BASIC as implemented in the following files under RSX-11D is
a highly upgraded version of what used to be a DECUS library
program for DOS. Full FILES-11 I/O is supported (although
in a bastard sort of way). String functions and user de-
fined functions are much more flexible than in either the
original version or in DEC's BASIC-11. A number of defici-
encies and bugs in the original have been fixed. Multi-user
implementation is supported with separate pure and impure
areas. This implementation of BASIC is highly interpretive
and thus is slow for number crunching (that's why you have
FORTRAN). It is however, highly interactive and includes
special debugging commands: STEP, CON and SET TRACE.
OVERLAY and a data preserving CHAIN are also supported. A
clean "break" feature is implemented via the TT handler
(more below). In the latest version, a number of RSTS-like
features have been added including: virtual arrays, integer
and byte variables, continued lines and IF-THEN-ELSE.
Files:
BASIC0.MAC through BASIC4.MAC plus IDNTFY.MAC and IMPUR.MAC
are the seven source files for the interpreter. BASIC4.MAC
implements the guts of the user subroutine CALL statement
plus a set of specialized subroutines used at Michael Reese
Medical Center. This code can probably be removed with a
minimum of work if space becomes a problem. The file
SPAWN.MAC implements the IAS V3.0 SPAWN directive via a BA-
SIC CALL statement. The reference to SPAWNB in IMPUR.MAC
should be commented out if not running under IAS V3.0 or
higher. Two command files for assembly are provided:
11MASM.CMD and 11DASM.CMD.
BIGBASIC.CMD is a task build command file which may be tail-
ored for single user operation. Note that for either single
user or multi-user operation, routines for trigonometric and
transcendental functions are taken from a FORTRAN OTS libra-
ry. The library which we are set up for is V01C. This
could be changed to use F4P OTS if references in BASIC1 are
changed to the F4P entry point names. FOR V02 is an unknown
as far as use of its OTS routines are concerned. The task
build command files assume these to be in SYSLIB. If they
are somewhere else, an explicit reference should be made to
whatever library they are in.
Another set of command files is used to link a library ver-
sion of BASIC. First, an impure area STB is created by as-
sembling IMPUR without the symbol definition TASK=1. Use
IMPURNOMO.ASM for this. This prevents the global definition
of .MOLUN and prevents problems later on. Also assemble IM-
PUR with the command file IMPUR.ASM in preparation for final
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25-apr-84
linking with BAS.CMD (below). IMPURNOMO is then linked to
form the symbol table. For RSX11D usd IMPURNOMO.CMD to link
the symbol table. The library is then linked using
BASPUR.CMD. Put the resulting TSK and STB files in
LB:[1,1], install the BASPUR resident library and link with
BAS.CMD. The BAS.TSK file can now be installed with differ-
ent INC values and different names for optimized use, each
one sharing the pure code. A command file for use with
...AT. are provided for doing all of the work described in
the above paragraph: 11DSHARE.CMD for RSX11D or IAS. The
development of the equivalent command file to do the same
for RSX11M-PLUS remains to be done at this point. If some-
one has done this, we would appreciate their feedback. One
could probably make one following the RSX11D command file
and modifying for RSX11M.
Programs:
MSGEN is a program for generating and modifying an MO mes-
sage file for BASIC. The current file is BASIC.MSG. It
should be placed under [1,2] on the disk referred to as SD:.
BASIC0.MAC can be edited to change the disk name and ac-
count. If no MO output is desired, modify BASIC0.MAC by re-
moving the line defining the symbol RSX11D. This will pro-
duce numbered error messages but no explanatory text. This
is automatically done with 11MASM.CMD.
BASDOC is a program which extracts RUNOFF format source text
from the macro files for BASIC. The output is a file
BASIC.RNO which, when processed by a special version of RU-
NOFF, produces a fairly complete manual for BASIC.
BASIC.DOC is such a manual. The special version of RUNOFF
was made at Michael Reese Medical Center for use with a Cen-
tronics printer having a wide character option. It also has
some non-standard abbreviations for commands. If needed,
the BASIC.RNO file could be edited for use with a standard
RUNOFF. The special Centronics commands usually start with
a "W", i.e. ".WC" instead of ".C" etc.
A BASIC break is now implemented via the ^C AST function of
the TT handler. Note that the definition RSX11D=1 is used
for this option to distinguish between handler AST action
under RSX11M and RSX11D. Also note that this break happens
between successively executed lines. Thus a one line loop
cannot be broken.
If you have questions call:
Frank R. Borger
Dept. of Medical Physics
Michael Reese Medical Center
2929 So. Ellis Ave.
Chicago, Ill. 60616
(312) 791-2515
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25-apr-84
Reese BASIC Users
Dear User,
This release of REESE BASIC is mainly a maintenance update.
