Teachers guide to starting to

learn Just Basic

This guide is a suggestion in how to learn Just Basic1. It is intended for educators and assumes
that Just Basic is already installed on the computer.
Most of this work is a summary of the tutorial to be found in the help menu. There is a lot of other
good help and guidance that can be found on the web.
Most the programs can be found here in a zipped file.
All good programmers plan what they are going to do before they complete a task. This mission
statement is normally written in plain English as an algorithm (or pseudo code). Because of the
experiential nature of this tutorial this important step is highlighted in italics.

Program 1 Working out VAT

In this first exercise we are going to create a program that:
1. Asks for an amount for goods before VAT is added;
2. Calculates a 20% VAT tax amount;
3. Displays the tax amount the total amount.
Type in the following into the main window

Click on

will compile and run the program.

A new window should appear that allows you to enter an amount and then work out the VAT.
If you want to step through the program to see it working line by line click on
windows around so you see both the output window and the debugger.

Click on

. Move the

to step through the program line by line.

http://justbasic.com/
1

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Teachers guide to starting to

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Program 2 Checking the input for a zero amount
We are going to complicate our program by making it repeat every time and checking to see if the
amount entered is zero.
The algorithm becomes:
1. Asks for an amount for goods before VAT is added
2. Check to see if amount is greater than zero
a. If not display help file
3. Calculates a 20% VAT tax amount
4. Displays the tax amount the total amount
5. Returns to beginning of program

amount and tax are called variables.

Note the way in which label [start] and the sub routine help are used.

If you enter a number such as 123.12 into this program it will give you an answer of 147.744. Whereas this is true it
is not a good representation of money.
The INT() command can be used to round the number to 2 decimal places.
2
igover@somerset.gov.uk April 2012
(int((tax*100)+0.5))/100 will round the VAT number to the correct number of decimal places

Teachers guide to starting to

learn Just Basic
Program 3 A number guessing game
This is a simple guessing game. The computer will pick a number between 1 and 100. The user
guesses the number in as few guesses as possible.
The algorithm is:
1. Pick a number between 1 and 100
2. Print program title and give some instructions
3. Ask for the user to guess number
4. Tally the guess
5. If the guess is right go to step (9)
6. If the guess is too low tell the user to guess higher
7. If the guess is too high tell the user to guess lower
8. Go back to step (3)
9. Beep and tell the user how many guess it took to win
10. Ask the user whether to play again
11. If the user answers yes then clear the guess tally and goto step (1)
12. Give the user instructions on how to close the game window
13. End the program
Compare the
program to the
algorithm.
The grey
comments are
remark
statements
and can be
used if you
come back to
a program
after a long
while.

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Teachers guide to starting to

learn Just Basic
Program 4 Using Arrays
Programs are often asked to process a lot of data. To do this they can use arrays. In this program
we are going to store up to 20 numbers in an array and then work out their average. The algorithm
is:
1. Define an array to hold up to 20 numbers
2. Ask user for a number
3. If number is 0 then step 8 to calculate average
4. Increase array number by 1
5. And number to total
6. Check to see if 20 numbers are entered if so step 8
7. Ask for another number step 2
8. Display numbers entered and calculate average

Note the following

An array numbers has to be set up at the beginning of the program.
The numbers in the array can be displayed by printing numbers(index)

Numbers are treated differently to other variables in BASIC.

A number variable can have a descriptor of just letter or more helpfully a name.
Word (including characters (such as !$%^&) are called strings and need variables that have a $ after their name such
as firstname$ or lastname$.
You can complete several task with strings what do think this program does
input "First Name "; firstname$
input "Last Name "; lastname$
fullname$ = firstname$ + " " + lastname$
print
print fullname$
Print
print "Your first name is "; len(firstname$); " characters long"
print "Your last name is "; len(lastname$); " characters long"
print "Your full name is "; len(fullname$); " characters long"
print
print "Your full name in lower case "; lower$(fullname$)
print "Your full name in upper case "; upper$(fullname$)

igover@somerset.gov.uk April 2012

Teachers guide to starting to

learn Just Basic

igover@somerset.gov.uk April 2012

Teachers guide to starting to

learn Just Basic
Program 5 Storing the information on the computer
This program extends
the previous algorithm
by adding names and
then storing the data on
a disc.

'AGES_STORE.BAS
'Accept some names and ages from the user, then total and average them
dim numbers(20)
dim names$(20)
print "AGES.BAS"
print

Note the ways the

names have to be
stored in a variable with
a dollar $ at the end
names$.

