QBasic Interface and Functions

For those who is new to QBasic, this tutorial is going to show you some of the important interface in QBasic Programming Language.

The interface has the following features:

1. Window displaying the current program

2. Menu

3. Name of current program

4. Window to immediately execute a command

5. Status bar

6. Status of Caps Lock and Num Lock

7. Current line of cursor

8. Current column of cursor

Current program

The current program is displayed in the middle of the screen, and covers most of the QBasic interface.

Menu

The menu provides most of the operations for the QBasic editor. Such as opening a file, pasting text, and searching for a string.

File

New - Clears the current program

Open - Loads a program from disk

Save - Saves the current program to disk

Save As - Saves the program, but under a different name

Print - Prints the selected text, current window, or entire program

Exit - Closes the QBasic interpreter

Edit

Cut - Removes the selected text and stores it in the clipboard

Copy - Copies the text instead of removing it

Paste - Adds the text in the clipboard to the current position of the cursor

Clear - Removes the text without storing it to the clipboard

New Sub - Enables you to create a new subroutine (see Subroutines and Functions)

New Function - Enables you to create a new function (see Subroutines and Functions)

View

SUBs - Shows the list of current subroutines and functions (see Subroutines and Functions)

Split - Displays the contents of the current program in two windows. If the window is already split, this hides the second window (NOTE: The text in each window is always the same, even if you alter the text in one window)

Output Screen - Shows the QBasic output screen.

Search

Find - Allows you to search for a string of text in the program

Repeats Last Find - Continues the previous search operation

Change - Replaces each instance of a string with another string

Run

Start - Executes the current program

Restart - Starts from the beginning

Continue - Continues execution at the current position

Debug

Step - Processes the next command

Procedure Step - Processes the next command, but does not show QBasic going inside a subroutine or function

Trace On - Shows the command that is being executed while the program is running

Toggle Breakpoint - Sets or removes a breakpoint. Use this to have the QBasic interpreter stop when it reaches a specified line in the program

Clear All Breakpoints - Removes all breakpoints in the program

Set Next Statement - Allows you to continue execution at the specified line

Options

Display - Enables you to change display colors, the number of spaces to use for tabs, and whether or not scroll bars are visible

Help Path - The location of the QBASIC.HLP file

Syntax Checking - Allows you to have the QBasic editor check the syntax of your program as you type

Help

Index - List of all QBasic commands, keywords, operators, etc.

Contents - The table of contents for QBasic help

Topic - Show help for a specific keyword

Using Help - Displays information on using QBasic help

About - Shows information about the QBasic interpreter

Name of current program

The file name of the current program is displayed near the top of the screen in the center. You can change the name by selecting "Save As" on the "File" menu.

Immediately execute a command

QBasic provides a way to execute a command without running the current program. To do so, select the bottom window (under "immediate") and enter a command, then press Enter.

Status bar

The status bar is at the bottom of the screen. It displays a short list commands

(<Shift+F1=Help> <F6=Window> <F2=Subs> <F5=Run> <F8=Step>).

When you highlight an item on the menu, the status bar displays a short description of what the item does.

Status of Caps Lock and Num Lock

If Caps Lock is set, a "C" is displayed on the right side of the status bar.

If Num Lock is set, an "N" is displayed on the right side of the status bar.

Current line

On the right side of the status bar, the current line of the cursor is displayed.

Current column

On the right side of the status bar, the current column of the cursor is displayed (immediately after the current line).

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