Wikispaces : Liberty BASIC Programmer's Encyc - items matching description

0100

Alyce — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 14:20:09 GMT

Using Jumpstart

Jumpstart lessons start simple, then add information and skills bit by bit, step by step, one piece at a time. Since each lesson builds on the previous ones, you really have to start at the beginning and go through each lesson in sequence. If you skip lessons, you'll be skipping information you will need later, and you'll slow down your progress.

How to Learn with Jumpstart

Each lesson follows a pattern:

Topic - open with a new concept, idea, or technique
Tutorial - show how the Topic works
Task - extend the Tutorial into a demonstration program
Trial - try the Task in hands-on exercise

Navigating in Jumpstart

Each lesson page has navigation menus at the top and at the bottom of the page. The menu for this page is:

Lesson Map | Next > Programming

The Lesson Map link takes you to a detailed Table of Contents for this Jumpstart course, in case you'd like to review previous pages or see where your current page fits into the flow of the course. The Next > link takes you to the next lesson page, and will be your favorite link-click during this course.
Ready to see how it all works? We'll start with an explanation of just what programming is. Click the Next link below, to get started.

Lesson Map | Next > Programming

0101

Alyce — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 14:20:30 GMT

Lesson Map | Next > Liberty BASIC Editor

Programming

What is "computer programming" all about?

"Talk to me!"

Using a computer is like having a conversation. The computer asks for some information, you reply, the computer thinks about what you said (or "processes the input"), then asks for more information. This continues until both sides have what they need, and the conversation ends.

A program tells the computer how to conduct its side of the conversation, how to "stand in" for the programmer who can't be there in person. Programs are sets of instructions for the computer to follow, one step at a time, to ask for information, pull the answers in, do the processing, and show the results. Programming consists of writing instructions -- no more, no less.

The programmer writes the program, the set of instructions, in a "program editor". Modern programming languages like LB (the programming language Liberty BASIC ) have a built-in editor with special features to help the programming process. Learning to use the editor is the first step in learning to use the programming language.

A compiler translates the instructions from the (almost-human) programming language into the electronic signals used the by computer.
Let's get started with the first lesson, and learn to use the LB editor.
Lesson Map | Next > Liberty BASIC Editor

0200

Alyce — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 14:20:52 GMT

Lesson Map | Next > Hello World

LB Editor

Start Liberty BASIC (LB) by using your mouse pointer to open your desktop Start menu, the Programs folder, then the Liberty BASIC folder, and click on the Liberty BASIC program name (liberty.exe).

When you start LB, you are looking at the editor. The file "welcome.bas" is automatically loaded. The "World of Liberty BASIC" dialog is displayed. It contains links to useful resources. The Liberty BASIC Editor looks like this the first time you start Liberty BASIC:

Close the "World of Liberty BASIC dialog" by pressing the X button in the upper right corner. Click on File in the menu bar to see the File menu options:

New BASIC Source File
Open
Insert File
Save
Save As
Print
(recently used files list)
Exit

For now, we are primarily interested in only New and Open. To create an editing window for a new program, select File > New Basic Source File.
(Note: that last instruction is short for "Click on File in the menu bar. Slide the mouse down to move the selection down to New. Click the left-mouse-button to create a new editing window." That's a lot of typing, and reading, so I'll just use the short version for instructions from here on out.)
Now you have an editing window. It looks like this:

Now you're ready to write and run your first program.

Lesson Map | Next > Hello World

0201

Alyce — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 14:21:30 GMT

Lesson Map | Next > Running

Hello World!

It's an ancient, much-loved tradition in computer programming to make the first program you write in a new (for you) computer language simply show the phrase, "Hello, World!" on the computer screen. We will now honor that tradition with your first program.

Put your writing cursor in the LB editing window (if it is not already there) by moving your mouse cursor to the window and clicking your left-mouse-button. Then type this line into the window, exactly as you see it here:

    print "Hello, World!"

Your LB editor will look like this:

The word "print" shows in blue because LB colors certain words and symbols to show that they are special in the Liberty BASIC language.

There! Now you've written your first LB program. Now you have to run the program, and see what it does.

Lesson Map | Next > Running

0201.gif

Alyce — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 15:52:12 GMT

0202

Alyce — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 14:21:51 GMT

Lesson Map | Next > Saving

Running Your First Program

Just so you'll know what to expect, let me show you what you'll get when you run the "Hello, World!" program you wrote in the previous exercise:

This is the main window, or as we'll call it from now on, a mainwin. And right there at the top of the text area in the mainwin is the famous "Hello, World!" greeting that signifies the entrance of a new member into the Exalted Guild of Computer Programmers.

