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Write the usage guide as thirteen chapters in docs/
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Browse Source 
Organised the way the C128 Programmer's Reference Guide is: the language
first, then each hardware area, then the reference sections. One markdown
file per chapter.

The verb and function references are generated from the interpreter's own
dispatch table, with an assertion that every row is described, so they cannot
drift out of step with what the program accepts. 98 verbs and 30 functions.

Every example was run before it was written down, which caught three claims
that were wrong: a whole FOR loop on one line prints nothing rather than
looping once, MID and INSTR count from zero where a C128 counts from one, and
a multi-line DEF returns a value the caller has to assign away.

Chapter 13 is the list a BASIC 7.0 programmer needs -- roughly sixty
documented differences, including the two known FOR defects and the fact that
drawing does not survive a frame.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
Andrew Kesterson
2026-07-31 21:50:50 -04:00
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# 11. Verb reference
Every statement, alphabetically. This list is generated from the interpreter's own
dispatch table, so it cannot drift out of step with what the program actually accepts.
A verb marked **Refused** parses and then reports why it cannot run — see Chapter 13
for the reasoning in each case.
| Verb | Form | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| `APPEND` | `APPEND n, "name"` | Open a file on channel `n` for writing at its end. |
| `AUTO` | `AUTO n` | Number lines automatically in steps of `n`. `AUTO 0` turns it off. |
| `BACKUP` | `BACKUP` | **Refused.** Duplicates one disk onto another; there are no disks. |
| `BEGIN` | `IF c THEN BEGIN` | Start a block that runs to `BEND`, so an `IF` can span lines. |
| `BEND` | `BEND` | End a `BEGIN` block. |
| `BLOAD` | `BLOAD "name", addr, len` | Read a file into memory. The length is required. |
| `BOOT` | `BOOT` | **Refused.** Loads and runs a boot sector; there is none. |
| `BOX` | `BOX src, x1, y1, x2, y2 [,angle]` | Outline a rectangle, optionally rotated. |
| `BSAVE` | `BSAVE "name", from, to` | Write a range of memory to a file. |
| `CATALOG` | `CATALOG` | **Refused.** The other name for `DIRECTORY`. |
| `CHAR` | `CHAR col, x, y, "text"` | Put text at a character cell. Needs a sink with a cursor. |
| `CIRCLE` | `CIRCLE src, x, y, rx, ry [,...]` | Draw an ellipse, arc or polygon. |
| `CLR` | `CLR` | Drop every variable and function, keeping the program. |
| `COLLECT` | `COLLECT` | **Refused.** Validates a disk's block allocation map. |
| `COLLISION` | `COLLISION 1 [,target]` | Call a subroutine when sprites collide. No target disarms it. |
| `COLOR` | `COLOR src, index` | Bind a colour source to a palette index, 1 to 16. |
| `CONCAT` | `CONCAT "a", "b"` | Append file `a` to file `b`. |
| `CONT` | `CONT` | Resume a program stopped by `STOP`. |
| `COPY` | `COPY "a", "b"` | Copy file `a` to file `b`. |
| `DATA` | `DATA v [, ...]` | Declare values for `READ`. Collected before the program runs. |
| `DCLEAR` | `DCLEAR` | Close every open channel. The half of a drive reset that means something. |
| `DCLOSE` | `DCLOSE [n]` | Close channel `n`, or every channel. |
| `DEF` | `DEF NAME(args) = expr` | Define a function. Multi-line definitions end in `RETURN`. |
| `DELETE` | `DELETE [n][-n]` | Delete lines, with the same range forms as `LIST`. |
| `DIM` | `DIM A#(n [,...])` | Make an array. Subscripts start at zero; `n` is the count. |
| `DIRECTORY` | `DIRECTORY` | **Refused.** Needs a directory-reading wrapper that does not exist yet. |
| `DLOAD` | `DLOAD "name"` | Load a program from a file. |
| `DO` | `DO [WHILE c | UNTIL c]` | Start a loop. The condition may be here, on the `LOOP`, or neither. |
| `DOPEN` | `DOPEN n, "name" [,W]` | Open a file on channel `n`. `W` opens it for writing. |
| `DRAW` | `DRAW src, x, y [TO x, y ...]` | Plot a point or draw a polyline. |
| `DSAVE` | `DSAVE "name"` | Save the program to a file. |
| `DVERIFY` | `DVERIFY "name"` | The other name for `VERIFY`. |
| `END` | `END` | Stop the program. Does not arm `CONT`. |
| `ENVELOPE` | `ENVELOPE n, a, d, s, r` | Define one of `PLAY`'s ten envelope presets. |
| `EXIT` | `EXIT` | Leave the innermost `FOR` or `DO` loop. |
| `FETCH` | `FETCH count, from, to` | Copy bytes. The same as `STASH`; there is no expansion RAM. |
| `FILTER` | `FILTER ...` | **Refused.** There is no filter stage in the audio backend. |
| `FOR` | `FOR V = a TO b [STEP c]` | Start a counted loop, ended by `NEXT`. |
| `GET` | `GET V` | Take a keystroke if one is waiting, without stopping. |
