HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: pnelson@natasha.Tymnet.COM (Phil Nelson)
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
Subject: Re: Hisoft Basic (Was: Re: Compiled BASIC for the ATARI ST's)
Summary: Oops -it was absoft, not HiSoft (it wasn't object-oriented, either)
Date: 14 Sep 92 05:07:08 GMT
Organization: BT North America (Tymnet)

In article <ROBIN.92Sep12230230@vipunen.hut.fi> robin@vipunen.hut.fi (Jarto 'Robin' Tarpio) writes:
>In article <2480@tymix.Tymnet.COM> pnelson@cobra.Tymnet.COM (Phil Nelson) writes:
>> In some ways, the Atari is closer to a PC than the Amiga, so your situation
>> might be better, but be careful. I had a fairly complex (about 2k lines)
>> non-graphical QuickBASIC 4.0 program that I wanted to run on the Amiga,
>> I put the project on hold because it would been practically impossible
>> with HiSoft, and very tedious with TrueBASIC.
>
>Well... Nothing is impossible with the Hisoft compiler on the Amiga. I have
>made Application Windows-servers and used the functions in the new OS. If
>Hisoft lacks some features, they can easily be coded by using system library
>calls.

 I apologise. It was the absoft compiler, not HiSoft. I got home, looked
at the bookshelf where my BASIC manuals are gathering dust, and there it was,
AC/BASIC, by absoft. Copywright 1987. I guess my info _is_ a little out of
date.

 The HiSoft compiler sounds good. I think I will check it out, thanks.

 Maybe I will port that program after all, you make it sound so easy. :-)


>	- character-graphics. (You should use the graphics capabilities of
>	  the Amiga or you program is from the stone-age)


 Tsk, Tsk. You young-uns are always throwing stone-ages. ;-)

 I guess it won't be _that_ easy to port.

 
>/robin

 Thanks for the info.

Phil Nelson . pnelson@tymix.Tymnet.COM . San Jose, CA, USA . 408-922-7508

  The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge;
             the ears of the wise seek it out.	     Proverbs 18:15 (NIV)
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
From: doug@cc.ysu.edu (Doug Sewell)
Subject: Re: PDS7.1
Organization: Bush in 92 ? NOT!
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 13:20:10 GMT

cermak@gandalf.rutgers.edu (Rob Cermak) writes:
: 
: For the standard edition, there was a Student price listed at $49.95.
: Since I have PDS 7.1, I'd like to stay professional but the Professional
: VB for DOS (PVB/DOS) did not have a list price for students...
: 
: 			Is there a student price listing for PVB/DOS?
: 

Well, if *I* were in Microsoft's place, I wouldn't offer one.  If a student
is doing work that needs the features of the professional package, then it's
probably gone beyond standard course-work (which is what I usually see the
student packages oriented towards).  If they're going to play professional
programmer, let them pay for professional programmer's tools.

--
Doug Sewell, Tech Support, Computer Center, Youngstown State University
doug@cc.ysu.edu	   doug@ysub.bitnet	<internet>!cc.ysu.edu!doug
Family Values: the sexist, racist, homophobic, classist, "Christian" values
of the 50's.
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
From: prasad@cc.utah.edu (Prasad B. Gharpure)
Subject: PALETTE USING & screen mode 12 & 13
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: University of Utah Computer Center
Date: 11 Sep 1992 16:12 MST  

This question is about PALETTE USING from QBASIC (DOS 5).

How do you get it to work in screen modes 12 and 13
I have seen the help and the sample code.   The modified sample
code ( changing the size of the palette array ) works fine in
most of the other modes except in modes 12 and 13 where I define
the array to be capable of holding 256 values.

Please help, and thanks in advance
Prasad
+----------------------------------------------------+------------------+
|     ______   	                                     |                  |
|    /      |                                      / |Prasad B. Gharpure|
|   /______/  /___   _____   ___   _____     ____ /  |BME GRAD STUDENT  |
|  /         / 	    /  	 /  /__	  /    /    /    /   |UNIVERSITY OF UTAH|
| /         / 	   /____/_  ___/ /____/_   /____/    |(801)-596-1353    |
+----------------------------------------------------+------------------+
From: ted@rice.edu (Ted Carver.)
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
Subject: Re: PDS 7.1 and VB for DOS
Keywords: Basic
Date: 12 Sep 1992 00:25:14 GMT
Organization: Rice University

