ProfitPress Mega CDROM2 …eeware (MSDOS)(1992)(Eng)/ProfitPress-MegaCDROM2.B6I/PROG/BASIC/QBWIZ10.ZIP/QBWIZ.DOC

Text File | 1990-02-03 | 5.5 KB | 118 lines

                      The QuickBASIC Wizard's Library

                QBWIZ  Copyright (c) 1990  Thomas G. Hanlin III



This is QBWIZ, an assembly language library for use with QuickBASIC and
BASCOM.  It was tested under QB 4.5 and is expected to work with QuickBASIC
versions 4.0 - 4.5 and BASCOM 6.0.  Due to strong dependency on the internals
of the compiler, QBWIZ probably will not work with other versions.  QBWIZ is
only for stand-alone compiled programs.  It will not work with programs that
require the runtime module (BRUNxx) or inside the QB environment.

The QBWIZ collection is copyrighted and may be distributed only under the
following conditions:

   1) No fee of over $5.00 may be charged for distribution.  This restriction
      applies only to physical copies and is not meant to prevent
      distribution by telecommunication.

   2) All QBWIZ files must be distributed together in original, unaltered
      form.  This includes ACCESS.BI, ACCESS.LIB, FILES.LST, PROBAS.TXT,
      QBWIZ.DOC, QBWIZ.NEW, and REGISTER.TXT.

You use this library at your own risk.  It has been tested by me on my own
computer, but I will not assume any responsibility for any problems which
QBWIZ may cause you.  If you do encounter a problem, please let me know about
it, and I will do my best to verify and repair the error.

It is expected that if you find QBWIZ useful, you will register your copy.
This entitles you to receive the latest version of QBWIZ on a 5 1/4" disk,
complete with full source code.  The source code is designed for the OPTASM
assembler by SLR Systems and may require minor modifications to assemble
under MASM or TASM.  See REGISTER.TXT for more information.

     *** Limited-time Offer ***
Those who register QBWIZ before May 1, 1990, will receive a free upgrade to
the next version of QBWIZ.

Note that QBWIZ will work only with stand-alone compiled BASIC programs, that
is, programs compiled with the /O switch.

The QBWIZ library provides a way to access many of QuickBASIC's internal
variables, which is useful in general and can be especially handy in writing
generic subprograms.  The information provided allows subprograms to do
whatever they may need to do and reset the original values when they exit.
Among the information that may be accessed is what the current screen colors
are, whether the cursor is visible (and if so, what size it is), what the
current display pages are, whether redirection is in effect, and so forth.

Future versions of QBWIZ will include a library that will replace part or all
of the QuickBASIC system library (BCOMxx.LIB), which will result in a
dramatic reduction in program .EXE size.

                                   Libraries



If you are not familiar with libraries, you're missing a good thing.  A
library is a collection of routines.  These may be subprograms or functions
written in BASIC and compiled to .OBJ format, assembly language routines, or
even routines written in Microsoft C or Pascal using the "mixed language"
calling conventions.  When your program is compiled, you can LINK it with one
or more libraries.  The LINK utility will automatically take the routines
that you use from the library and add them to your program.  A library is a
great way to put together a set of standard routines which you use
frequently.  Libraries of this sort can also be obtained from your local BBS
or purchased outright.  Among the good BBS libraries are ADVBAS, BASDLX, and
QB4BAS.  GLIB is fair, but it's a "demo" library which can't be used to
create an .EXE file.  Commercial libraries are available from AJS Publishing,
Crescent Software, Hammerly Computer Services, MicroHelp, and other vendors.

If you were to LINK a normal BASIC program, you'd probably type something
like this:
   LINK program;

To use the functions in the provided ACCESS.LIB, you would type something
like this instead:
   LINK program,,NUL,ACCESS;

You can use multiple libraries very easily:
   LINK program,,NUL,ACCESS+anylib;

                          QuickBASIC Access Functions



The QuickBASIC Access Functions are contained in the ACCESS.LIB library. The
function declaration information for this library is contained in ACCESS.BI,
which should be included at the top of your programs.  Either copy ACCESS.BI
directly into your program or use an include statement:
   REM $INCLUDE: 'ACCESS.BI'

These functions allow you to obtain information from QuickBASIC's internal
variables.  Many useful values can be obtained this way that would not be
available otherwise.


The following functions are available:

ACTPAGE%        active display page (the one read from and written to)
BACKCOLOR%      current text background color
BORDERCOLOR%    current border color (CGA only)
COLORBURST%     whether color burst is on: 0 no, -1 yes
CRT$            type of display adapter ("MDA", "CGA", "EGA", or "VGA")
CURSORSTART%    starting cursor scan line, if the cursor is visible
CURSORSTOP%     ending cursor scan line, if the cursor is visible
DEFSEG%         data segment defined by DEF SEG
FORECOLOR%      current text foreground color
REDIRECTION%    whether output is redirected: 0 no, -1 yes
SCREENHEIGHT%   height of the screen (rows)
SCREENMODE%     current BASIC screen mode
SCREENWIDTH%    width of the screen (columns)
SHOWCURSOR%     whether the cursor is visible: 0 no, -1 yes
VIEWBOTTOM%     bottom row of the screen (according to VIEW PRINT info)
VIEWTOP%        top row of the screen (according to VIEW PRINT info)
VISPAGE%        visible display page (the one displayed on the screen)