--------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 214 POWER BASIC Ref: CCP00003 Date: 08/16/95 From: DAVE NAVARRO Time: 03:49pm \/To: ALL (Read 3 times) Subj: Pb 3.2 Released! Press Release For More Information, Call: Joseph M. Byrd VP, Sales and Marketing (408) 659-8000 For Release 1:45 PM August 11, 1995 PowerBASIC 3.2 Does Pointers Carmel, Calif. ---- August 11, 1995 ---- PowerBASIC, Inc. announced today a revolution in BASIC programming -- true Pointer variables for the first time in any BASIC dialect. Now with the addition of Pointers, BASIC has all the important features of the other major programming languages like C and Pascal. PowerBASIC 3.2 even allows Pointers to target other Pointers, offering more levels of indirection than any other programming language. "Up to now, BASIC programmers couldn't take advantage of the power of Pointers," explained Robert Zale, President of PowerBASIC, Inc. "Our goal is to continue to add to the power of BASIC, while at the same time maintaining the ease of learning and ease of use that are traditional with the language. Many programmers are now migrating to PowerBASIC from C, and they require Pointers to translate their code. Since we're a customer driven company, we've introduced Pointers into the latest version of PowerBASIC." Version 3.2 also adds underscores in variable names and enhanced communications support, including support for the 16550 UART chip. In addition to improvements in the compiler itself, PowerBASIC, Inc. has enhanced the context-sensitive help system by adding information on Pointers, providing more importable source code examples, and expanding the information on all of the extensive data types (15 in all) supported by PowerBASIC. The two-volume documentation has also been revised and enhanced to aid in the functionality of this revision. "The true power of pointers is in their speed and flexibility," reported Bruce Tonkin, noted software industry journalist and programmer. "A pointer is a variable that holds a 32-bit (4-byte) address of data or code located elsewhere in memory. It is called a pointer because it literally 'points' to data or 'points' to code. The data or code that is being pointed to is referred to as the 'target'. Since the address is defined at run-time, any target in memory can be referenced by the program just as if it were a standard PowerBASIC variable." Traditionally, a BASIC programmer had to use combinations of DEF SEG, PEEK, and POKE to access memory. This allowed the programmer to address memory as bytes, integers, long integers, and strings. If the target took any other form, conversion was necessary. Pointers allow the programmer to address the target memory location in any fashion desired. Even as a user-defined type or structure. Now with PowerBASIC 3.2, using DEF SEG and PEEK/POKE is unnecessary, so the programmer has access to that data or code much more quickly. PowerBASIC 3.2, with a suggested retail price of $149, is available to registered owners of PowerBASIC 3.0 or 3.1 for just $19.95. C, Pascal and QuickBasic owners can upgrade to PowerBASIC for $99 by calling (800) 780-7707 or (408) 659-8000 or by FAX at (408) 659-8008. PowerBASIC 3.2 is also available from selected programming retailers and direct marketers. PowerBASIC, Inc. is a privately held corporation based in Carmel, California. ###### * QMPro 1.53 * "Mr Worf, fire phasers at will. No.1 have we..No.1? Will? --- QScan v1.065b * Origin: Nitelog BBS Monterey CA (408) 655-1096 (1:216/303) (1:216/303) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 214 POWER BASIC Ref: CCP00004 Date: 08/16/95 From: DAVE NAVARRO Time: 03:49pm \/To: ALL (Read 3 times) Subj: Screen Melt In Pb 3.2 ' ' ' Melt all the characters off the screen using a pointer to video memory. ' ' $COMPILE EXE DEFINT A-Z TYPE Video char AS BYTE attr AS BYTE END TYPE DIM cell AS Video PTR DIM save AS DWORD cell = &HB800?? * 65536?? DO cells = 2000 save = cell FOR counter = 1 TO 2000 IF @cell.char < 32 THEN INCR @cell.char ELSEIF @cell.char > 32 THEN DECR @cell.char ELSE DECR cells @cell.attr = 7 END IF cell = cell + 2 NEXT z cell = save LOOP UNTIL cells = 0 * QMPro 1.53 * (huskily) Oh, yes! Scan me NOW! ޺۳ݳݳ --- QScan v1.065b * Origin: Nitelog BBS Monterey CA (408) 655-1096 (1:216/303) (1:216/303) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 214 POWER BASIC Ref: CCP00005 Date: 08/17/95 From: BRENT ASHLEY Time: 