Publication: Syntax
Pub Details: Syntax/Syntax ZX80 v1 n2 (Volume 1, Issue 2)
Date: December 1980
Pages: 6-8
ITEM SINCLAIR ZX80 TRS-80 COLOR SINCLAIR W/8K ROM Price $200 $400 $240 Max size of array 255 mem-limit mem-limit Max # of dimensions 1 1 mem-limit Digits of accuracy 5 integer 9 floating 9.5 floating Range of numbers +/- 32767 1E-38 to 1E+38 9E-44 to 1.1E+43 Max string length mem-limit 255 mem-limit Max size str array no string arrays mem-limit mem-limit # of str dimensions no string arrays 1 mem-limit # unique var names mem-limit 936 mem-limit # unique str names 26 936 26 Range of state #'s 1-9999 0-63999 1-9999 Comma spacing 8 16 16 # of comma fields 4 2 2 Str. data req "'s no data stmnt no yes Filenames (length) no 8 mem-limit Display size 25 x 32 16 x 32 22 x 32 Editor type 1 line scrn & list none 1 line scrn & list Point of E switch none 1 E-3 & 1 E+9 1 E-6 & 1 E+13 Use DEG/RAD/GRAD none RAD RAD Printer available? no yes yes Graphics resolution none 64 x 32 64 x 44 Graphics origin none top left bottom left Colors available? no 8 no Joysticks avail? no yes no String concat no yes(+) yes (+) Cassette data I/O no yes no Mult stmnts/line no yes (:) no Uses ASCII no yes no Display w/o stop no yes yes Kbd readable no yes yes Protectable memory no yes yes Internal clock p&p no p&p ARE THE FOLLOWING FUNCTIONS INCLUDED? ** or uparrow X X ABS & INT & SGN ABS only X X NOT & AND & OR X X X SIN & COS SIN only X FRE/FREE/MEM X X VAL X X LEN X X SEG$/MID$ or equiv. X X LEFT$ & RIGHT$ X X TAB X X EOF X TAN & ATN X ASN & ACS X LOG/LN LN EXP & SQR/SQRT X PI X POINT X JOYSTK X ARE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS SUPPORTED? RANDOMIZE X NOT NEEDED X FOR with STEP X X GET/INKEY$ X X PRINT AT X X READ & DATA X X RESTORE X X PLOT/SET X X UNPLOT/RESET X X INPUT#/PRINT# X OPEN X CLOSE X AUDIO ON/OFF X ON...GOSUB X ON...GOTO X IF...THEN...ELSE X END X SOUND (make noise) X PRINT USING/TO X WAIT (time delay) X DRAW/LINE X UNDRAW/UNLINE X PAUSE X SCROLL X ARE THE FOLLOWING COMMANDS SUPPORTED? LLIST X SKIPF X MOTOR ON/OFF X
ALL THREE MACHINES USE:
- String comparisons in an IF statement
- Immediate mode
- Dynamic DIM
- Double quotes (“) for literal strings
- An output line width of 32 characters
- Operators +, -, *, and /
- LET, PRINT, INPUT, GOTO, IF…THEN, GOSUB, RETURN, FOR…NEXT, STOP, CLEAR/CLR, CLS, and REM statements
- PEEK, POKE, USR/EXEC, ASC/CODE, CHR$, and STR$ functions
- RUN, CONTINUE, LIST, NEW, SAVE, and LOAD commands
NONE OF THE MACHINES USE:
- MAT statements
- High speed cassette search
- Available floppy disks
NOTE: A / between choices indicates either fulfills category, while & requires both.
NOTE: P&P indicates that a simple PEEK and POKE operation performs a function not supported in system.
KEY TO COMPARISON CHARTS
- Range of numbers–greatest and smallest no. system can express.
- Output line width–greatest no. of characters on one output display line.
- Comma spacing–width of comma print fields.
- # of comma fields–no. of comma print fields across one display line.
- Str data req “‘s–do strings in data statements require quotes?
- Editor type–what kind of editor does system use? (1 line scrn means a single line screen editor, list means listing is on screen while editing.)
- Point of E switch–no. at which system switches to display in scientific notation.
- Use DEG/RAD/GRAD–how does system measure angles?
- Graphics resolution–using system plot commands (4K & program can plot 64 x 48 from top left).
- String concat–can system append one string to another?
- Cassette data I/O–can system store data (as opposed to programs) on cassette tape?
- Uses ASCII–does system use American Standard Code for Information Interchange?
- Display w/o stop–can system display something and continue without any user interaction?
- Display size–height and width of display in characters.
- Kbd readable–can system read keyboard without stopping?
- Protectable memory–can a section of memory be protected so that machine language programs may be stored there?
- USR/EXEC–equivalent functions, transfer control to a machine language program.
- POINT–returns whether or not a certain graphics point is lit on the screen.
- FRE/FREE/MEM–return amount of memory not used by program.
- RANDOMIZE–reseeds random number generator.
- PRINT USING/TO–print no. according to a specific format.
- FOR with STEP–extended form of a FOR…NEXT statement to specify an increment.
- END–signals end of program.
- BEEP–tells system to sound a beeper to notify user.
- SOUND–tells the system to make one of 255 sounds.
- GET/INKEY$–read keyboard without stopping.
- PRINT AT–prints information at a certain screen position.
- WAIT–pause for a certain programmable length of time.
- READ & DATA–reads nos. or strings from list of information after DATA statement and puts it in variables.
- RESTORE–resets data list so same data may be read in again.
- DRAW–draws a line on screen.
- PLOT/SET–turns on screen pixel.
- UNDRAW–opposite of DRAW.
- UNPLOT/RESET -opposite of PLOT.
- INPUT #–reloads all variables in memory from tape.
- PRINT #–stores all variables in memory on tape.
- PAUSE–causes program to stop for a moment and display output.
- SCROLL–causes all lines on screen to move up one.
- SAVE/CSAVE–stores program on cassette tape.
- LOAD/CLOAD–reloads program from cassette tape.
- SKIPF–skips a file on tape.
- Dynamic DIM–array sizing using a variable: DIM A(G).
Syntactic Sums are an easy way to check your program typing for errors. Look for our Syntactic Sum program in SYNTAX, Feb. 81.