Text on location?

[Melle]

Hi,

Is there a command to place text on a certain location on the screen?
Or should we use the graphics screen for this?

Greetings,

[Mr. Kibernetik]

Yes, to print text at a specific location you need to use graphics mode and graphics functions.
Text mode is for a serial text output, like on a typewriter.

[GeorgeMcGinn]

Here is some quick code i wrote to test the very thing you asked.

You can print your input question "What is your name" by the input box, but I was just testing the FIELD commands.

You can do this without being in GRAPHIC mode, but it will not look as professional, especially if you are looking to sell on iTunes.

Hope this helps.

George


EDIT: I didn't realize this question was 4 years old! I will have to check how my forum is displayed
I used the DO loop just out of convience, as this would cause a 100 percent CPU usage if you let it go without any input.
You can also look at SmartBASIC's ability to capture keystrokes.

Code: Select all

prompt$=""
FIELD "z" TEXT prompt$ AT 1,350 SIZE 300, 25
FIELD "z" SELECT
PRINT "What is your name?"
DO 
  UNTIL FIELD_CHANGED("z")
  Answer$=FIELD_TEXT$("z")
  FIELD "z" SELECT
  PRINT Answer$
END

[rbytes]

By repeating the code with different field names, you can get a sequence of prompts and answers. The limit on my iPad is about 4 interactions in landscape mode. Since the fields prevent the screen from scrolling up, it starts getting jumpy after the answer to the 4th question. Also, the keyboard disappears each time you press enter in a field, and then pops up again for the next question.

Code: Select all

prompt$=""
FIELD "z" TEXT prompt$ AT 1,35 SIZE 300, 25
field "z" font name "Courier"
FIELD "z" SELECT
PRINT "What is your name?"
DO 
  UNTIL FIELD_CHANGED("z")
  slowdown
  Answer$=FIELD_TEXT$("z")
  'FIELD "z" SELECT
  PRINT!PRINT!PRint "Hello, "&Answer$
pause 1
FIELD "y" TEXT prompt$ AT 1,130 SIZE 300, 25
field "y" font name "Courier"
FIELD "y" SELECT
PRINT "Where do you live?"
DO
  UNTIL FIELD_CHANGED("y")
  slowdown
  Answer$=FIELD_TEXT$("y")
  PRINT!PRINT!Print Answer$&" is a nice place."
pause 1
FIELD "x" TEXT prompt$ AT 1,220 SIZE 300, 25
field "x" font name "Courier"
'Field "y" back alpha 0
FIELD "x" SELECT
PRINT "How long have you been a Forum member?"
DO 
  UNTIL FIELD_CHANGED("x")
  slowdown
  Answer$=FIELD_TEXT$("x")
  PRINT!PRINT!Print Answer$&" is a long time!"
pause 1
FIELD "w" TEXT prompt$ AT 1,310 SIZE 300, 25
field "w" font name "Courier"
FIELD "w" SELECT
PRINT "What is your favorite feature of the Forum?"
DO 
  UNTIL FIELD_CHANGED("w")
  slowdown
  Answer$=FIELD_TEXT$("w")
  PRINT!PRINT!Print "Yes, "&Answer$&" is a nice feature."
pause 1
FIELD "v" TEXT prompt$ AT 1,400 SIZE 300, 25
field "v" font name "Courier"
FIELD "v" SELECT
PRINT "Have you posted any programs?"
DO 
  UNTIL FIELD_CHANGED("v")
  slowdown
  Answer$=FIELD_TEXT$("v")
  PRINT!PRINT!Print "Interesting."
pause 2
end
  
END

[Dutchman]

With the command 'FIELD_CURSOR_POS(…)' from version 5.5, it is rather simple to realize an "Inline-Input'-function with Text-fields.
See viewtopic.php?f=24&t=828&p=8779#p8779

Code: Select all

'Inline Input Field
'with safe prompt
'by Dutchman, april 2016
n=1
DO
 Prompt$="Request "&STR$(n,"#")&": "
 Field$="In_"&STR$(n,"#")
 Answer$=Input$(10,75+n*25,400,22,Field$,Prompt$)
 PRINT "Input";n;"=";Answer$
n+=1
until n>3 OR Answer$=""
END



DEF Input$(x,y,w,h,Field$,Prompt$)
FIELD Field$ AT x,y SIZE w,h
FIELD Field$ FONT SIZE h-6
CALL InputPreset(Field$)
FIELD Field$ SELECT
prompt=LEN(Prompt$)
DO
 IF FIELD_CURSOR_POS(Field$)<prompt THEN FIELD Field$ TEXT Prompt$
 SLOWDOWN
UNTIL FIELD_CHANGED(Field$)
Txt$=FIELD_TEXT$(Field$)
T$=RIGHT$(Txt$,LEN(Txt$)-prompt)
RETURN T$
END DEF

DEF InputPreset(name$)
FIELD name$ BACK COLOR 0,1,0
FIELD name$ FONT NAME "Verdana"
FIELD name$ FONT COLOR 0,0,1
END DEF

Screenshot.png (248.06 KiB) Viewed 6012 times

[GeorgeMcGinn]

EDITED: Image added

I like the two examples, and quite frankly, these help understand more about the one-line descriptions that are vague in how they work or when to use them.