Well, it did occur to me later that I was being harsh in my criticism
of microsoft for the introduction of these basic products.
After all, this partly in response to demands of users with
many different needs.  But trying to figure out where to go next from
QB 4.5 is rather frustrating.  The fact is, most people I know who
want a graphical environment run windows on their machines.  So, what
do I do if I want a Basic that will compile number-crunching programs
written in QB 4.5 and yet will provide the user-interface of
Windows?  Does Visual Basic for Windows provide this? Is it
also compatible with BASIC PDS?
   Secondly, I confess to ignorance of when BASIC PDS was released.
My grievance was mainly concerned with what I perceive to be 
minimal improvements in my programs when altered and compiled
in professional basic a couple of months ago.  It does have some
nice features, particularly for database applications, which I
have not used.  I have used QB 4.5 for quite some time and do
feel that it was an excellent BASIC.
   Lastly, if Visual Basic for DOS is intended to be for the
purpose of generating code that will later be used in VB for
windows, does this mean that VB for windows will support
all the other commands that are available in QB and PDS
(excluding those that constitute "mucking with the system")?
It seems to me that this is a necessary requirement for a
language designed to create applications that are
"portable to and from windows".

I can't be the only user of QB 4.5 who feels this way
because I've seen numerous articles asking about where to
upgrade from QB 4.5.  It is possible that I should have
investigated VB for Windows more carefully, but for the
kind of programs I run, a fairly high level of
compatibilty with QB 4.5 is needed.  If I'm completely
ignorant, please enlighten me.


Ted Carver                ted@rice.edu
i
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
From: robin@vipunen.hut.fi (Jarto 'Robin' Tarpio)
Subject: VB 4 Win and 4 DOS vs BC7 questions.
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, Finland
Date: 12 Sep 92 23:24:14

I'm developing a graphical, intuitive administration program with BC7.
To be able to do it, I had to create a lot of own routines, because
BC7 and QB are almost entirely character-based.

I bought the VB for Windows and run some benchmarks on it compared
to BC7 and noticed a huge slowdown. Normal string-processing, IFs
FOR-NEXT-loops etc were about 50% slower in Windows compared to BC7 on
DOS. Apparently my customers wouldn't be pleased to notice that :-(

Now Microsoft announced the VB for DOS. I'm very curious to know how
slow this one is compared to the BC7 ? Run s loop where you do some
variable and string processing without any input or output and measure
the speed. I want to know if VB is really worth it's price.

I also want to know, what Microsoft if planning to do for the VB in
the windows environment. It lacks:

	- speed, speed and speed
	- DOS-level compiler (producing windows code, however)
	- many commands from BC7

And of cource the problems in all PC-basics:

	- too small string space limits. 64K for an array is by no means
	  enough. I kno It's because PC has those damned segments, but
	  it should not be our problem.

	- REDIM APPEND (Hisoft Basic has it) Arrays can be redimmed without
	  any loss of data.

Any comments from Microsoft ?

/robin

Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
From: hlr@aber.ac.uk (Hazel Marie Davey)
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
Subject: Re: Press release VB for DOS, when does it hit stores ?
Keywords: Visual DOS
Date: 6 Sep 92 08:26:13 GMT
Organization: University of Wales, Aberystwyth

In article <1992Sep5.021941.22936@csusac.csus.edu> laned@athena.ecs.csus.edu 
(Douglas A. Lane) writes:
>Subject says it all.  When does Visual Basic for DOS hit the
>stores ?
>
>Doug

I read that it was supposed to be later this month but the advert said
"Demand is expected to be high so place your orders now".

Hazel
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
From: gfadel@eng.clemson.edu (George Fadel)
Subject: Accessing random files with recl > 128
Reply-To: gfadel@eng.clemson.edu
Organization: College of Engineering, Clemson Univ.
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 13:12:08 GMT


I need help with the following problem:  I have access to a program that works on an PC clone running DOS 5.0  (it supposedly ran under DOS 3.2).  The program runs under 
GWBASIC and opens a file with a recl > 128.  (OPEN "XXXXXX.XXX" as #1 LEN=200)
The program gives me an error on a true IBM running DOS 4.0 under either BASICA or GWBASIC.  Does anyone know why?  I checked config files, I just cannot get it to run.

