Turbo BASIC (DOS)

[remwlf]

How do I define a one (1) position string variable in an old DOS version of Turbo Basic? Thanks.

 

[5888]

I don't understand your question, sorry.

 

[csomervi]

Unlike the newer Microsoft BASIC versions, there is no fixed-length string type in TB. You can simulate the effect to a degree by setting the string variable to a value of the length desired...

  c$ = "z"

...and then use LSET to assign other values to it. (LSET assigns data in-place and does not alter the length of the target string.)

The example program below (which I compiled and tested in Turbo BASIC v1.1)...

 a$ = "xxx"   ' 3-buyte string
 b$ = "yy"    ' 2-byte string
 c$ = "z"     ' 1-byte string
 LSET a$ = "aa"
 LSET b$ = "bb"
 LSET c$ = "cc"
 PRINT "a = ["; a$; "]"
 PRINT "b = ["; b$; "]"
 PRINT "c = ["; c$; "]"
 end

...produces this output when run...

 a = [aa ]
 b = [bb]
 c = [c]

The behavior of c$ above is kind of what you asked for. Note that if you mistakenly use...

  c$ = "cc"

...instead of...

  LSET c$ = "cc"

...you will alter the length of c$, destroying the effect you wanted.

- Chuck Somerville

 

[csomervi]

Oops, almost forgot - There's a Borland BASIC Forum here.

forum201

(This is the BASIC: Microsoft Forum.)

- Chuck Somerville