| `GETKEY` | `GETKEY V` | Wait for a keystroke, holding the program but not the host. |
| `GOSUB` | `GOSUB line` | Call a subroutine, returning on `RETURN`. |
| `GOTO` | `GOTO line` | Jump to a line or a label. |
| `GRAPHIC` | `GRAPHIC mode | CLR` | Choose a screen mode, or clear it. |
| `GSHAPE` | `GSHAPE A$, x, y` | Stamp a region saved by `SSHAPE`. |
| `HEADER` | `HEADER "name"` | **Refused.** Formats a disk. |
| `HELP` | `HELP` | Re-list the line the last error happened on. |
| `IF` | `IF c THEN s [ELSE s]` | Branch. Everything after `THEN` belongs to the condition. |
| `INPUT` | `INPUT ["prompt"] V` | Read a line from the user. |
| `INPUT#` | `INPUT #n, V` | Read a line from a channel. |
| `KEY` | `KEY [n, "text"]` | Define a function-key macro, or list them all. |
| `LABEL` | `LABEL NAME` | Mark this line with a name any branch can use. |
| `LET` | `LET V = expr` | Assign. Optional; assignment needs no verb. |
| `LIST` | `LIST [n][-n]` | List the program, or part of it. |
| `LOAD` | `LOAD "name"` | The other name for `DLOAD`. |
| `LOCATE` | `LOCATE x, y` | Move the pixel cursor. |
| `LOOP` | `LOOP [WHILE c | UNTIL c]` | End a `DO` loop. |
| `MOVSPR` | `MOVSPR n, ...` | Move a sprite. Four forms; see Chapter 8. |
| `NEW` | `NEW` | Erase the program and every variable. |
| `NEXT` | `NEXT V` | End a `FOR` loop and advance its counter. |
| `ON` | `ON e GOTO|GOSUB t [,...]` | Branch to the `e`th target, counting from one. |
| `PAINT` | `PAINT src, x, y` | Flood-fill the region containing a point. |
| `PLAY` | `PLAY "notes"` | Queue notes. Does not block. |
| `POKE` | `POKE addr, byte` | Write a byte to a real address. |
| `PRINT` | `PRINT [expr]` | Print a value and a newline. |
| `PRINT#` | `PRINT #n, expr` | Write a line to a channel. |
| `PUDEF` | `PUDEF "chars"` | Redefine what `PRINT USING` pads and punctuates with. |
| `QUIT` | `QUIT` | End the interpreter. |
| `READ` | `READ V [,...]` | Fill variables from the next `DATA` items. |
| `RECORD` | `RECORD n, r [,pos]` | Position a channel at record `r`. Records are lines. |
| `RENAME` | `RENAME "a", "b"` | Rename a file. |
| `RENUMBER` | `RENUMBER [start [,step [,from]]]` | Renumber lines, rewriting every branch to match. |
| `RESTORE` | `RESTORE [line]` | Reset the `READ` cursor, optionally to a line. |
| `RESUME` | `RESUME [NEXT | line]` | Return from a `TRAP` handler. |
| `RETURN` | `RETURN [expr]` | Return from a `GOSUB` or a multi-line `DEF`. |
| `RUN` | `RUN [line]` | Run the program, optionally from a line. |
| `SAVE` | `SAVE "name"` | The other name for `DSAVE`. |
| `SCALE` | `SCALE on [,xmax, ymax]` | Turn user coordinates on or off. |
| `SCNCLR` | `SCNCLR` | Clear the text screen. |
| `SCRATCH` | `SCRATCH "name"` | Delete a file. |
| `SLEEP` | `SLEEP seconds` | Pause. Holds the program, not the host. |
| `SOUND` | `SOUND v, freq, dur [,...]` | Play a tone on a voice. Does not block. |
| `SPRCOLOR` | `SPRCOLOR [c1] [,c2]` | Set the two shared multicolour registers. |
| `SPRITE` | `SPRITE n [,on] [,col] [,...]` | Configure a sprite. Omitted arguments are left alone. |
| `SPRSAV` | `SPRSAV source, n` | Give sprite `n` a picture. Three source forms; see Chapter 8. |
| `SSHAPE` | `SSHAPE A$, x1, y1 [,x2, y2]` | Save a screen region; `A$` receives a handle. |
| `STASH` | `STASH count, from, to` | Copy bytes. The same as `FETCH`. |
| `STOP` | `STOP` | Stop the program; `CONT` resumes it. |
| `SWAP` | `SWAP A, B` | Exchange two variables of the same type. |
| `SYS` | `SYS addr` | **Refused.** There is no 6502 and no ROM to call. |
| `TEMPO` | `TEMPO n` | How fast `PLAY` releases its queue. |
| `TRAP` | `TRAP [target]` | Send errors to a handler. No target disarms it. |
| `TROFF` | `TROFF` | Turn line tracing off. |
| `TRON` | `TRON` | Turn line tracing on; each line prints its number in brackets. |
| `VERIFY` | `VERIFY "name"` | Compare the program in memory against a file. |
| `VOL` | `VOL n` | Set the overall volume, 0 to 15. |
| `WAIT` | `WAIT addr, mask [,xor]` | Poll a byte until it matches. Holds the program. |
| `WIDTH` | `WIDTH 1|2` | How thick a drawn line is. |
| `WINDOW` | `WINDOW l, t, r, b [,clear]` | Constrain the text area. Needs a sink with a grid. |
## Words that are not verbs
`AND`, `ELSE`, `NOT`, `OR`, `REM`, `STEP`, `THEN`, `TO`, `UNTIL`, `USING` and `WHILE`
are reserved, but none of them is a statement on its own — each is consumed by the verb
it belongs to.
## Deliberately absent
`BANK`, `FAST`, `MONITOR` and `SPRDEF` have no table entry at all. The first three are
incompatible with a modern machine — there is no bank switching, no CPU speed to
control, and no machine-language monitor to drop into. `SPRDEF` is an interactive
full-screen editor rather than a programmable verb.