Apple IIgs BASIC (was Re: GSBasic)

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <CpF006.KpE@eecs.nwu.edu>, Paul Brazis <paulb@eecs.nwu.edu> wrote:
> In article <tolsenCpCqAD.203@netcom.com>,
> Terry R. Olsen <tolsen@netcom.com> wrote:
> >I'm looking for GSBasic.  Anyone have it or know if it's available
> >on any ftp 
> >site?
> >
> 
> I think that GSBasic was a program that was sold. Anyway...

I think you're referring to "Apple IIgs BASIC", which was an Apple
product that was never released in finished form.  There was a beta
release in 1987 (version 1.0B4) and it was only available through the
Apple Programmer's and Developers Association.  It is no longer
available, and certainly cannot be uploaded to an FTP site without
permission from Apple.

The application is called "GSBASIC.SYS16", so I can see where the
confusion arose.

Apple IIgs BASIC was based on Apple III Business BASIC.  It was a
ProDOS-16 application, and it came with System 3.1.  It was a BASIC
interpreter, not a compiler.

I've never tried running it in any version of the system software
later than 4.0, and I haven't used it since about 1989.  It tended to
crash at times.

Well, well, well.  I just tried using it in System 6.0.1 on my ROM 03,
and it seems to be working OK.  I suspect the toolset definition
files are a little out of date.  :-)

I tried a couple of QuickDraw test programs I wrote when I first got
it (the only programs I ever wrote in IIgs BASIC), and the sample
program that was included (a desktop program which displays four
sample pictures in windows).  All seemed to be fine (apart from
hard-wired assumptions about the toolset definition directory being on
the boot volume, which was easy to correct).

TML BASIC was supposed to be source compatible with Apple IIgs BASIC,
but I've never seen TML BASIC, so I can't confirm that.

There is little similarity with Micol Advanced BASIC.  I think that
IIgs BASIC is a better implementation of the language - it certainly
has more features than M.A.B. and it is much easier using the toolbox
in IIgs Basic.  Of course, M.A.B. is compiled, so it is much faster...

IIgs BASIC is certainly more powerful than Applesoft BASIC, and has
many features in common with Microsoft versions of BASIC on the PC
(e.g. GWBASIC and QBASIC).  It has a good set of structured
programming constructs (DO/WHILE/UNTIL, IF/ELSE, named subroutines, etc.)

> Anyone got the dox for this? I seem to have misplaced them. I would rather
> have it as a file, if you have it...

Never seen it in file form - I have the manual here, but it is rather
big (398 pages).
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand