QBASIC Help

[CosmicFlux]

Hey,

I have an idea for a program, but I'm unsure as to how QBASIC would do this. I want to have:

Type <R> to read from drive A... etc.

And then using the SHELL statement access the drive, redirect the contents to a file and then print the contents of the file to stdout in a format that I choose. Maybe in a box or grid and aligned to the middle. So far I have the output of DIR A: redirected to a .txt file but I don't know how to use the OPEN statement to get the file placed in the variable.

Anyone help?

I know QBASIC is vintage stuff, but it's fun to mess around with it and learn stuff .

[Dias de verano]

This belongs in the Programming forum.

[Dusty]

Which version of QBasic are you using?

[Dias de verano]

Yes. There's the QBasic ide / interpreter which comes with MS-DOS & Windows 95/98/ME, and there's QuickBasic (various versions).

[CosmicFlux]

I'm using the Qbasic IDE with MS-DOS 7.10.

[Dusty]

As you have the latest and greatest MS-Dos version I will assume you have QuickBasic ver 4.5.

At the top RH corner you will see "Help" which gives access to the QuickB help file.  Access the Open command in the index and you will find a great screed about how files are opened..   I have attached two screen images from it to make things simple for you.  The first image (Open) shows the latest way of opening a file in QuickB, the second (Open1) which I prefer to use when Access and Lock are not required,  shows an older version which is included for backward compatibility with QB.

The simplest command to open a sequential Input file (see Open1) is IMHO:
OPEN "I", #1, "Path\Filename"

Good luck



[recovering disk space -- attachment deleted by admin]

[Dias de verano]

QuickBasic 4.5 is the last version of the commercial Microsoft BASIC ide & compiler which can make .exe files. Qbasic is the cut down product provided as part of MS-DOS and Windows 9x. It cannot make exe files. I think it is clear that CosmicFlux has the latter.

[Dusty]

QuickBasic 4.5 is the last version of the commercial Microsoft BASIC ide & compiler which can make .exe files. Qbasic is the cut down product provided as part of MS-DOS and Windows 9x. It cannot make exe files. I think it is clear that CosmicFlux has the latter.

Then he has the perfect reason to upgrade...

[CosmicFlux]

I know how to use the OPEN statement, I'm just unsure of the string that I'd use to read the contents of a file and display them on the screen.

I'll have another look!

Thanx!

Oh, the IDE says MS-DOS QBasic version 1.1. Should I get 4.5?

[Dusty]

Oh, the IDE says MS-DOS QBasic version 1.1. Should I get 4.5?

Certainly, why drive a Skoda when you could be behind the wheel of a RR?

How you input the contents of the file depends on its format, you could start by looking at the Input and Line Input commands in the Help file.

Good luck

[Dias de verano]

You should know that QBasic 4.5 is a Microsoft copyright product and the only legal way to get it is to buy a floppy install set e.g. on Ebay.

To open a text file and display it on screen

Code: [Select]

open "I", 1, "myfile.txt"
REM alternative format of OPEN command
REM open "myfile.txt" for input as #1
do
     if eof (1) exit do
     line input #1, l$
     print l$
loop
close 1