Help


Georges M. Fadel 
Clemson University


Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
From: dhiggs@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (General Protection Fault)
Subject: Re: Press release VB for DOS, when does it hit stores ?
Keywords: Visual DOS
Organization: is the refuge of the unimaginative!
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 14:23:54 GMT

In article <1992Sep5.021941.22936@csusac.csus.edu> laned@athena.ecs.csus.edu (D
ouglas A. Lane) writes:
+Subject says it all.  When does Visual Basic for DOS hit the
+stores ?
+
+Doug
+
I called Microsofts 1-800-  sales number Friday afternoon (9/4) and they told
me it should be in the stores on or around September 14th or 15th.  The service
person was about to take my order for a copy byt, when I told her I live in 
Columbus, OH she told me it would probably be cheaper and more convenient for 
me to just go to MicroCenter (chain located in OH and GA) mid September.

Keith.
-- 
D.K.Higgs  DATA+@osu.edu  a.k.a  dhiggs@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu _____   __o
Ohio State University Libraries, Acquisitions Department      -------    -\<,
Continuation Acquisition Division                              ------ ( )/ ( )
~~(614)292-6314~~~~~~fax(614)292-2015~~~~~~~~~~\_________/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
From: dangold1@iastate.edu (Daniel M Goldman)
Subject: Re: PDS 7.1 and VB for DOS
Keywords: Basic
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 18:22:00 GMT

In <1992Sep11.170911.10425@microsoft.com> fredf@microsoft.com (Fred Freeland) writes:

>I don't know what you're reading into our press release.  Visual Basic
>for DOS still has virtually all of the important features of Basic PDS 7.1
>while adding the ability to create windowed, event driven programs like
>Visual Basic for Windows.  These two products are not in competition with
>each other. Visual Basic for Windows is for developers who want to develop
>Windows applications. Visual Basic for MS-DOS is for developers who have
>not yet committed to Windows development. Believe it or not, there are
>a lot of people out there that are quite content to use character-mode
>applications (DOS Apps) rather than graphical (Windows Apps) ones.



>-- 
>Frederick F. Freeland Jr.                        "Of all the things I've lost,  Microsoft Corporation                               I miss my mind the most!"   One Microsoft Way  

Frederick-
 I for one appreciate your responding.  It's sometimes hard to know who to 
believe, but it's a lot tougher to know WHAT to believe when you haven't
even heard the other side of the story.  Not to say that there aren't 
legitimate gripes out there.  I'm just glad you are taking the time to
provide some information on balance...  -DmG
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
From: wlsmith@valve.heart.rri.uwo.ca (Wayne Smith)
Subject: Problem with ATI video and  qb /l qb.qlb /h command line
Organization: The John P. Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 19:45:26 GMT


Like the subject says, when I changed the .bat file that invokes
QuickBasic 4.5 by adding the /h option, I get a really screwy
editor screen and a double mouse cursor (the screen goes into smaller
characters, but only 2/3 of the screen is usable).

The graphics card is an ATI 512K OEM type card, about 4 years old.
E-mail or post any ideas or fixes.
thanx.
From: cermak@gandalf.rutgers.edu (Rob Cermak)
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
Subject: PDS7.1
Keywords: VB PDS7.1
Date: 8 Sep 92 12:28:52 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

I currently operate in the PDS 7.1 environment, is VB for DOS a
necessary UPGRADE from PDS 7.1, if one would like to stay on top
of the pile of BASIC compilers?  

Does VB/DOS still support the 286 instruction set?

For the standard edition, there was a Student price listed at $49.95.
Since I have PDS 7.1, I'd like to stay professional but the Professional
VB for DOS (PVB/DOS) did not have a list price for students...

			Is there a student price listing for PVB/DOS?

Trying to stay on the cutting edge...
Rob.
-- 
Rob Cermak			        EMAIL : cermak@gandalf.rutgers.edu
Programmer NJ Climate Center &		USMAIL: Rutgers University
Prog/Tech Rutgers Meteoorology-COOK             Department of Meteorology
FAX             :908 932-7922			Cook College  PO BOX 231
Meteorology Dept:908 932-9387                   New Brunswick NJ 08903-0231
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
From: pnelson@cobra.Tymnet.COM (Phil Nelson)
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
Subject: Re: Compiled BASIC for the ATARI ST's
Keywords: Words of advice needed.
Date: 12 Sep 92 00:43:48 GMT
Organization: BT North America (Tymnet)


I have an Amiga, not an Atari, but my experience may be similar. a couple o
years ago I bought the HiSoft compiler and the True BASIC compiler for the
Amiga. neither one was great, but the HiSoft was compatible with QuickBASIC
3.? (not the 4.x that was out at the time). True BASIC for the Amiga was
not very close to QuickBASIC, and the Amiga version of that time came with
nothing that could translate.