10:50pm \/To: PEDRO JARAMILLO (Read 3 times) Subj: HNET First there's this... ... -> manner. With HNET you can exchage messages, email packets, faxes or -> any type of computer data files, WITHOUT HUMAN INTERVENTION, anytime, ... -> The heart of HNET is a user's defined EVENTS MANAGER. Events can be -> pre-defined to meet certain criterias; like answering the phone, pick -> up or deliver messages and/or files, send or receive faxes, execute -> other programs available in your computer system, request files from -> other remote systems, etc. etc. -> HNET is 100% compatible with all Fidonet(r) systems and clones, that ... -> allows you to start your own network of computer systems in which you -> define your own protocols for communication. HNET is flexible, fast, -> reliable and user friendly!! ...and then this... -> WANT TO PARTICIPATE? -> Contact me via NetMail only. We need good Programmers, Writers, Alpha -> test sites. That's a lotta hype and specs for a product for which there apparently hasn't yet been a programming team built, let alone any code generated. --- QScan/PCB v1.17b / 01-0348 * Origin: FidoNet: CRS Online, Toronto, Ontario (1:229/15) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 214 POWER BASIC Ref: CCP00006 Date: 08/17/95 From: PEDRO JARAMILLO Time: 05:34am \/To: ALL (Read 3 times) Subj: NEWFILE AVAILABLE AT HISPANA NET NL V.0.02 NODELIST VIEWER/CONVERSION UTILITY reads a V7 Fidonet(r) style nodelist and translates data into many different formats. Drop NL.EXE in your Nodelist directory and type NL, ready, no special configuration is requiered. A MUST HAVE FOR ALL SYSOPS!! FREQ magic name: NL (61k) (310) 428-5833 --- FMail/386 0.98a * Origin: HISPANA NET, World Network of Computer Systems. (Hispana :102/160) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 214 POWER BASIC Ref: CCP00007 Date: 08/17/95 From: ERIC SCHONNING Time: 07:40am \/To: RODERICK RIENSCHE (Read 3 times) Subj: Re: Interrupt Driven Comm RR> Does anyone know where I can find some good Interrupt driven serial RR> communications source for PowerBasic 3.0? I'm working on some and RR> having a problem with missing most of the data the modem sends (I gues RR> it's something wrong with my interrupt handler?). The internal PB comm code (open "com#"...) is interrupt driven. Did that not work for you? Also, I've noticed that you can turn on the 16550 FIFO buffers after you open the port and PB will use them and cut down on error 57's without using the ME option, which of course would do away with most error 57 problems. I posted a file on the PB BBS called 16550.ZIP, but for a quicky you can turn them on by OUT'ing to one of the UART registers. Here is some sample code: 'select the right com port before running this 'comport=1:ba=&h3f8 'COM1, base address 3F8h comport=2:ba=&h2f8 'COM2, base address 2F8h 'comport=3:ba=&h3e8 'COM3, base address 3E8h 'comport=4:ba=&h2e8 'COM4, base address 2E8h out ba+2,7 'turn 16550 buffers on 'out ba+2,0 'turn 16550 buffers off iir?=inp(ba+2) if (iir? and &hc0) then print "FIFO Buffer ON" else print "FIFO Buffer OFF" If you use the ME option with open com you will lose characters, so this is one option. of course with ME you also won't bomb out of your program, but you can trap for error 57 when using fifo buffers and hopefully recover from it (my error handler used to just close the com port and re-open it, then resume, but without fifo buffers it used to get caught in a endless loop of doing that). the 16550.zip on the PB bbs (I also have it for FREQ here on my BBS at 1:206/2512) shows a bit more detail on the 16550 register used to fifo buffers if you are interested. eric --- QM v1.00 * Origin: Creekside Manor (805) 484-8016 CdCom Support BBS (1:206/2512.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 214 POWER BASIC Ref: CCQ00000 Date: 08/17/95 From: JERRY MCBRIDE Time: 08:34pm \/To: RODERICK RIENSCHE (Read 3 times) Subj: Interrupt Driven Comm Roderick Riensche wrote in a message to All: RR> Does anyone know where I can find some good Interrupt driven RR> serial communications source for PowerBasic 3.0? I'm RR> working on some and having a problem with missing most of RR> the data the modem sends (I guess it's something wrong with RR> my interrupt handler?). Hi Roderick, If you're doing it all in basic, then perhaps it's the compilers fault. Why not use a serial library? QBSER320.ZIP is available on my system and performs