still trying for a small box

[newTIboyRob]

Hi, I am still trying in a BASIC program to print both on screen and paper a small box commonly seen today:  ▢ 

I haven't had much luck with commands like HLIN, VLIN or HPLOT, so there's gotta be another way.  Any ideas?  There seems to be no CHR$ code or symbol for this kind of a character/small box on a 2c as far as I know.   

 

I am just trying to incorporate that type of box into a basic program, to make it print on paper appearing as a box as if to check something off, say a task to be done:

 

10 ? "  ▢  mow the lawn"

20 ? "  ▢  wash the deck"

 

How do I get that in the program so the printed output appears as:

 

▢  mow the lawn

▢  wash the deck

[newTIboyRob]

Well, after some more thought, it was simpler than I thought. I came up with a pretty decent and close solution, in case anyone who viewed this thread could use it printed out:

 

] NOTRACE

 

5 HOME

10 S$="[]"

20 ?S$"  mow the lawn"

30 ?S$"  wash the deck"

 

PR#1

RUN

 

[]  mow the lawn

[]  wash the deck

(Note the space after the " and before the task)

[newTIboyRob]

The only real flaw I found with the above, is that the the printout on the paper actually shows:

 

]RUN

 

[]  mow the lawn

[]  wash the deck

 

]

 

....Does anyone recall how to prevent the ]RUN  and the final ] from appearing on the final printed page?

[nick3092]

Incorporate the pr#1 (and 0) into the program. So like:

 

15 print chr$(4);"pr#1"

40 print chr$(4);"pr#0"

 

Edited August 1, 2023 by nick3092

[nick3092]

Also, if you are going to be making a list that varies frequently, or has a large number of items, a FOR loop READing DATA statements and printing the value would simplify the program. Something to look into if you want to. 

[Duhast]

What are you printing on?  If you have an Imagewriter II, you can attempt to use Mousetext characters.

 

[SIO2]

[_]   Wash the lawn

[_]   Mow the deck

 

Check buckets perhaps with brackets and underscore in the middle?

 

You could start shading in from the bottom and if you don't fully complete the task you can leave the bucket half full or half empty (your choice).

 

[newTIboyRob]

First off, thank you all for the help and suggestions .

 

So I fiddled around a little. 

 

Nick...your incorporation lines worked like a charm and sealed the deal. Exactly what I needed (I just wasn't sure where those lines were to be, but I did have that same incorporation idea, so I was close but no cigar.)   Also, good point about the FOR NEXT and READ DATA concepts. I dug up my Guide To Programming in Applesoft by Bruce Presley book and it's got some great stuff and programs in there for reference. Thank you!

 

Duhast... cool idea. I actually found a link to a program that prints out all the Mousetext characters on my 2c. I tried it, and it worked. There were some interesting looking characters printed out in 80 column mode, notably:  a white filled box, a white filled box with a check mark inside, a more wide but shaded in gray box, two parallel lines which resembled the top and bottom (but not sides!) of an 80 column size cursor box and the most interesting of all... what looked like a bubble shaped L or a piece of Lego, almost resembled a folder actually. It was kind of cool for some use if you enlarged it and played with it!

 

SIO2... super idea for the underscore between the brackets idea and calling the thing buckets. That never even occurred to me! Brilliant idea about partial shading of the bucket to signify status of completion of the task too!

 

So after trying everything, I printed out 3 ways:  [ ]  [  ]  and [_].  Call it personal preference, but I am going with the first closer set of brackets, as the middle looked like too much space inbetween on the printed page and the last of the three

looked like it was creating too wide of a box.

 

Thank you all though. Now I can go make the list. Actually performing the task and to completion?  Another story. Awesome nevertheless!

 

[SIO2]

Just one more option.  Glad you found something you liked. 

 

Remember to use a number 2 pencil or the answers won't count.

Edited August 1, 2023 by SIO2
Funny

[newTIboyRob]

Good point!  Also, don't make cool patterns on the test, a la Spicoli and Chainsaw. Ah the 80's.