Help in BASIC (editing)

[gamer1682]

When I write a program I usually make an error. When I fix the program, it runs the orginal, faulty program and not the edited one. I just got my 400 a few days ago and a total noob to it.

 

please help,

 

Mitchel.

Edited February 23, 2008 by gamer1682

[SeaGtGruff]

When I write a program I usually make an error. When I fix the program, it runs the orginal, faulty version.

How do you "fix" the program? And which BASIC are you using?

 

I'm not familiar with other BASICs for the Atari 8-bit, but in Atari BASIC you type your program lines onto the screen and they're added into the program listing based on their line numbers.

 

For example, if you've already typed in lines 10 and 20, and now you want to go back and add another line between them, you can just type another line that has a line number between 10 and 20, such as line 15. There's no need to move the cursor up to line 20 and insert a new line above it, then type in line 15; you can just type in line 15 at the bottom of the screen, and Atari BASIC will automatically store it in the correct place between lines 10 and 20.

 

If you want to delete a line, just type the line number again and press RETURN. For example, if you've already typed in a line numbered 30, and then you decide you don't want that line in the program after all, just type line number 30 and press RETURN, and the existing line 30 will be replaced with a "blank" line, thus removing line 30 from the program.

 

If you want to change an existing line, then you can just type the line all over again at the bottom of the listing and press RETURN. Or, if you want to make just a minor change and would rather not have to type the entire line all over again, you can move the cursor up to the line you want to change, type the change, and then press RETURN.

 

The only thing I can think of is that maybe you're moving the cursor up to the line you want to edit, editing it so it looks like you want it to, and then moving the cursor back down to the bottom of the listing without having pressed RETURN first. If you *are* doing that, then the changes aren't being recognized by Atari BASIC, because you need to press RETURN after making the changes in the line so Atari BASIC can reinterpret the line and store the new version of it in the listing.

 

Michael

[gamer1682]

Thats what I was doing wrong! thanks!!!