
 
                                                                      
 
 
          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

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                            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 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 last file on the tape is a VMS backup set of  the  RSX11
          distribution.  This  gets around some BRU restrictions about
          restoring to ODS2 volumns. 

          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.

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                                                             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.


	  From: Frank R. Borger

	  To: Basic Users

	  Subject: Summary of changes to Michael Reese Basic   August 1985 
 
 
	  The following  changes have  been made  to make basic work nicely
	  with lower case input:
 
          This version of basic automatically converts all lower case char-
          acters  to  upper case, thus Program source may be in lower case.
          saving a program via the "save" command will  result  in  an  all
          upper  case  version.   Case conversion does not take place under
          the following conditions:

               1.  During string input via a regular "INPUT" command.
 
               2.  During "INPUT LINE".
 
               3.  On source text enclosed in quotes. (This includes prompt
		   strings and variables, which now may be lower case.)
 
               4.  On source text in a comment field.

	  Note that string comparisons are still case sensitive. To  enable 
	  input of commands, etc. in lower case a new SET command has  been
	  added, SET UPPER ON/OFF.  The following  is an enhanced (and cor-
	  rected) description of the SET command.
 
          3.14  SET PROMPT/TRACE/PASS-ALL/ECHO/UPPER ON/OFF
 
          This statement is used to set or clear a number of system  condi-
          tions.  The number of conditions is likely to increase in the fu-
          ture as functionality is added.  Conditions now serviced include:
 
          TRACE:  Default is OFF.
          SET TRACE is equivalent to the TRACE verb and should be  used  in
          preference  to it because the TRACE verb is expected to disappear
          in future releases of this interpreter.
 
          PROMPT:  Default is ON.  
          The PROMPT condition is used to turn the  INPUT  and  INPUT  LINE
          question  mark  prompt  on  or off.  The OFF mode is designed for
          special screen or page formatting and may be used in  conjunction
          with the BREAK command.
 
          UPPER:  Default is OFF.
          Causes string variables read with an "INPUT" statement to be con-
          verted  to  upper  case.   Useful for command parsers, specifying
          file names, etc.




 
          PASS-ALL-INPUT:  Default is OFF.
          Causes reads to be done  with  TF.RAL  set.   Note  that  ctrl-C,
          ctrl-O,  ctrl-Q,  ctrl-S  and ctrl-X will have their usual effect
          from a terminal, unless the terminal is set to be BINARY.  Turned
          OFF when program STOPS.
 
          PASS-ALL-PRINT:  Default is OFF.
          Causes writes to be done with TF.WAL set.  Note that no  carriage
          control  characters will be added to any output.  Turned OFF when
          program STOPS.  ,fg 1 ECHO:   Default  is  ON.   If  turned  off,
          causes  terminal  reads to be done with TF.RNE.  No input will be
          echoed.  Turned OFF when program STOPS.
          Example:
               210 SET PROMPT OFF
               220 SET TRACE ON

	  The following change has been made to the INPUT command. (Previo-
	  usly the INPUT command rejected  lower case ascii data, and  only
	  the INPUT LINE command could read lower case.
 

               INPUT V1,V2,V3 etc.

          Where N is an optional file number and V1, V2, V3 etc.  are legal
          string  or  numeric  variable names.  The second form follows the
          rules for  random  access  described  for  the  PRINT  statement.
          Numeric  data  must  be separated by commas or spaces, successive
          string variables must be separated by a comma after the  required
          number  of  characters  have been typed in.  A character legality
          check is performed to ensure that all characters are between  oc-
          tal  ASCII  codes  40  and 137 inclusive and 11 (tab).  If a "SET
          UPPER ON" command has been issued, lower case ascii will be  con-
          verted to upper case.
 
          Under RSX, BAS cannot spawn itself, making life a little  harder.
          You can get around this by installing separate versions as ...BA1
          ...BA2 etc.

          Under VMS,  BAS  can  spawn anything  that has a 3-character .EXE
          file in the standard system account, SYS$SYSTEM.
  
          The RSX11M and P/OS versions now have imbedded error messages. No
          more looking in the back of the manual. The only thing they don't
          do is report the FCS error code too.

          P/OS users should be aware of the conditional  assembly in BASPRE
          which prevents the error 28. error on starting up. (This essenti-
          ally omits the initial GMCR$ call which was commented out on  the
          version that seems to be floating around on a lot of bulletin bo-
          ards.)


          I tried to go thru both the IAS and RSX11M versions to get rid of
          obsolete  and confusing command files.  In  general both now have
          been cleaned up. (Anything that was in [1,203] on any earlier ver
          sions of this package are now in the VMS part.)