'loop up to 20 times, getting numbers

print "Enter up to 20 non-zero values."
print "A zero or blank entry ends the series."
[entryLoop] 'loop around until a zero entry or until index = 20
'get the user's name and age
print "Entry "; index + 1;
input name$
if name$ = "" then [endSeries] 'quit if name$ is blank
print "Age ";
input age
index = index + 1
'add one to index
names$(index) = name$ 'set the specified array item to be name$
numbers(index) = age 'set the specified array item to be age
total = total + age 'add entry to the total
if index = 20 then [endSeries] 'if 20 values were entered, exit loop
goto [entryLoop] 'go back and get another entry
[endSeries] 'entries are finished
'Set entryCount to index
entryCount = index
if entryCount = 0 then print "No Entries." : goto [quit]
print "Entries completed."
print
print "Here are the "; entryCount; " entries:"
print "-----------------------------"
'This loop displays each entered value in turn.
'Notice that we re-use the index variable. It can be confusing to use
a new variable for each new loop.
for index = 1 to entryCount
print "Entry "; index; " is "; names$(index); ", age "; numbers(index)
next index
'Write the data into ages.dat
open "C:\Documents and Settings\igover\My Documents\just basic files\ages.dat"
for output as #ages
for index = 1 to entryCount
print #ages, names$(index)
print #ages, numbers(index)
next index
close #ages
'Now display the total and average value
print
print "The total age is "; total
print "The average age is "; total / entryCount
[quit]
end

This is the part of the

program that stores the
data.
open "path.myfile.txt"
for output as
#myHandle
You can see the
OUTPUT mode is
specified. The last item
on the line is
#myHandle. It is a
name (called a file
handle).

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Teachers guide to starting to

learn Just Basic
The file must be closed.

Program 6 - Reading the file

The algorithm to read the file is:
1. Open the file
2. Check to see if it is the last one in the file then step 4
3. Read the entry and store in an array
4. Read next entry step 2
5. Print entries
6. Calculate average
This
program will
read the
ages.dat file
The
eof(#ages)
checks to
see if the
end of the
file has
been
reached. If
it has it
returns a -1.
The use of
the #ages is
the file
handle.

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Teachers guide to starting to

learn Just Basic
Program 7 Opening windows
Just Basic can be used to control
windows.
This program:
1. Opens a window with
defined size
2. Displays a button
3. When clicked displays
message
The button statement needs a little
unpacking.
You must give a handle for the
button in this case #myFirst.ok
The [okClicked] tells Basic to go to
the [okClicked] routine
UL tells Basic to put the button at
the Upper Left of the window. You
can also have UR, LL and LR.
The numbers are the position from
the corner.

igover@somerset.gov.uk April 2012

Teachers guide to starting to

learn Just Basic
Program 8 More window formatting and closing
In this development of the last program we are going to follow the following algorithm:
1. Open a window
2. Display
a. OK Button
b. Textbox
c. Instructions
3. If Ok clicked then display contents
4. Check to see is close window is used

Note the use of statictext to position

instruction.
The trapclose instruction will detect
if the window is being closed and
move to the label [quit]

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Teachers guide to starting to

learn Just Basic
Program 9 Drawing a Square
This program opens a
graphic window as #draw
and then draws a square
Flush fixes the drawing.

Program 10 Adding a bitmap

This program loads a bitmap into window

There are many other things that you can do with graphics referring to the help file and then
looking at week 5 will help you explore this area.

There is a well established Just Basic forum at http://justbasic.conforums.com/index.cgi that has an amazing
amount of help and information.

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Teachers guide to starting to

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Program 11 Bouncing Ball
This program demonstrates
what can be completed with
graphics.
It introduces several new
commands.
See if you can follow it.

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Teachers guide to starting to

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Full list of commands
ABS( n )
ACS( n )
"addsprite"
AND
APPEND
AS
ASC( s$ )
ASN( n )
ATN( n )
"!autoresize"
"autoresize"
"backcolor"
"background"
BackgroundColor$
BEEP
BINARY
Bitwise Operations
BMPBUTTON
BMPSAVE
BOOLEAN
"box"
"boxfilled"
BUTTON
BYREF
CALL
CASE
CHECKBOX
CHR$( n )
"circle"
"circlefilled"
CLOSE #h
CLS
"cls"
"!cls"
"color"
COMBOBOX
ComboboxColor$
CommandLine$
CONFIRM
"!contents"
"!contents?"
"!copy"
COS( n )
"!cut"
DATA
DATE$( )
DefaultDir$
"delsegment"
Dialog
DIM array( )
"discard"
DisplayWidth
DisplayHeight
"down"
"drawbmp"
Drives$
DO LOOP
DUMP
"ellipse"
12

