Re: Simple Typewriter program

[moxie@panix.com (Mark Mentovai)]

Jerry Levinson (levinson@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu) wrote:
: I need a simple applesoft basic program dthat will turn an Apple iie
: into a typewriter. Any ideas? I tried using prn#0 but it prints
: the line numbers as well as the test. I mean text.

Under ProDOS and Basic.System, the PR#X command (X=1 for printer 
[usually], X=3 for 80-column mode) will always print line numbers when 
issued from within a program unless it is preceded by CHR$(4).  An old 
programming trick is to LET D$=CHR$(4) so that you can enter PRINT 
D$;"PR#1" to access the printer.  The reason is that BASIC.SYSTEM 
requires the TRACE function to be turned on to perform special tasks, but 
it normally hides the output from reaching the screen or printer.  By 
giving the CHR$(4) command, you are telling Basic.System that you are 
about to issue a command that was modified for use with Basic.System.

A very small and simple typewriter program would look like this.

10 D$=CHR$(4) : PRINT D$;"PR#1"
20 GET X$
30 IF X$=CHR$(26) THEN GOTO 50
40 GOTO 20
50 PRINT D$;"PR#0"
60 END

This program is very easy to follow.  Replace the one after PR# in line 
10 with the slot of your printer.  To exit the typewriter program, type 
^Z (ctrl-Z.)

-Mox

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