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                     BASIC 64     05/12/96
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Included in this archive:

basic_64.sna  :  The BASIC extension code.  Enter
                 RANDOMIZE USR 31488 to start it.
                 See below for new commands.

geoexmpl.sna  :  An example program using basic64 
                 written by Paulo Sergio.  Nicely
                 done, Paulo.

These are BASIC extensions written for the TC2068/TC2048 in
Spectrum mode to support the 512x192 video mode.  The code
was originally written by Timex of Portugal.  Thanks to Paulo
Sergio for getting this into .sna form.

The new commands are:

PLOT *x,y        Same as PLOT x,y in 512x192 mode
LINE x,y,z       Same as DRAW x,y,z in 512x192 mode
CIRCLE *x,y,z    Same as CIRCLE x,y,z in 512x192 mode
CLS *            Same as CLS for 512x192 mode
SCREEN$ x        Sets video mode.  I haven't yet
                 figured out how to use it, but it appears
                 that it lets these extended commands work
                 in normal screen mode (Spectrum), dual
                 screen mode and extended colour mode.
INK *x           Sets the ink colour of entire screen
PAPER *x         Sets paper colour of entire screen
                 Both INK * and PAPER * automatically
                 choose the best contrasting PAPER/INK
                 colour before changing the colour of
                 the whole screen.  If you want other
                 combinations, you'll have to enter the
                 appropriate OUT 255,x command.
PRINT #4         Basic64 opens two new channels: #4 and #5.
                 Printing to channel #4 will print in 64
                 column mode.  I'm not quite sure what
                 channel 5 is for; when printing to it, I
                 get a bunch of spaces printed in 64 column
                 mode, the number of which equals the length
                 of string printed.

After a little experimenting, I found that you could list
programs in 64 columns by changing the address of the output
routine on channel #2.  You can do this by entering:
            POKE 23578,69: POKE 23579,37
After entering this, all normal print statements will also be
done in 64 columns.  No need to modify existing programs (even
m/c ones that use RST #10).

This was loaded and tested on a TS2068 with JLOv2.65 disk
interface using "sna2jlo1.zip".

- Alvin Albrecht (sealbrec@acs.ucalgary.ca)

