Undocumented Sharp PC-G850V(S) Behavior

[toml_12953]

The English manual (I can't read the Japanese original and I don't have the German version) lists BSAVE, BLOAD, BLOAD M and BLOAD? with no parameters.
The Sharp can take a filename as a parameter when using cassettes to store BASIC programs.

For example: BSAVE "AA" works.

If you save more than one program on a tape, BLOAD with a parameter will search the tape for the matching filename. BLOAD without a parameter will load the next program on the tape no matter what it's called.

You may still want to write down and use the program counter to position the tape manually since it takes a long time to search the tape for a program that's stored at the end of a 30 minute tape!

[jwhsu]

(09-14-2018 01:19 AM)toml_12953 Wrote:  The English manual (I can't read the Japanese original and I don't have the German version) lists BSAVE, BLOAD, BLOAD M and BLOAD? with no parameters.
The Sharp can take a filename as a parameter when using cassettes to store BASIC programs.

For example: BSAVE "AA" works.

If you save more than one program on a tape, BLOAD with a parameter will search the tape for the matching filename. BLOAD without a parameter will load the next program on the tape no matter what it's called.

You may still want to write down and use the program counter to position the tape manually since it takes a long time to search the tape for a program that's stored at the end of a 30 minute tape!

Thanks for pointing out the feature. I'll put it in the manual. Do you think these instructions function the same and have the same parameters as corresponding commands in older machines (like the E500 or PC-1500)?

[rprosperi]

(09-14-2018 04:25 PM)jwhsu Wrote:  Do you think these instructions function the same and have the same parameters as corresponding commands in older machines (like the E500 or PC-1500)?

Older machines used analogous commands, CSAVE, CLOAD, etc. The "C" was for Casette. They likely changed it to B for Basic, since "C" may have been confused for C-language.

The French document discussed above in fact states:

Quote:No CLOAD, CSAVE (replaced by BLOAD and BSAVE).

[toml_12953]

(09-14-2018 04:25 PM)jwhsu Wrote:  

(09-14-2018 01:19 AM)toml_12953 Wrote:  The English manual (I can't read the Japanese original and I don't have the German version) lists BSAVE, BLOAD, BLOAD M and BLOAD? with no parameters.
The Sharp can take a filename as a parameter when using cassettes to store BASIC programs.

For example: BSAVE "AA" works.

If you save more than one program on a tape, BLOAD with a parameter will search the tape for the matching filename. BLOAD without a parameter will load the next program on the tape no matter what it's called.

You may still want to write down and use the program counter to position the tape manually since it takes a long time to search the tape for a program that's stored at the end of a 30 minute tape!

Thanks for pointing out the feature. I'll put it in the manual. Do you think these instructions function the same and have the same parameters as corresponding commands in older machines (like the E500 or PC-1500)?

I don't think the A parameter would work since there's a utility to convert BASIC to TEXT and vice-versa. I could be wrong, though. Is there any chance you could document the STAT and BASE facilities? Their menus are still in Japanese in the ROM so it's difficult to use them (for me, anyway).

[jwhsu]

(09-14-2018 10:37 PM)toml_12953 Wrote:  

(09-14-2018 04:25 PM)jwhsu Wrote:  Thanks for pointing out the feature. I'll put it in the manual. Do you think these instructions function the same and have the same parameters as corresponding commands in older machines (like the E500 or PC-1500)?

I don't think the A parameter would work since there's a utility to convert BASIC to TEXT and vice-versa. I could be wrong, though. Is there any chance you could document the STAT and BASE facilities? Their menus are still in Japanese in the ROM so it's difficult to use them (for me, anyway).

I can try. I need to look at the Japanese manual again to see if there is any documentation about these modes and figure out how to to translate the menus.