In some ways, the Atari is closer to a PC than the Amiga, so your situation
might be better, but be careful. I had a fairly complex (about 2k lines)
non-graphical QuickBASIC 4.0 program that I wanted to run on the Amiga,
I put the project on hold because it would been practically impossible
with HiSoft, and very tedious with TrueBASIC.

If you havn't made use of the recursive calls and other nice features of
4.0+, or HiSoft has a 4.0+ compatible version, you might be in good shape.

I hope my info is not totally out of date, it has been a while...


-- 
Phil Nelson . pnelson@tymix.Tymnet.COM . San Jose, CA, USA . 408-922-7508

  "Every improvement in communication makes the bore more terrible."

Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
From: laned@athena.ecs.csus.edu (Douglas A. Lane)
Subject: Re: Press release VB for DOS, when does it hit stores ?
Keywords:  Visual DOS
Organization: California State University, Sacramento
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 92 02:19:41 GMT

Subject says it all.  When does Visual Basic for DOS hit the
stores ?

Doug

From: galenr@hpgrla.gr.hp.com (Galen Raben)
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 16:29:56 GMT
Subject: Re: 16 bit INP/OUT functions (let's start a QB 5.0 wish list)
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Greeley, CO
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic

In alt.lang.basic, wlsmith@valve.heart.rri.uwo.ca (Wayne Smith) writes:

[stuff deleted]...
>>happen any day now (early September according to my sources).

>I have VB (version 1 I guess, it doesn't say on the box) and I don't
>like 
>a) won't do peeks/pokes/in's/out's

This gripes me too, however Microhelp (1-800-992-3383) sells a toolkit
that does peeks/pokes.  If you have access to CompuServe the MSBASIC 
forum has a file called INOUT.ZIP in the VB library that gives you allows
peeks and pokes.  After looking it over though it becomes obvious why
Microsoft didn't put this in VB "out of the box" as poking indiscriminately
around in Windows can cause some serious corruption that is dangerous
to virtually every file on your hard disk!  Not for the faint-hearted...
Definitely not for someone who just bought VB yesterday and thinks of
Windows as being no more than a pretty shell.

[stuff deleted]...

>I'd rather not mess with external libraries and junk.
>If I wanted to do that, I'd also slide down the sharp end of a razor
>blade on my balls, or learn C.

Why are external libraries and "junk" a problem?  It allows you to add
capabilities to your language that you didn't have before.  No software
house (even Microsoft) can produce a language that has every feature 
that everybody could ever possibly want to use.  Libraries allow you to
add new features to a language without having to roll a new version out
the door to your customers every three days....

Fact of life for a software developer - you can't please everyone.  You
try to please as many as you can now and try to please (some of) the others
later.

- Galen -
From: robin@vipunen.hut.fi (Jarto 'Robin' Tarpio)
Subject: Hisoft Basic (Was: Re: Compiled BASIC for the ATARI ST's)
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, Finland
	<dangold1.716135735@pv1414.vincent.iastate.edu> <2480@tymix.Tymnet.COM>
Date: 12 Sep 92 23:02:30

In article <2480@tymix.Tymnet.COM> pnelson@cobra.Tymnet.COM (Phil Nelson) writes:
> In some ways, the Atari is closer to a PC than the Amiga, so your situation
> might be better, but be careful. I had a fairly complex (about 2k lines)
> non-graphical QuickBASIC 4.0 program that I wanted to run on the Amiga,
> I put the project on hold because it would been practically impossible
> with HiSoft, and very tedious with TrueBASIC.

Well... Nothing is impossible with the Hisoft compiler on the Amiga. I have
made Application Windows-servers and used the functions in the new OS. If
Hisoft lacks some features, they can easily be coded by using system library
calls.

But porting isn't easy when you do it first time. I first make the programs
on the Amiga and then port it to the PC. Boy, did I disappoint the first time
when I hit the damned string space and segment limits. Anyway, when you have
done it once or twice, it will be easy. I ported my latest 12000 lines program
from Amiga to PC in one week.

When posting from PC to Amiga, the most problematic areas are:

	- ISAM - You have to make own database handling. (So what ? It only
	  takes a couple of days and is faster)

	- recods and other "high level" variable handling. (Well...They can
	  be simulated wth variable names, don't they ?)

	- character-graphics. (You should use the graphics capabilities of
	  the Amiga or you program is from the stone-age)

And from Amiga to PC:

	- heavy string space useage. (Amiga gives you Megs of memory, PC only
	  about 64K)

	- huge SUBs or FUNCTIONs that may be too big for BC.

