The keyboard
BASin makes full use of the PC keyboard.
The editor uses a standard set of keys for editing, as well as some special ones that are unique to Spectrum BASIC.
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Moves left, right, up, or down by one character. |
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Shift +
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Extends the current selection. |
Home, End |
Jumps to the beginning or end of the current line. |
Ctrl + Home, End |
Jumps to the beginning or end of the entire program. |
Page Up, Page Down |
Moves up or down by one screenful of text. |
Insert |
Toggles overtype mode, where newly typed characters replace old ones. |
Delete |
Deletes the character to the right of the cursor. |
Backspace |
Deletes the character to the left of the cursor. |
Tab |
Inserts three spaces. (Actual tab characters are not supported.) |
¬ or € |
Inserts the © copyright symbol. |
^ |
Inserts the ↑ exponentiation (raise to a power) maths symbol. |
When you attempt to move the cursor away from a modified line, BASin behaves as though the line had been entered, checking it for mistakes before storing it in the program.
Graphics characters
Spectrum BASIC programs can contain two kinds of graphics characters: built-in chequered graphics and user-defined graphics (UDGs). These characters are described in Chapter 14 of the manual.
In BASin, you can toggle graphics mode using Num Lock or Scroll Lock, or (under Windows NT and XP) enable it temporarily by holding down Alt Gr. The key to be used can be configured on the BASin tab.
Control characters
Spectrum BASIC programs can contain special characters, called control characters, that affect the display of the listing.
You can insert control characters using either the Token Table window or the function keys F1 to F8.
In BASin, the appearance of "control characters" depends on whether syntax highlighting is enabled; and the flash attribute has no visible effect in a program line.
Note: Control codes will appear in the program as small hex numbers, two per character square, when Syntax Highlighting is enabled - when this is disabled, then BASin will show the text with any colour modifications as it would appear on a real spectrum, with the exception of the FLASH attribute.
Keystroke |
Graphics |
Non-graphics |
F1 |
Blue |
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F2 |
Red |
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F3 |
Magenta |
Inverse Video on |
F4 |
Green |
Inverse Video off |
F5 |
Cyan |
Bright on |
F6 |
Yellow |
Bright off |
F7 |
White |
Flash on |
F8 |
Black |
Flash off |
In graphics mode, a function key sets the ink colour, and a function key with Shift sets the paper (background) colour.