BASIC Programming: Difference between revisions

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{{aboutAbout|the Atari 2600 cartridge|programming in other BASICsBASIC dialects|BASIC|other meaningsuses|Basic programming (disambiguation){{!}}Basic programming}}

{{more citations needed|date=October 2017}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}

{{Infobox video game

|title = BasicBASIC Programming

|image = BASIC Programming Cover Art.jpg

|image = [[File:BasicProgramming-packshot.jpg|BasicProgramming-packshot]]

|developer = [[WarrenAtari, RobinettInc.]]

|publisher = Atari, Inc.

|designer = [[Warren Robinett]]<ref>[https://dadgum.com/halcyon/BOOK/ROBINETT.HTM Interview:Warren Robinett], By James Hague, ''Halcyon Days'', "How long did it take to write?...I had ''Adventure'' sort of done in the fall of 1978, but I wasn't satisfied. I sort of put it on the shelf for the next six months while I did the ''BASIC Programming'' cartridge, and finished them both simultaneously, in June 1979."</ref>

|designer = [[Warren Robinett]]

|released = {{vgrelease|NA|April 1980<ref>{{cite web |title=Atari VCS game release dates |url=https://www.atariarchive.org/atari-vcs-game-release-dates/ |website=Atari Archive}}</ref>}}

|released = 1979

|platforms = [[Atari 2600]]

|media = [[Cartridge (electronics)|Cartridge]]

|requirements =

|input = [[Keypad (game controller)|Keypad]]

|Notes = One of the few games to use the keypad controllers

}}

'''''BASIC Programming''''' attemptedis to teach simple computer programming on thean Atari 2600.Video ItComputer wasSystem released(later forcalled the [[Atari 2600]]) consolecartridge inthat 1979teaches andsimple itcomputer wasprogramming one of onlyusing a fewdialect non-gamingof cartridges[[BASIC]]. releasedWritten by the[[Warren company.Robinett]] Thisand programreleased allowedby consumers[[Atari, toInc.]] createin some simple programs using its own unique programming language1980, whichthis was[[BASIC superficiallyinterpreter]] similaris to dialectsone of [[BASIC]],a butfew differednon-game incartridges manyfor importantthe aspectsconsole. The extremelyAtari smallVCS's RAM[[Random-access memory|RAM]] size of the Atari 2600, 128 bytes, severely restrictedrestricts the possibilities of this cartridge for writing any programs.

==Details==

The BASIC Programming display was divided into six regions:

[[ImageFile:Basicprogramming.png |225pxthumb|upright=2|Main leftdisplay]]

The ''BASIC Programming'' display wasis divided into six regions:

* '''Program''' is where instructions are writtentyped. It has a (maximum of nineeleven lines of code).

* '''[[Call stack|Stack]]''' shows temporary results of what yourthe program does.

* '''[[Variable (computer science)|Variables]]''' displaysstores the values of any variables yourthat the program is using.

* '''Output''' displays any output values yourthat programthe isprogram creatingcreates.

* '''Status''' displaysshows the amount of available memory remaining.

* '''Graphics''' contains two colored squares that can be manipulated by yourthe program.

Input is given through two Atari keypad controllers, which came with special overlays to show how to type the different commands and letters.<ref>[https://atariage.com/controller_page.html?ControllerID=4&SystemID=2600 Controllers - Atari Keypad], {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615042830/https://atariage.com/controller_page.html?ControllerID=4&SystemID=2600 |date=15 June 2015 }} Atari KeypadSystem: Atari 2600, Model Number: CX50, ''Sold in pairs, functionally identical to the Kid's Controller and the Video Touch Pad. Included overlays with commands, meant to be used with Basic Programming.''</ref> Programs are restricted to 64 characters in size and normally 9 lines of code, limiting the programs that can be written (users can disable all windows except Program and keep selecting "New Line" until 11 lines of code are present).