Now, to make your entrance, run your program by selecting Run > Run from the LB editor's menu, or by clicking on the Run button, the blue button on the editor toolbar.

Pow! There's your mainwin, and your message to the world. Congratulations -- you've written and run your first LB program! When you're done admiring it, press the X button on the top right side of the window to close the mainwin and return to the LB editor.

(Note: If you didn't get the result described above, close everything except this Jumpstart window, and click here to try again. )

Lesson Map | Next > Saving

0202.gif

Alyce — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 15:52:24 GMT

0203

Alyce — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 14:22:14 GMT

Lesson Map | Next > Editor Menu Items

Saving Your Program

After all that work producing your first LB program, it would be a real shame to just throw it away, so let's save it. To do that, you need to give it name, and a place to stay.

Local Disk (C:)
- Program Files
  - Liberty BASIC v4.03
    - Dev

On the menu bar, select File > SaveAs.... In the SaveAs dialog, click on the New Folder button at the right end of the toolbar, and create a folder called "Dev" inside your Liberty BASIC folder. Then open the folder to make it the active target for your file.

In the File Name box at the bottom of the dialog, select the default (suggested) name of untitled.bas and overwrite it by typing "hello.bas" in its place. Click on the Save button to complete the save and return to the LB editor.

Now the editor shows the new name for your program in the editor's title bar:

Your first program is now saved, safely stored for future generations to praise and admire.

Lesson Map | Next > Editor Menu Items

0204

Alyce — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 14:22:35 GMT

Lesson Map | Next > Load and Run

Editor Menu Items

With your first program written and run, you've had some experience with the LB editor. Now it's time to explore the editor a bit more.

The LB editor's menus offer more options when you need them. In fact, it offers more options than you'll need for some time to come! I'll discuss the functions you really need for now, talk about some additional ones later, and leave the discovery of the more advanced functions for a more advanced programming course.

Minimum Menu

To follow the discussion, start with an empty editor. Open the editor. If it shows a file for editing, close the file: Select File > New.

The empty editor shows File, Edit, Run, Setup and Help on the menu bar, and active (not greyed-out) icons for New Program, Open Program, Save, Print, Find, Cut, Copy, Paste, Run, Debug, Options, the "World of Liberty BASIC button, the question-mark that opens the Helpfile, and the pencil that opens the release notes.. Tool-tips (word hints) for the toolbar icons pop up when you pause the mouse cursor over the icons.

You have already used the New Program (File > New Basic Source File) and the Save (File > Save As) options to create your first program and save it.

Expanded Menu

When you have something to edit, additional menu options show up to help the editing process. Most of these new options are familiar, since they appear in all Windows editing and word-processing programs.

When editing, you have Edit options to Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Clear, Select All, Restore, Find/Replace and Find Again. You also have a filled-up File menu, with recent files added to the list as you open or save files.

Too Much of a Good Thing?

When we add the options under Run, Setup, and Help, we have a marvelous, but bewildering list of functions and actions available for writing programs. The good news is that the functions you really need to do a good job are right there where you need them. The better news is that the extra options you will need in the future for more advanced functions are also there!

Instead of worrying about the whole list of options at once, we will learn how to handle them just one or two at a time, as we need them, and leave the others for later. For instance, the next lesson page adds File > Open..., which will be enough for a while. If you're really eager to know all about it right now, take a look at Liberty BASIC Help Document > Liberty BASIC Help > The Liberty BASIC Editor.

Lesson Map | Next > Load and Run

0204.gif

Alyce — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 15:52:36 GMT

0205

Alyce — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 14:23:17 GMT

Lesson Map | Next > Editor Summary

Load and Run

Loading an existing file into the LB editor is as simple as find-pick-and-click. Start with an empty editor -- use File > New if you have a file open.

To load a file, use File > Open... (or click on the open-folder icon) and navigate to the Liberty BASIC directory. Select BOXES.bas, and click Open in the file dialog to load the file into the editor.

Now use File > Save As to save the file into your own Dev directory. That keeps any changes you make from affecting the original file in the Liberty BASIC directory.

To run the program, click on the Run button, just as you did with your own "Hello, World!" program. After running the program, use File > New to clear the editor.

