START CHART
Seven BASICs for the ST
| ST BASIC 1.0 | ST BASIC 2.0 | LDW BASIC Compiler |
Softworks BASIC |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price: | Free | Free | $89.95 | $99.00 |
| Disk or cartridge based: | disk | disk | disk | disk |
| Execution style | ||||
| interpreter or compiler: | interpreter | interpreter | compiler | compiler |
| access to commands in immediate mode: |
all | all | no | no |
| run-only package: | no | no | no | yes |
| license for compiled programs: |
no | no | no | $25 one- time fee |
| Programming style | ||||
| line-oriented or structured: | line | line | both | structured |
| multiple commands per line: |
yes | yes | yes | yes |
| saves programs as ASCII files: |
yes | yes | yes | yes |
| renumber: | no | no | no | no |
| Trace command: | yes | yes | no | no |
| error handling: | line entry run-time |
line entry run-time |
compile run-time |
compile run-time |
| Microsoft Basic compatible: | yes | yes | yes | no |
| Editor | ||||
| line, fullscreen or windows: |
window | window | external | external |
| function keys: | yes | yes | n/a | n/a |
| on-screen menus: | drop-down | drop-down | n/a | n/a |
| Access to ST features | ||||
| GEM access: | low-level | low-level | high-level | low-level |
| windows: | yes | yes | yes | no |
| joystick: | no | no | no | no |
| music/sound: | yes | yes | yes | no |
| function keys: | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Machine language routines: | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| easy access to I/O ports: | yes | yes | yes | no |
| sprites: | no | no | no | no |
| monochrome and color: | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Math, string and disk functions |
||||
| numeric variable types: | integers reals |
integers reals |
integers reals doubles |
integers reals structures |
| trig functions: | radians only | radians only | radians only | radians only |
| 2-D strings and string handling: |
yes | yes | yes | yes |
| store data in strings: | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| print entire character set (8-bit ASCII): |
yes | yes | yes | yes |
| easy access to disk files: | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Subroutines and user-defined functions |
||||
| call subroutine by label: | no | yes | yes | yes |
| pass paramaters to subroutine: |
no | no | procedures | no |
| local variables for subroutine: |
no | no | procedures | no |
| user-defined functions: | yes | yes | yes | no |
| Support | ||||
| documentation: | manual | manual | manual | manual |
| other books: | yes | no | yes | no |
| telephone support: | no | no | no | no |
| online support: | no | no | no | no |
| upgrades: | no | no | yes | no |
| Fast BASIC | GFA BASIC | GFA BASIC Compiler |
True Basic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price: | $89.95 | $79.95 | $79.95 | $99.95 |
| Disk or cartridge based: | disk or cartridge | disk | disk | disk |
| Execution style | ||||
| interpreter or compiler: | interpreter | interpreter | compiler | inline compiler |
| access to commands in immediate mode: |
all | limited | no | limited |
| run-only package: | yes | yes | no | no |
| license for compiled programs: |
no | no | no | no |
| Programming style | ||||
| line-oriented or structured: | both | structured | structured | both |
| multiple commands per line: |
yes | no | no | no |
| saves programs as ASCII files: |
yes | yes | yes | yes |
| renumber: | no | no | no | yes |
| Trace command: | yes | yes | no | no |
| error handling: | run-time | line entry run-time |
compile run-time |
compile run-time |
| Microsoft Basic compatible: | no | yes | yes | no |
| Editor | ||||
| line, fullscreen or windows: |
window | full screen | external | window |
| function keys: | yes | yes | n/a | yes |
| on-screen menus: | drop-down | fix | n/a | drop-down |
| Access to ST features | ||||
| GEM access: | high-level | some high-level | some high-level | low-level |
| windows: | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| joystick: | no | no | no | no |
| music/sound: | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| function keys: | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Machine language routines: | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| easy access to I/O ports: | yes | yes | yes | no |
| sprites: | no | yes | yes | no |
| monochrome and color: | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Math, string and disk functions |
||||
| numeric variable types: | integers reals doubles |
integers reals |
integers reals |
reals |
| trig functions: | radians (with degree conversion) |
radians only | radians only | radians or degrees |
| 2-D strings and string handling: |
yes | yes | yes | yes |
| store data in strings: | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| print entire character set (8-bit ASCII): |
no | no | no | yes |
| easy access to disk files: | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Subroutines and user-defined functions |
||||
| call subroutine by label: | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| pass paramaters to subroutine: |
procedures | yes | yes | yes |
| local variables for subroutine: |
procedures | yes | yes | yes |
| user-defined functions: | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Support | ||||
| documentation: | manual quick-ref card |
manual | manual | manuals |
| other books: | no | yes | yes | no |
| telephone support: | no | yes | yes | no |
| online support: | yes | yes | yes | no |
| upgrades: | yes | yes | yes | no |
|
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