	- graphics. (Face it... QB and BC7 are mainly character based)

	- multiple windows, menus (Maybe VB4DOS have them, otherways you have
	  to simulate them)

	- multitasking, heavy calling of system functions, AREXX and all the
	  other goodies of the Amiga...

   If you havn't made use of the recursive calls and other nice features of
   4.0+, or HiSoft has a 4.0+ compatible version, you might be in good shape.

Recursion works with Hisoft.

   I hope my info is not totally out of date, it has been a while...

I'm currently waiting for an early beta of Hisoft Basic II.... drooling :-)

/robin
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
From: philco@microsoft.com (Phillip Cooper)
Subject: Re: Linking in C code with QB.
Date: 04 Sep 92 20:55:02 GMT
Organization: Microsoft Corporation

In article <jfoy.715474489@glia> jfoy@glia.biostr.washington.edu (Jeff Foy) writes:
>In <1992Sep01.212456.7812@microsoft.com> philco@microsoft.com (Phillip Cooper) writes:
>
>>This is not a perfunctory maintenance release.  This is a gargantuan,
>>total overhaul of our entire DOS Basic line.  VBDOS is not the next
>>version of QuickBasic, it is a vastly improved, brand new DOS basic that
>>current owners of QuickBasic will be allowed to upgrade to.  
>
>Phil,
>
>As a PDS owner (7.1), I'd be very curious what the upgrade offer will
>look like (if it'll be any different). Also would like to find out if
>VB/DOS will run on my XT or, as is the current trend, will it require
>a '286 or higher.
>
>
>

Since I no longer support Basic, I'm not too sure about the actual cost
of the upgrade.  You can call the consumer sales dept. at (800)426-9400
for information on the procedure and cost of the upgrade.

I do know that there are "standard" and a "professional" editions.  I
would assume that the pricing breakdown would be similar to QB and PDS
Basic.  

If you need technical information about the product, you should call
the Basic support group at (206)646-5101.  BTW- I'm sure it will run
just fine (but maybe a little slow :)) on your XT.

Phil Cooper
From: cah@mycenae.cchem.Berkeley.EDU (Charlie A. Henze)
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic
Subject: VB for DOS SCREEN and port access
Date: 11 Sep 1992 22:33:33 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: mycenae.cchem.berkeley.edu
Keywords: VB, DOS, SCREEN, OPEN

I have BASIC code which places a menu on the screen and
prints the input (INKEY) to a COM port.  
Currently I am using this BASIC code to drive equipment in
between taking spectra and then switching back to the
spectrometer driver for another sample.
(windows is nice because it has
ability to have a number of versions of spectrometer
pgms running and
all I need to do is switch between them).

When switching from the BASIC code back to windows I
get scrambled screen in WINDOWS (screen type is incompatible 
because code is written in BASIC which doesn't have EGA
graphics capability...1986 version...what did I expect???),
but it rights itself when I stop the BASIC code and
restart next time I want to use it.

To automate the process I want to eliminate the start/stop
of the code.  QUESTION:  Will the VB/DOS be able to produce
compiled code that can swap out the program while still running
and do something else w/o scrambled screen.  I assume this just
needs compatible graphics modes btwn VB and WIN (the spectrometer
software is compiled BASIC code, and it keeps running, so I assume
I can do this w/o problems since these others were successful).
I asked MS support people and received a yes, but I don't think anyone
I talked to understood the question.  

Maybe the INKEY stmt which the pgm is waiting at causes a mess?
Is it just the SCREEN statement as I expect?
Can VB/DOS fix my problem before I spend 150 or should I find another
way to automate the procedure?

Thanks in advance.

-- 
Charlie Henze, cah@iris.cchem.berkeley.edu
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
OLYMPIC RESULTS:  Men's 4x400 Meter Relay BREAKS the records!!!
 
World Record		2:56.16 held by United States, 1968 & 1988
Olympic Record		2:56.16 held by Unietd States, 1968 & 1988


Gold	UNITED STATES		2:55.74	*** new WR,OR ***
	(Andrew Valmon 44.5, Quincy Watts 43.1,
           Michael Johnson 44.7, Steve Lewis 43.7)
Silver	CUBA			2:59.51
	(Lazaron Martinez, Hector Herrera, Norberto Tellez, Roberto Hernandez)
Bronze	BRITAIN			2:59.73
	(Roger Black, David Grindley, Kriss Akabusi, John Regis)
------
4, Brazil			3:01.61
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: galenr@hpgrla.gr.hp.com (Galen Raben)
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 16:59:01 GMT
Subject: Re: DOS 5 and QBasic
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Greeley, CO