[[Image:Basicprogramming.png |225px| left]]

===Language features===

Input was given through two Atari keyboard controllers, which came with special overlays to show how to type the different commands and letters. Programs were restricted only upto 64 characters in size and 9 lines of code and thereby severely limiting anything other than programs such as printing names or moving a block across the screen. The cartridge intended to teach programming using its keypad controllers, which was not really a suitable medium of input for programming. Users could disable all windows except Program and keep selecting "New Line" until over nine empty lines had been entered and thus their program could use 11 lines of code using this trick. Given these limitations, Basic Programming cartridge never took off and is considered to be a novel but a failed product.

VCS BASIC supports the following keywords:<ref>{{cite book|title=BASIC Programming: Atari Game Program Instructions|date=1979|publisher=Atari, Inc.|___location=Sunnyvale, CA}}</ref>

* Statements: <code>Print</code>

* Structure: <code>Goto</code>, <code>If-Then-Else</code>

* Graphics: <code>Clear</code>

* Functions: <code>Hit</code>, <code>Key</code>

* Math: <code>+ - × ÷ Mod</code>

* Relational operators: <code>< > =</code>

Unlike most BASIC implementations of the time:

* VCS BASIC uses ← instead of = for assignment; e.g., <code>A←A+1</code>.

* Statements can be strung together on a line without a delimiter; e.g., <code>Note←APrintA</code>.

* An <code>If</code> statement can be used as a function, returning a value: <code>{{codett|2=cbmbas|Ver1←Ver1+IfVer1}}[[Modulo operation|Mod]]2{{codett|2=cbmbas|Then8}}{{codett|2=monkey|Else}}92</code>

* <code>If</code> statements can take an <code>Else</code> clause.

Special variable names:

* <code>Note</code> sounds a musical note, assigned numbers from 0 to 7

** Numbers assigned to <code>Note</code> are implicitly assigned modulus 8, thus 8 becomes 0, 9 becomes 1, etc.

* <code>Hor1</code>, <code>Hor2</code> - the horizontal coordinate of one of two squares

* <code>Ver1</code>, <code>Ver2</code> - the vertical coordinate of one of two squares

The language supports 26 unsigned integer variables A to Z. VCS BASIC supports integers from 0 to 99. Math operations wrap, so 99+1 becomes 0, 99+2 becomes 1, etc.

====Sample code====

The following example of a ''[[Pong]]'' game is provided.

{{pre|

1 Hor2←2+Key

2 {{codett|2=cbmbas|IfVer1>90ThenVer1←88}}

3 {{codett|2=cbmbas|IfHit}}{{codett|2=cbmbas|ThenVer1←9}}

4 {{codett|2=cbmbas|Ver1←Ver1+IfVer1}}[[Modulo operation|Mod]]2{{codett|2=cbmbas|Then8}}{{codett|2=monkey|Else}}92

5 Hor1←Hor1+7

6 {{codett|2=cbmbas|Goto1}}

}}

==See also==

{{Portal|Video games}}

*[[List of Atari 2600 games]]

* [[CompuMate|Spectravideo CompuMate]]

* [[Family BASIC]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==

* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040123023347/http://www.mindspring.com/~sidartha/Basic%20and%20Compumate%20Programming.htm |date=23 January 2004 |title=Compumate FAQ:BASIC PROGRAMME EXAMPLES FOR ATARI 2600 (BASIC PROGRAMMING & CompuMate)}}

*''[http://www.atariage.com/software_page.html?SoftwareLabelID=15 Basic Programming]'' at [[AtariAge]]

{{BASIC}}

[[Category:19791980 video gamessoftware]]

[[Category:Atari games2600]]

[[Category:AtariBASIC 2600 gamesinterpreters]]

[[Category:ProgrammingBASIC gamesprogramming language family]]

[[Category:Discontinued BASICs]]

[[Category:Video game development software]]

[[de:Atari 2600 Basic Programming]]