Compiled INPUT Doesn't Read Text Previously PRINTed on Screen (42948)




This article was previously published under Q42948

SUMMARY

Unlike in Microsoft GW-Basic, the INPUT or LINE INPUT statement in compiled Basic will not read text that was previously displayed on the screen. (Instead, you must use the SCREEN function to read existing text on the screen.)

In compiled Basic, if you LOCATE to an area on the screen, print text, LOCATE there again, and do an INPUT or LINE INPUT, then moving the direction keys will erase what was previously on the screen. GW-Basic does not do this erase. In addition, the INPUT statement in GW-Basic will read the string that was previously displayed at that position.

This is a fundamental design difference between Microsoft GW-Basic Interpreter (Versions 3.20, 3.22, and 3.23) and compiled Basic.

MORE INFORMATION

The GW-Basic Interpreter is resident in memory when a program runs, and can perform the INPUT of existing text on the screen using its built-in editor feature. This feature is not available in compiled programs, which do not have resident code (overhead) allocated for this form of screen editing.

This article applies to the following compilers:

  1. Microsoft QuickBasic Compiler Versions 1.00, 1.01, 1.02, 2.00, 2.01, 3.00, 4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50 for the IBM PC
  2. Microsoft Basic Compiler Versions 5.35 and 5.36 for MS-DOS
  3. Microsoft Basic Compiler Versions 6.00 and 6.00b for MS OS/2 and MS-DOS
  4. Microsoft Basic PDS Version 7.00 for MS-DOS and MS OS/2

Code Example

' In GWBasic, if you hit <ENTER> at the INPUT prompt,
' This will print "HELLO". QuickBasic prints nothing.

LOCATE 10, 10
PRINT "HELLO"
LOCATE 10, 10
INPUT A$
PRINT A$
END
Modification Type: Minor Last Reviewed: 1/9/2003
Keywords: KB42948
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