absolute value of n
arc-cosine of n
sprite command to add a sprite
bitwise, boolean AND operator
purpose parameter in file open statement
used in OPEN statements
ascii value of s$
arc-sine of n
arc-tangent of n
texteditor command to relocate control automatically
graphics command to relocate control automatically
graphics command to set background color
sprite command to set background image
sets or returns background color for window
play the default system wave file
purpose parameter in file open statement
modify bit patterns in an object
add a bitmap button to a window
save a bitmap to a disk file
evaluates to true or false
graphics command to draw box
graphics command to draw filled box
add a button to a window
passes an argument to a subroutine or function by reference
call a user defined subroutine
specifies a value for select case statement
add a checkbox to a window
return character of ascii value n
graphics command to draw circle
graphics command to draw filled circle
close a file or window with handle #h
clear a program's mainwindow
graphics command to clear drawing area
text command to clear texteditor
graphics command to set pen color
add a combobox to a window
sets or returns combobox color
contains any command line switches used on startup
opens a confirm dialog box
text command to replace contents of texteditor
text command returns contents of texteditor
text command to copy text to clipboard
cosine of n
text command to cut text and copy to clipboard
adds data to a program that can be read with the READ statement
return string with today's date
a variable containing the default directory
graphics command to delete drawing segment
window type
set the maximum size of a data array
graphics command to discard unflushed drawing
a variable containing the width of the display
a variable containing the height of the display
graphics command to lower pen
graphics command to display a bitmap
special variable, holds drive letters
performs a looping action until/while a condition is met
force the LPRINT buffer to print
graphics command to draw an ellipse
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Teachers guide to starting to

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"ellipsefilled"
ELSE
ENABLE
END
END FUNCTION
END IF
END SELECT
END SUB
EOF( #h )
EXIT
EXIT FOR
EXIT WHILE
EXP( n )
FIELD #h, list...
FILEDIALOG
FILES
"fill"
"font"
ForegroundColor$
FOR...NEXT
FUNCTION
GET #h, n
"getbmp"
GLOBAL
"go"
GOSUB label
"goto"
GOTO label
GRAPHICBOX
GROUPBOX
Graphics
Graphics Commands
"home"
IF THEN
Inkey$
INPUT
INPUT$( #h, n )
INPUT
INSTR(a$,b$,n)
INT( n )
JOY-

KILL s$
LEFT$( s$, n )
LEN( s$ )
LET var = expr
"line"
"!line"
"!lines?"
LINE INPUT
LISTBOX
ListboxColor$
LOADBMP
LOC(#handle)
LOCATE
LOF( #h )
LOG( n )
LOWER$( s$ ) s$
LPRINT
13

graphics command to draw a filled ellipse

used in block conditional statements with IF/THEN
make a control active
marks end of program execution
signifies the end of a function
used in block conditional statements with IF/THEN
signals end of SELECT CASE construct
signifies the end of a subroutine
returns the end-of-file status for #h
exits a looping structure, sub or function
terminate a for/next loop before it completes
terminate a while/wend loop before it completes
returns e^n
sets random access fields for #h
opens a file selection dialog box
returns file and subdirectory info
graphics command to fill with color
set font as specified
sets or returns foreground color for window
performs looping action
define a user function
get random access record n for #h
graphics command to capture drawing area
creates a global variable
graphics command to move pen
call subroutine label
graphics command to move pen
branch to label
add a graphics region to a window
add a groupbox to a window
window type
a detailed summary of graphics commands in Just BASIC
graphics command to center pen
perform conditional action(s)
contains a character or keycode from a graphics window
get data from keyboard, file or button
get n chars from handle #h, or from the keyboard
purpose parameter in file open statement
search for b$ in a$, with optional start n
integer portion of n
global variables containing joystick information read by readjoystick command
Joy1x, Joy1y, Joy1z, Joy1button1, Joy1button2
Joy2x, Joy2y, Joy2z, Joy2button1, Joy2button2
delete file named s$
first n characters of s$
length of s$
assign value of expr to var
graphics command to draw line
text command to return text from specified line in texteditor control
text command to return number of lines in texteditor control
get next line of text from file
add a listbox to a window
sets or returns listbox color
load a bitmap into memory
return current binary file position
locate text in the mainwindow
returns length of open file #h or bytes in serial buffer
returns the natural logarithm of n
converted to all lowercase
print to hard copy
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Teachers guide to starting to

