INTRODUCTIONxi


ThedegreesymbolindicatesrepeatedYou move the cursor on the C-64 screen by
=laracters. For example, if you seepresing the two cursor keys (they are labeled
"CRSR," one with left and right arows, the
other with up and down arows). Tomove the
o PRINT-{100down}":rem 9026cursor in a program, we use cursor characters
in a string, which is always inside quotes.
you should type:Things get a litle complicated when you are
the number 200dealing with cursor keys inside ofquotes. When
the word PRINTyou type a program, the C-64knows you are in
"quote mode" when you pres a double quote
a quote (")(the shifted 2).Youremain in quote mode until
pres the cursor-down key 10timesyou type the closing quote, Once you are in
and the closing quote C)quote mode, the only cursor movement keythat
"works"(instea'd of being placedinto the
The example shows two importantpointsstring) is the delete function DEL.SO,you can
about the notation. First, curly braces are neverback up and corect mistakes with DEL,but you
typed, since they indicate that special notationcan't move back and forth with the arow keys.
is being used. Second, the degree symbol isIf you get confused, you can "bail out" by hit-
nevertyped.It alwayscomes betweenating RETURN,which ends "quote mode." Then,
number (the repeat count) and another symbol.go back up on the line and corect it as needed
The degree symbol is not on the C-64keyboard,(and check the PROOF-IT number when you
which is why we used it to tel you how manypres RETURN).
times to pres the folowing key.
In the listings, long lines are printed as sev-The Color Keys
ieralinesin the book, even though you wil type
them as one long "wraparound"line on theThe C-64supports 16colors. For the first eight
C-64.Wealways break the line at a convenientcolor keys, we use the names printed on the
point selected to "make sense" when typing thefront of the number keys. When you see a color
listing. You should only pres RETURNat thename in curly braces, pres the cTRLkey,hold it
very end of each BASICline, regardless ofhowdown, and press the number key with that
many printed lines are shown in the book. Pressname. For example, when you see
RETURNjust before the" :rem" which sets of
the PROOF-IT proof number at the end ofeach150PRINT-{red}HELLO-:rem 41850
line.

type:
asIn the{up} listin,gs
and twe
red} usefor lowercasecursor and namescolor suchkeys.the number 150
Graphics are shown as the actual key to presa blank
(usualy a capital leter) inside curly braces.the word PRINT
Table 1shows how the keys appear in the list-a quote (")
ings, the key (or keys) you must pres, and ahold down CTRL and press 3 (for red)
picture of the graphic symbol that wil appearthe word HELLO
on the C-64screen. Afew minutes spent study-and a closing quote (")
ing Table 1before you type your first program
may save you quite a bit of time.This one-lineprogramprintsthe word
"HELLO" in the color red.
We show the second set of eight colors (pro-
Cursor and Function Keysduced by pressing the COMMODOREkey, holding
it, and pressing one of the number keys) as the
In the listings, the cursor keys are shown ascolor printed on the key, with underlining to
indicate the COMMODOREkey. Whenever you
{up},{clr}, {down},while{left},{inst}{right},means "pres{home},the insertandkey."see something underlinedin our listings it
These are always inside quotes, since otherwisemeans "hold down the COMMODOREkey and
they would actualy move the cursor around onpress the underlined key." For example, {blk}
the screen. A few programs use C-64 functionproduces orange, the second color for the "blk"
keys, shown as the name ofthe key, such as {f1}key. Look at Table 1for a ful list of the under-
for the Fl function key.lined color names, and the keys they represent.