Lesson Map | Next > Editor Summary

0205.gif

Alyce — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 15:52:45 GMT

0206

Alyce — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 14:23:35 GMT

Lesson Map | Next > Editor Hands-on

Editor Summary

The functions of the Liberty BASIC editor you really need are:

File > New Basic Source File
File > Open...
File > Exit

Once you have a file to work with, you need:

File > Save
File > SaveAs...
Edit > (Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Select All, <br>Find Again, Find/Replace)
Run > Run (or easier, the blue Run button)

Finally, you always really really need:

Help > Liberty BASIC Help Document

If you look under Help > Liberty BASIC Language > Using the Editor, you will find explanations for all of the editor's options and functions, including the ones you won't need for a long time. But for now, it's good to know to how to find the information, so take peek at the Help file. Then close it, and go to the next lesson page - Editor Hands-on.

Lesson Map | Next > Editor Hands-on

0207

Alyce — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 14:23:55 GMT

Lesson Map | Next > Mainwin Basics

Editor Hands-on

To follow the discussion, start with an empty editor. Open the editor. If it shows a file for editing, close the file: Select File > New.

Multiple Files

The LB editor can handle only one file at a time, but you can run as many instances of Liberty BASIC as you want at any time. This allows you to open an example source file, copy code from it, and paste into your own file. Here's a quick test of this nifty feature:

Click on the New Program icon in the toolbar (far left end).
The editor clears. Type "program one" into the window.
Start Liberty BASIC again, by clicking on the desktop icon, or selecting Liberty BASIC v4.03 from the Programs listed in the StartMenu. You'll now have two copies of the LB editor on your desktop.
Click on the New Program icon in the newly started copy of the LB editor.
Type "program two" into the new window.
Start Liberty BASIC again. You'll now have three copies of the LB editor on your desktop.
Type "program three" into the new window.
Place your mouse on the titlebar on each of the windows and click the left mouse button and drag to move them around on the desktop. Click on the lower right corner of a window and drag with the mouse to change the size of the window. Use these techniques to arrange the three Liberty BASIC editors on the desktop so that all of them are visible and not overlapping.
Experiment with copying and pasting from one window into one of the others. You can select the text (click-hold and drag across the text) and right-click to get a "Copy" option in the pop-up menu, or select and use the menu-bar's Edit > Copy option, or use the toolbar's Copy button, or use my favorite -- select and use Ctrl-C to copy. Move your cursor to another window, and use one of those options (pop-up menu, menu-bar, button, or Ctrl-V) to paste.
When you're through playing around, clear the editors by selecting File > New in each copy of the LB editor, or simply close each of them with the X button or with File > Exit.

Lesson Map | Next > Mainwin Basics

0207.gif

Alyce — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 15:52:55 GMT

0208.gif

Alyce — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 15:53:04 GMT

0209.gif

Alyce — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 15:53:13 GMT

0210.gif

Alyce — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 15:53:27 GMT

0300

Alyce — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 14:24:13 GMT

Lesson Map | Next > Get User Input

Mainwin Basics

Since this is a basic, elementary introduction to programming, you'll be using a basic, elementary display -- the mainwin -- for running your programs.

The mainwin is just a text window, with no graphics, no icons, no fancy fonts, no drop-down list boxes. In other words, the mainwin has no distractions, so you can concentrate on programming and leave the fancy window enhancements for later.

You will soon find out that you can do some serious computer work -- even play games! -- in the text world of the mainwin.

Lesson Map | Next > Get User Input

0301

Alyce — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 14:24:31 GMT

Lesson Map | Next > Ask for Input

Passing Notes

A program is a conversation, with the computer handling the questions and answers. The computer sits between you and the user. You make the computer say (print, show) something, and the computer user responds by typing on the keyboard or moving a mouse or other pointer. Then you take a look at the user's reply, and decide what to do next.

Since you don't know in advance what the user is going to reply, you have to be prepared to accept almost any kind of answer. It's like a conversation by passing notes -- put a question in an envelope for the user, pass it along, get an answer in an envelope when it comes back.

Programs use containers somewhat like envelopes for holding and juggling information. The holding containers are called variables, because their contents are variable -- you can change the note in the envelope whenever it suits your purpose, and re-use the same envelope to pass the new information along.

Variables have identifying names (like the name on an envelope), and rules about what kinds of information they can hold. Some variables are for text only, and some are just for numbers.

The best way to understand how to use variables is actually to use them. It's time to start programming!

Lesson Map | Next > Ask for Input