair Research by Jan Jones during the early 1980s SuperBASICDeveloper s Sinclair Research Jan JonesInitial release1984 39 years ago 1984 Operating systemQDOSPlatformSinclair QL microcomputerTypesecond generation BASICLicenseProprietaryOriginally SuperBASIC was intended as the BASIC interpreter for a home computer code named SuperSpectrum then under development This project was later cancelled however SuperBASIC was subsequently included in the ROM firmware of the Sinclair QL microcomputer announced in January 1984 also serving as the command line interpreter for the QL s QDOS operating system 1 2 It was one of the first second generation BASICs to be integrated into a microcomputer s operating system unlike BBC BASIC which preceded it in 1981 making the OS user extendable as done by Linus Torvalds in his formative years Contents 1 Advanced features 2 Example 3 Bibliography 4 References 5 External linksAdvanced features editRESPR for resident procedures e g to extend QDOS choice of parameters passed to procedures procedures return parameters as chosen IF THEN ELSE END IF FOR NEXT EXIT END FOR REPeat NEXT EXIT END REPeat SELect ON ON REMAINDER END SELect arbitrarily RETurn from within procedures amp functions data type coercion between numeric and string variables actual parameters passing data type to formal parameters array operations slicing joining etc LOCal arrays amp string variables AUTOmatic line numbering relative RESTORE amp DATAThe function below illustrates the last eight of these features After having RUN it entering PRINT weekdays Iso 19631122 1 will print FRI to the screen Until cleared e g by entering NEW the function Iso 3 will act like an extension to the operating system Similarly according to the QL User Guide many of the operating system commands are themselves defined as procedures 4 Example editAUTO 11 2 DEFine FN Iso S O LOCal y m d i n w REM Step 0 to isolate components of date stamp S YEARMoDa LET y S 1TO 4 m S 5TO 6 d S 7TO 8 REM Step 1 to initiate Lachman s Congruence 5 LET i m 2 56 193 S S 1TO 6 3 REM Step 2 to compute the day number within the week LET w S 1TO 2 amp 32 DIV 16 S 1TO 4 DIV 4 y i 2TO 3 d MOD 7 REM Step 3 to return result SELect ON O ON O 5 n i 2TO 3 ON O 4 n y ON O 3 n m ON O 2 n d ON O 1 n w ON O REMAINDER n 1 END SELect RETurn n REM data statements DIM weekdays 6 3 RESTORE 190 FOR count 0 TO 6 READ weekdays count ctrl space 100 DIM month 12 9 110 RESTORE 120 REM QL User Guide s Data Read Restore example ii 130 REM appropriately amended relative to example i 140 FOR count 1 TO 12 READ month count 150 DATA January February March 160 DATA April May June 170 DATA July August September 180 DATA October November December 190 DATA SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 199 END DEFine IsoBibliography editDonald Alcock Illustrating Superbasic on the Sinclair QL Cambridge University Press 1985 ISBN 0 521 31517 4 Roy Atherton Good Programming with QL Superbasic Longman Software 1984 ISBN 0 582 29662 5 A A Berk QL SuperBasic Granada Publishing 1984 ISBN 0 246 12596 9 Illustrating Superbasic on the Sinclair QL World of Spectrum www worldofspectrum org Retrieved 2016 04 11 Jan Jones QL SuperBasic The Definitive Handbook McGraw Hill 1984 ISBN 0070847843 e book reissue 2014 Dick Meadows Robin Bradbeer Nigel Searle Introduction to Superbasic on the Sinclair QL Hutchinson Computer Publishing 1984 ISBN 0 09 158951 7 Dick Meadows Robin Bradbeer Nigel Searle Making the Most of the Sinclair QL QL Superbasic and Its Applications Hutchinson Computer Publishing 1985 ISBN 0 09 160561 X Andrew Nelson Exploring the Sinclair QL An Introduction to SuperBasic Interface Publications 1984 ISBN 0 907563 84 8 John K Wilson QL Superbasic A Programmer s Guide Micro Press 1984 ISBN 0 7447 0020 5References edit Illustrating Super BASIC on the Sinclair QL Computing History Retrieved 2023 02 06 Apostolo Alberto Sinclair QL mistakes misfortune and so many regrets RetroMagazineWorld Retrieved 2023 02 06 gopher sdf org 0 users retroburrowers TemporalRetrology QL JG Berry Stephen 1984 QL User Guide 2nd ed Cambridge Sinclair Research Ltd Motorola 68000 Wikipedia 2023 01 11 retrieved 2023 02 06External links editThe Quantum Leap to where a chapter from Sinclair and the Sunrise Technology Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title SuperBASIC amp oldid 1137762660, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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