Smart BASIC Programming. Lesson 6

[Mr. Kibernetik]

Lesson 6 - Simplicity and variety

In smart BASIC you can use short notation for math operations if they are using the same variable. For example strings:

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A = A + 1
B = B * A
M (K) = M (K) / 3

can be written as:

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A += 1
B *= A
M (K) /= 3

If array has no more than 10 values then it can be used immediately, without creating it.

Any numeric variable or array value is zero by default until it is changed. Similarly, any unused string value is an empty string "".

Such double-word commands as END IF or END DEF can be written without space between words: ENDIF, ENDDEF.

Labels can be not only literal as

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LOOP: GOTO LOOP

but also numerical. In this case colon is not used:

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10 GOTO 10

Comments can be not only single-line using character " ' ", but also multi-line using characters "/*" and "*/":

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'single-line comment
/* multi-line
comment */

If IF THEN ELSE command has GOTO command after THEN or ELSE, then GOTO command can be omitted, so:

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IF A = B THEN GOTO 1

can be written as:

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IF A = B THEN 1

In smart BASIC subroutines can be used. Subroutine is a code which is executed by GOSUB command, and after it finishes with RETURN command the program continues to run from the place where subroutine was called:

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PRINT "before subroutine"
GOSUB SUBPROG
PRINT "after subroutine"
END
SUBPROG:
PRINT "inside subroutine"
RETURN

As subroutine name is a label, it can also be numerical:

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PRINT "before subroutine"
GOSUB 1
PRINT "after subroutine"
END
1 PRINT "inside subroutine"
RETURN

It is possible to write several commands in one line using separator "!":

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A = 1 ! B = 2 ! PRINT A + B

EXERCISE 7
Carefully read "Basics" section in documentation, test those smart BASIC features which are interesting to you, and ask questions on Forum if something will remain unclear.

[alinc]

Does Smart Basic have a Select Case function?

[Mr. Kibernetik]

Does Smart Basic have a Select Case function?

What does "select case" function do?

[alinc]

It's a multi-way branch. Executes the statements after
the CASE statement which matches the SELECT CASE
expression, then skips to the END SELECT statement.
If there is no match, and a CASE ELSE statement is
present, then execution defaults to the statements
following the CASE ELSE.
Example:
select case x
case 2
...
case 3, 4
...
case else
...
end select

[Mr. Kibernetik]

No, in smart BASIC there is no such construction.

[GeorgeMcGinn]

Yes, it does not have this construction, but I have to find it and finish it.

I was working on a FUNCTION that, while ugly looking, simulates this feature. I never finished it, and I think it is among the thousands of Dropbox files I have.

I was having the issues with the functions with a function or something like that, and since I started this code when I first started using SB, I dropped it.

It is a nice to have, but it only makes sense to use this in certain situations. Nothing a series of IF statements can't handle.

No, in smart BASIC there is no such construction.