The basic working of the system has not changed, rather the
emphasis has been to include bug fixes and better documenta-
tion and 11M support. Changes include:
1. Attempting to load a program with the "/CO" switch,
(implying a previously compiled version was saved,)
when the source file was NOT complied, confused the
blazes out of the interpreter. The current version
sets the "FORTRAN Carriage-control" bit in the file
header as a check when saving compiled versions of
the file, and checks same when reading back in. As
a result, previously compiled BASIC files must be
re-compiled.
2. Immediate mode commands in source files could often
blow BASIC out of the water. In the current ver-
sion, any Immediate mode command read in from a
saved program is reported as an error. (To deter-
mine the location of an immediate mode command,
after the error message, issue a "CLOSE" command
from the keyboard, followed by a "LIST" command.
The immediate mode command causing the error fol-
lows the last line of the program.)
3. The manual has been significantly re-done. The ma-
in change is a re-structuring of the format, into
several more chapters, with the various commands
and functions, more logically grouped. In addition
appendices B and C provide much better documenta-
tion on techniques for writing loadable macro su-
broutines.
4. Due to the problems incurred in figuring out what
DEC changed in the FORTRAN math routines, (SIN,
COS, etc.) from release to release and from IV to
IV-PLUS, we now include the routines in
MATHLIB.OLB. (These are extracted from version 2
of FORTRAN-IV.)
5. Better support is provided for RSX11M. Present
command files let one use all the bells and whis-
tles, including loadable MACRO subroutines, SPAWN
capability, etc. UIC [1,203] contains a current
working version under 11M. The following points
should be made for 11M users:
1. The TKB "/MU" switch is entirely different in
it's meaning between 11M and IAS. 11M TKB com-
mand files which happen to have this switch in-
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25-apr-84
cluded will jam all READ-ONLY P-SECTS up in ad-
dress range 160000 to 1777776, and the resul-
tant task will bomb when it trys to access
those subroutines. (As usual, DEC documents
this abnormality on a single page buried deep
in the TKB manual, and doesn't say a thing
about it on the page describing the MU switch.)
2. We haven't yet gotten a shared-code version
running under 11M, and would appreciate
feed-back from some users.
3. Under 11M, BASIC cannot spawn another version
of himself, (due to system restrictions which
do not let multiple copies of a task execute at
the same terminal.) This can be gotten around
by creating copies of the task image, and ins-
talling them with the names "...BA1", "...BA2",
etc.
6. Loadable subroutines
Users acquainted with the loadable MACRO subroutine
capability should look at a couple of new routines,
including:
1. DIRECT, a routine which enables BASIC to issue
any system directive. The BASIC program GETTI
uses them to find out good things about what
terminal one is running at.
2. EXITST, a routine that lets basic do an "EXIT
WITH STATUS".
3. Several BASICn.doc files, extracted subroutine
descriptions from BASIC0 thru BASIC4, which
should make it easier for experienced
system/macro programmers to write their own
routines.
7. BASDOCMAK.BAS, a program to re-create the BASIC.MSG
file, since FLX won't keep the fixed-length attri-
butes of the BASIC error message file.
8. Users who would like a demonstration of the capa-
blily of BASIC using the SPAWN capability should
look at BASMANUAL.BAS. In essence, this master
program:
1. CAUSES another version of basic to extract the
RUNOFF source from the several MACRO source
files, (and seperate them into the several
chapters.)
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25-apr-84
2. Creates one concatenated RUNOFF source file for
the manual.
3. Extracts table-of-contents information from a
first RUNOFF pass on said source file.
4. Inserts the table-of-contents into the RUNOFF
source using RNP, (available elsewhere on this
tape)
5. Produces the final document, in two forms, one
suitable for use on normal printers, the other
tailored for DIABLO type printers, (includes
proportional spacing and highlighting in RED)
6. Optional capability to use TWOPAGE.BAS to print
the manual on both sides of 8&1/2 X 11 paper
NOTE
The above programs use a special REESE
version of RUNOFF, plus the programs
RNP.TSK and TWOPAGE.BAS, available on
this tape under a seperate UIC.
9. Included in this release are some new conditionals
and a couple of bug fixes, supplied by Daniel
steinberg of SRI International. They provide the
following enhancements and bug fixes.
1. Undefined variables correctly reported by error
processing
2. Mixed mode arithmetic (A=B$) correctly reported
by error processing
3. Conditional assembly parameter to automatically
set a new variable to zero, (rather than gener-
ating an error)
4. Conditional assembly for RSX11M to automatical-
ly extend the task when user storage area is
full.
5. A FLOATING-POINT emulator which lets BASIC run
on non-FPP machines.
