First published 1987

Issue 2 July 1987

Part number 0476,002

Acorn Archimedes User Guide Issue3 1987
A 494 page illustrated manual which covers all facets of the Archimedes

Kindly donated by Derek Tate together with our 305

This guide describes the two levels of commands built into the Archimedes computer, and available for those wishing to program it themselves: the operating system commands, and the BBC BASIC programming language commands. BBC BASIC is one of the most popular and widely-used programming languages.

It consists of special keywords from which the programmer can create sequences of instructions, or programs, to be carried out by the computer. Such programs might perform calculations, create graphics on the screen, manipulate data, or carry out virtually any action involving the computer and the devices connected to it. Several examples of programs written in BBC BASIC are provided on the Archimedes Welcome Disc.

The BASIC language operates within an environment provided by the computer's operating system. The operating system is responsible for controlling the devices available to the computer, such as the keyboard, the screen, and the filing system. For example, it is the operating system which reads each key you press and displays the appropriate character on the screen. Commands can be passed to the operating system from within BASIC by prefixing them with an asterisk'*'.

The first chapters of this guide explain how to program in BASIC, and introduce many of the commands provided by the language. A complete alphabetical list of the BASIC keywords is given in the chapter: BASIC KEYWORDS. The last four chapters, and the appendices, list the features provided by the operating system, and the commands available to control them.

Reference Number :

Date Published : 1987

Manufacturer : Acorn

Platform : Archimedes