RSX BASIC - MICHAEL REESE VERSION AUTHORS: L. Simpson, F. Borger, Michael Reese Medical Center, Chicago, IL Operating IAS, RSX-11D, RSX-11M, VMS (compatibility mode) Source Language: MACRO-11 Special hardware: Floating point processor or FPP emulator (supplied.) Keywords: BASIC, Reese Basic Abstract: Reese Basic is a highly upgraded version of what used to be a DECUS library program for DOS. 1. Full FILES-11 I/O is supported, (fixed length random ac- cess, shared mode, etc.) 2. String functions and user defined functions are much more flexible than in either the original version or in DEC's BASIC-11. 3. Multi-user implementation is supported with separate pure and impure areas. (IAS and RSX-11D only.) 4. Since it is an interpreter, it includes the special de- bugging commands: STEP, CON and SET TRACE. 5. Although an interpreter, significant manipulation of the source program is done to speed up operation. 6. OVERLAY and a data preserving CHAIN are also supported. 7. A clean "break" feature is implemented via the TT handler. 8. a number of BASIC+2-like features have been added in- cluding: virtual arrays, integer and byte variables, continued lines and IF-THEN-ELSE. 9. The capability of Spawning another task is supported. MEDIA: 1200' Magtape, 1600BPI, FORMAT: BRU, VMS Backup PAGE 2 29-AUG-86 Installation guidelines The First BRU backup set contains the master IAS version. The current task version runs under version 3.2 of IAS. It is a full blown version, with a seperate shared library for the interpreter code. The only thing one should have to do is to install things using IASINS.cmd and move the error message text file to LB:[1,2]. This is all contained in backup set IAS. The second BRU backup set contains the RSX11M or VMS ver- sion. This is a subset built to run on our VAX in compati- bility mode. RSX11M does not support shared code versions. The 11m version does not support error messages in a message file, 11m users should not bother with trying to generate a message file. The 11M version now gives a full error mes- sage from internal error messages. This is a full working version of 11M basic. 11M programmers should really not have to look at the IAS backup set. This is all contained in RSX11M. The third file on the tape is a VMS backup set of the same thing as the above. The last file on the tape is a BRU backup set of DAMMIT, COOKIE, MURPHY and MAY. These are included because they are fun, but also because they are part of the final test pro- gram, TIMSPOT.BAS. If TIMSPOT.BAS executes correctly, (on your VT100 compatible terminal,) everything is well. The following is a quick guide to the steps required to re- build basic. FOR IAS: 1. Print out BASPRE.MAC and decide what changes you want to make. 2. Assemble everything using 11DASM.CMD. 3. Use BSCALL.CMD to remove all older versions, (in- cluding the library, etc,) and install the new ver- sion. (BSCALL.BUG will install a test version without doing anything with the current version.) FOR RSX11M 1. Print out BASPRE.MAC and decide what changes you want to make. (Realize that shared code under 11M does not work.) 2. Assemble sources using 11MASM.CMD. PAGE 3 29-AUG-86 3. Tkb using BIGBASIC.CMD. Some Notes All IAS users may not be aware of BBR. This program enables you to spy on the progress of a basic program executing on any terminal. Its often a great help in debugging another user's problem. It unfortunately only works for the IAS version. The command file BUILD.CMD is also a good way for first time users to work their way thru re-doing the IAS version.