In this example below, I decided to put all 4 input fields and allow the user to enter them all before processing the results. I do have to add a SUBMIT button instead of relying on detecting a change in the last field.

I have taken ricardobytes' code and changed it up, so that it displays the text and input box for all 4 questions, then executes a GOSUB to gather the inputs and print them out.

My question is on the FIELD_CURSOR_POS statement. I code it exactly as the manual says, and I get a SYNTAX ERROR. I've changed it so all the FIELD statements used N$, O$, P$ and Q$ as shown in the sample in both the online and manual (which is actually the same).

Am I using the FIELD statement to place the cursor in the right box, or is there a bug with this statement?

BTW: Dutchman, thanks for your sample code, as it shows good coding and optimizes running it. All manuals I have seen have example code like you, DAV, ricardobytes, me and others posted showing people how specific statements work. I have many examples that I've noted (privately) when converting my PowerBASIC code to SmartBASIC. If you would like, I would like to see more examples in the next version of the manual, and I am willing to help with providing code and even the detailed writeups for the work I have done and am doing. Let me know if you are interested.

Screen Image Link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/otz41az7r4pdp ... 3.png?dl=0

Thanks for all your help,

George.

Code: Select all

prompt$=""
Answer$=""

PRINT "What is your name?"

' FIELD_CURSOR_POS("y")  
FIELD "y" TEXT prompt$ AT 1,128 SIZE 300, 25
FIELD "y" FONT NAME "Courier"
FIELD "y" SELECT
PRINT!PRINT!PRINT!PRINT "Where do you live?"


FIELD "x" TEXT prompt$ AT 1,214 SIZE 300, 25
FIELD "x" FONT NAME "Courier"
'Field "y" back alpha 0
FIELD "x" SELECT
PRINT!PRINT!PRINT!PRINT "How long have you been a Forum member?"


FIELD "w" TEXT prompt$ AT 1,304 SIZE 300, 25
FIELD "w" FONT NAME "Courier"
FIELD "w" SELECT
PRINT!PRINT!PRINT!PRINT "What is your favorite feature of the Forum?"


FIELD "v" TEXT prompt$ AT 1,400 SIZE 300, 25
FIELD "v" FONT NAME "Courier"
FIELD "v" SELECT
PRINT!PRINT!PRINT!PRINT "Have you posted any programs?"


' Display Inut Name Box
FIELD "z" TEXT prompt$ AT 1,35 SIZE 300, 25
FIELD "z" FONT NAME "Courier"
FIELD "z" SELECT


PRINT!PRINT!PRINT!PRINT "Results of input boxes:"

' We need to prevent a fall through, so we wait until last field is entered. 
DO
  SLOWDOWN
UNTIL FIELD_CHANGED("v")   

GOSUB GetAnswers

STOP
  
'Get and print out all the answers
GetAnswers:

' DEBUG PAUSE

Answer$=FIELD_TEXT$("z")
PRINT "What is your name: "&Answer$

Answer$=FIELD_TEXT$("y")
PRINT "Where do you live: "&Answer$

Answer$=FIELD_TEXT$("x")
PRINT "How long have you been a forum member: "&Answer$

Answer$=FIELD_TEXT$("w")
PRINT "Yes, "&Answer$&" is a nice feature."

Answer$=FIELD_TEXT$("v")
PRINT "Interesting: "&Answer$

RETURN

[Henko]

With the command 'FIELD_CURSOR_POS(…)' from version 5.5, it is rather simple to realize an "Inline-Input'-function.

Thanks for sharing, Ton. Nice and paricularly usefull for input queries in pages.

[Dutchman]

… If you would like, I would like to see more examples in the next version of the manual, and I am willing to help …

No thank you, keeping the PDF-manual updated gives me enough extra work. Even the size is already large and requires commercial printing. I suggest you contribute to a PDF document entitled "Examples of smart programming". The forum-members you mentioned will certainly assist in correcting and cleaning your proposals.

[rbytes]

I ran your code on my iPad, George, and the fields and text were not in sync. The second question was at the top of the screen with the first field under it. Once I had filled in all of the fields, the keyboard disappeared and text and fields got back in sync. The image shows what my screen looked like when the program finished.

I am working on another concept that doesn't require multiple fields. It should allow for unlimited question-response interaction on screen, similar to what you would see on a chat page, and what many other Basic versions can provide. I have seen past posts where this feature was requested. Still some issues to solve, but I will post it when it's ready.

[GeorgeMcGinn]

Yes, in a way. In order to get the cursor in the first field, it had to be displayed last. I have another program that puts all of the input on the screen at once, highlights the field to be filled, and executes on the enter of the last field, which should fix that issue. It wasn't my better coding as I was still experimenting and figuring out what the FIELD_CURSOR_POS(N) does.

I look forward to your your other concept.

I ran your code on my iPad, George, and the fields and text were not in sync. The second question was at the top of the screen with the first field under it. Once I had filled in all of the fields, the keyboard disappeared and text and fields got back in sync. The image shows what my screen looked like when the program finished.

I am working on another concept that doesn't require multiple fields. It should allow for unlimited question-response interaction on screen, similar to what you would see on a chat page, and what many other Basic versions can provide. I have seen past posts where this feature was requested. Still some issues to solve, but I will post it when it's ready.