10. A late bug fix, any INPUT command that included a
prompt string but did not have a variable to input
would crash basic. This has been fixed in the IAS
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25-apr-84
version, the 11M version is not fixed.
11. A late enhancement, if BASIC does not find a re-
quested program, it also looks under [1,1] (on the
same disk.) This makes commonly used programs ava-
ilable to everyone without having multiple copies
all over. This enhancement is also not included in
the 11M version.
LATE FLASH for IAS users:
First time users under IAS (or 11D) should avail themselves
of the indirect command file and batch stream (BUILD.CMD and
BUILD.BIS,) supplied by Paul D. Clayton. These will get a
first version of BASIC up and running with a minimum amount
of pain. (You must still edit BASPRE.MAC to configure
things for your system and hardware. He also included a
FORTRAN program to re-create the BASIC.MSG file (as fixed
length,) which FLX clobbers in the transfer process. See
his notes later in this document
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25-apr-84
TO: Users, Modifiers, Debuggers of these programs
RE: Feedback
If you, as a user of the here-in presented submission make
significant changes, enhancements, bug-fixes etcetera,
PLEASE make them known to the person listed as the main-
tainer of the package. Feedback from users can provide help
in various ways:
1. Pointing out bugs the maintainer was not aware of
2. Suggesting enhancements/changes that improve per-
formance
3. Providing insight into support on other operating
systems and hardware.
As an example, I discovered some neat work done on REESE BA-
SIC by another organization on the Spring '79 tape. These
included support for non FPP hardware, and extending the
task (rather than generating an error message) under RSX11M
I only discovered these goodies by accident.
I can't speak for all submitters to the SIG tapes, but I my-
self would really like to hear from people who use our con-
tributions. I may not be able to help with all the prob-
lems, I may be able to refer you to someone who has similar
hardware/software, but in any case, just knowing someone is
out there on the other end of this tape really helps.
PAGE 8
25-apr-84
PAUL D. CLAYTON RMS AT NADC, WARMINSTER, PA.
19-MAR-82 12:27:00
COMMAND FILES HAVE BEEN GENERATED AS FOLLOWS:
1. 'BUILD.CMD' IS A PDS COMMAND STREAM TO ASSEMBLE, TASK BUILD AND
COPY TASK IMAGES TO THE CORRECT LB: ACCOUNTS.
2. 'BUILD.BIS' DOES THE SAME THING FROM A BATCH STREAM IF YOU WANT
TO FREE UP THE TERMINAL WHILE BASIC IS BUILT AND HAVE A
PERMANT LOG OF THE ACTIONS TAKEN AND THERE RESULTS.
YOU SHOULD LOOK OVER THE COMMAND/BATCH FILES AND CHECK TO MAKE SURE THE
ACCOUNTS NUMBERS MATCH WHERE THEY ARE NOW, AND THAT YOU HAVE THE NEEDED
FILES.
THE FILES MENTIONED ABOVE WILL INSTALL BASIC WITH THE LARGEST SPACE FOR
USER PROGRAMS. YOU MAY WANT TO INSTALL A NUMBER OF SMALLER BASICS IF
MEMORY SIZE IS A PROBLEM.
IGNORE THE UNDEFINED SYMBOLS IN THE BUILD OF 'IMPURNOMO' AS IT IS ONLY FOR
THE GENERATION OF A SYMBOL TABLE.
YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF COMMAND FILES AND WHAT HAVE YOU
THAT
APPEAR TO BE FOR SOMETHING. LOOK THEM OVER AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF.
REFER TO THE EXTENSIVE DOCUMENTATION (.DOC) AND README.* FILES FOR HELP
IN ANY SPECIAL EFFORTS THAT YOU HAVE.
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25-apr-84
Installation guideline
There often seems to be question about configuring basic. Under
IAS one has to do the following:
1. Print out BASPRE.MAC and decide what configuration you
need, edit BASPRE.MAC accordingly.
2. Assemble new objects using 11DASM.
3. Use BSCALL.CMD or BSCALL.BUG to remove old version and
install new version, (".bug" command files generate
de-bugging or test version.)
Note that steps 2 and 3 can also be done by Paul Clayton's
BUILD.CMD and BUILD.BIS files.
For 11M, one must:
1. Edit BASPRE to reflect your configuration, especially
11M switch.
2. Assemble sources using 11MASM.CMD
3. Remove build and replace using BSCALL11M.CMD
Note that 11M users should work from UIC [102,23]. This UIC does
not always contain the latest sources, since 11M support tends to
drag behind IAS. If in doubt, copy sources from [1,202].
As a final note, since there are so many files, I have included
an annotated directory, "basic.dir" which contains a one-line
description of all files.