learn Just Basic
MAINWIN
MENU
MID$( )
MIDIPOS( )
MKDIR( )
MOD
"!modified?"
NAME a$ AS b$
NEXT
NOMAINWIN
"north"
NOT
NOTICE
ONCOMERROR
ON ERROR
OPEN
OPEN "COMn:..."
OR
"!origin"
"!origin?"
OUTPUT
"!paste"
"pie"
"piefilled"
"place"
Platform$
PLAYWAVE
PLAYMIDI
"posxy"
"print"
PRINT
PrinterFont$
PROMPT
PUT #h, n
RADIOBUTTON
RANDOM
RANDOMIZE
READ
REDIM
"redraw"
REM
RESTORE
RETURN
RIGHT$( s$, n ) n
RMDIR( )
RND( n )
"rule"
RUN s$, mode
SCAN
SEEK #h, fpos
"segment"
SELECT CASE
"!selectall"
"!selection?"
"set"
"setfocus"
SIN( n )
"size"
SPACE$( n )
Sprites
14

set the width of the main window in columns and rows

adds a pull-down menu to a window
return a substring from a string
return position of play in a MIDI file
make a new subdirectory
returns the result of integer division
text command to return modified status
rename file named a$ to b$
used with FOR
keep a program's main window from opening
graphics command to set the current drawing direction
logical and bitwise NOT operator
open a notice dialog box
set an error handler for serial communications
set an error handler for general program errors
open a file or window
open a communications port for reading/writing
logical and bitwise OR operator
text command to set origin
text command to return origin
purpose parameter in file open statement
text command to paste text from clipboard
graphics command to draw pie section
graphics command to draw filled pie section
graphics command to locate pen
special variable containing platform name
plays a *.wav sound file
plays a *.midi sound file
graphics command to return pen position
graphics command to print hard copy
print to a file or window
returns or sets the font used with LPRINT
open a prompter dialog box
puts a random access record n for #h
adds a radiobutton to a window
purpose parameter in file open statement
seed the random number generator
reads information from DATA statements
redimensions an array and resets its contents
graphics command to redraw segment
adds a remark to a program
sets the position of the next DATA statement to read
return from a subroutine call
rightmost characters of s$
remove a subdirectory
returns a random number
graphics command to set drawing rule
run external program s$, with optional mode
checks for and dispatches user actions
set the position in a file opened for binary access
graphics command to return segment ID
performs conditional actions
text command to highlight all text
text command to return highlighted text
graphics command to draw a point
set input focus to control or window
sine of n
graphics command to set pen size
returns a string of n spaces
all about using sprites in Just BASIC
igover@somerset.gov.uk April 2012

Teachers guide to starting to

learn Just Basic
SQR(n)
STATICTEXT
STOP
STOPMIDI
STR$( n )
SUB
TAB( n )
TAN( n )
Text
Text Commands
TEXTBOX
TextboxColor$
TEXTEDITOR
TexteditorColor$
TIME$( )
TIMER
"!trapclose"
"trapclose"
TRIM$( s$ )
"turn"
TXCOUNT(#handle)
UNLOADBMP
"up"
UPPER$( s$ )
USING( )
UpperLeftX
UpperLeftY
VAL( s$ )
Version$
WAIT
"when"
WHILE...WEND
Window
WindowWidth
WindowHeight
WORD$( s$, n )
XOR

15

details about getting the square root of a number

add a statictext control to a window
marks end of program execution
stops a MIDI file from playing
returns string equivalent of n
defines a subroutine
cause tabular printing in mainwin
tangent of n
window type
a detailed summary of text window commands in Just BASIC
add a textbox (entryfield) to a window
sets or returns textbox color
add a texteditor widget to a window
sets or returns texteditor color
returns current time as string
manage a Windows timer
text command to trap closing of text window
trap closing of window
returns s$ without leading/trailing spaces
graphics command to reset drawing direction
gets number of bytes in serial communications queue
unloads a bitmap from memory
graphics command to lift pen
s$ converted to all uppercase
performs numeric formatting
specifies the x part of the position where the next window will open
specifies the y part of the position where the next window will open
returns numeric equivalent of s$
special variable containing LB version info
stop and wait for user interaction
graphics command to trap mouse and keyboard events
performs looping action
window type
specifies the width of the next window to open
specifies the height of the next window to open
returns nth word from s$
logical and bitwise XOR operator

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