beautifully for both quickbasic and PDS. Jerry McBride --- timEd/2 1.01+ * Origin: MoDem Corner - New Jersey - USA - TEAMOS2 - 609-877-0836 1:266/28) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 214 POWER BASIC Ref: CCR00000 Date: 08/17/95 From: MARK DA SILVA Time: 02:05pm \/To: LAWRENCE GORDON (Read 4 times) Subj: portal of Power -> Mark: this is POWER_BAS, the Fidonet PowerBASIC Programmers -> conference. You might try the PORTAL conference for help with your -> question. -> Lawrence Gordon, Moderator Opps, sorry! --- PCBoard (R) v15.22/M 2 (08-11-95 17 * Origin: Horizon - Toronto, ON Canada (416)925-5742 (1:250/348) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 214 POWER BASIC Ref: CCR00001 Date: 08/18/95 From: LOU SANDERS Time: 11:31pm \/To: DAVE NAVARRO (Read 4 times) Subj: Screen Melt In Pb 3.2 Answering a msg of <16 Aug 95>, from Dave Navarro to All: Hello Dave! I'm placing my order for PowerBasic 3.2 not because of the added pointers but because I want to see the OS/2 version of PowerBasic. I'm sure you've heard the "HYPE" about IBM dropping support for OS/2, it's not so! While microsoft would love us to beleive OS/2 is dead, I feel users are going to move the other way. I think once they get a taste of the multi-tasking environment and see what a SLUG win95 really is, they'll move to OS/2. You're running OS/2 on your BBS in CARMEL, you know what I'm talking about... We need tools for OS/2, we need a BASIC compiler, we need PowerBASIC... Please continue the OS/2 product, you won't be sorry! I will continue supporting PowerBasic as long as PowerBasic does the same. ...Lou Sanders --- GoldED/2 2.50.Beta5+ * Origin: The Basic OutPost System (1:143/333) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 214 POWER BASIC Ref: CCR00002 Date: 08/18/95 From: GILBERT SNODGRASS Time: 12:01am \/To: ALL (Read 4 times) Subj: SAVE BIG MONEY!! HOW TO SAVE MONEY EVERY TIME YOUR SHOP AT THE STORE!! With Coupon Connection of America you select the coupons you want... for the products you know you're going to buy! Choose from over 1200 national name brand products such as Crest, Colgate, Kleenex, Kelloggs, Ajax, Ivory, Tide, Lipton, Kraft, Stouffers, Heinz, Purina, Del Monte... And the list goes on! You can use these coupons WHEREVER you shop, as often as you like and there isn't a expiration date on the coupons! IMAGINE HAVING A DISCOUNT COUPON FOR ALMOST EVERY ITEM YOU BUY AT THE GROCERY STORE! THINK OF HOW MUCH MONEY YOU WOULD SAVE! YOUR COST: $24.95 (coupon book) $ 1.93 (CA state tax) $ 1.00 (shipping & handling per book) $22.00 (Total coupon certificate redemption fees)* =========================================== $49.88 YOUR TOTAL COST PER COUPON BOOK (A) YOU RECEIVE: $200.00 (20 coupon certificates @ $10.00 ea.) $ 20.00 (2 BONUS coupon certificates @ $10 ea.) =============================================== $220.00 TOTAL VALUE OF YOUR COUPONS (B) YOU SAVE: $220.00 TOTAL VALUE OF YOUR COUPONS (B) -$ 49.88 YOUR TOTAL COST (A) =================================== ---->>> $170.12 YOUR SAVINGS PER BOOK!!! <<<---- Send $27.88 per each book ordered (MONEY ORDERS ONLY) to: G. Snodgrass, P.O. Box 7331, Moreno Valley CA 92552-7331 NOTE: The cost per book includes CA tax & $1 S&H per book --- QScan/PCB v1.17b / 01-0212 * Origin: PC-Widowmaker Riverside, Ca 909-688-8427 (1:207/214) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 214 POWER BASIC Ref: CCR00003 Date: 08/19/95 From: THORNE SMITH Time: 07:45pm \/To: JERRY MCBRIDE (Read 4 times) Subj: Interrupt Driven Comm -> Roderick Riensche wrote in a message to All: -> -> RR> Does anyone know where I can find some good Interrupt driven -> RR> serial communications source for PowerBasic 3.0? I'm -> -> Hi Roderick, -> -> If you're doing it all in basic, then perhaps it's the compilers -> fault. Why not use a serial library? QBSER320.ZIP is available on my -> system and performs beautifully for both quickbasic and PDS. Am I missing something here or we talking QB stuff that works with PowerBasic? I've tried several LIBs that were supposed to be super on comm and other stuff, but you have to display their (C) notice as well as other garbage not to mention having to learn a new language to use them. With the power that powerBasic has there should be a way to do the Comm and all the Comm related stuff in pure PB? Thorne --- Platinum Xpress/Wildcat! v1.0N * Origin: FIDO Net Thorne's Castle (214) 422-1589 (1:124/6522)