Mostly BASIC : applications for your Atari 1

188 Pages·1983·45.928 MB·English

by  Howard Berenbon

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Mostly BASIC:
Applications for Your Atari®
Book 1
Howard Berenbon is a graduate of Wayne State University with a Bachelor of
Science in Electrical Engineering. He is a full-time freelance technical writer,
spending much time developing new programs for microcomputers. His
articles have appeared in many of the popular electronics and microcomputer
publications. He is the author of Mostly BASIC: Applications for Your Ap
ple® II, Books 1 and 2; Mostly BASIC: Applications for Your TRS-8(J!l, Books
1 and 2,' and Mostly BASIC: Applications for Your PET.
Mostly BASIC:
Applications for Your Atari®
Book 1
by
Howard Berenbon
Howard W. Sams & Co., Inc.
4300 WEST 62ND ST. INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA 46268 USA
Copyright © 1983 by Howard Berenbon
FIRST EDITION
FIRST PRINTING-1983
All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, without written permission from
the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with
respect to the use of the information contained herein.
While every precaution has been taken in the
preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no
responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any
liability assumed for damages resulting from the use
of the information contained herein.
International Standard Book Number: 0-672-22075-X
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 83-61071
Edited by: Lou Keglovits
Printed in the United States of America.
Preface
The microcomputer has come a long way since the 1975 introduction of the
Altair 8800, which required program entry, in binary, through "front panel"
switches. But now there are several different microcomputer systems to
choose from. Most systems include a typewriter style keyboard, some sort of
video graphics display, and a BASIC language resident in ROM.
This book is written for the hobbyist who owns an Atari 400/800/1200XL
personal computer. It's composed of 38 chapters filled with useful BASIC pro
grams for the home and office. The programs can help the hobbyist save
money on energy usage, keep a record of medical expenses, bar chart business
sales, teach foreign languages, and dial the telephone.
As an added feature, an educational Dungeons and Dragons* game pro
gram, called the Dungeon of Htam, is included. It's a two level dungeon where
the player must answer math questions as he wanders through the maze. He
receives gold for a correct response, and will lose gold for an incorrect
response. His goal is to find the way out of the dungeon, with as much gold as
possible.
Also included is the Tarot Card Reader, a program based on the ancient deck
of 78 cards used in fortune-telling.
The last section in the book includes six chapters on graphics and sound.
The programs include several color graphics routines, Display List manipula
tion, a message writer that uses the joystick for typing instead of the
keyboard (may be used to aid the handicapped), a joystick test program with
sound, and a moving stars simulation.
The programs are written in Atari BASIC for the Atari personal computer.
Many of the programs utilize the expanded text mode with color. Some will
run without modifications in other microcomputer BASICs, and may contain
additional program lines to ensure some compatibility with the many dialects
of BASIC.
The programs listed are only a fraction of the useful and practical programs
that will be available to the computer hobbyist.
The application of the home computer is only limited by the imagination.
HOWARD BERENBON
*Dungeons and Dragons is a registered trademark of TSR Hobbies, Inc.
In memory of my grandmothers, Shirley Diem
and Lilly Berenbon.
Contents
SECTION I
Real Time Applications
CHAPTER 1
BASIC TELEPHONE DIALER . .. . . ... . .. . . . ... . . . ... .. ... . .. . .. .. . . . 13
CHAPTER 2
THE TIME MACHINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 17
CHAPTER 3
COMBINATION LOCK ......... . . . .. .. . . . .. ..... . . . ... .. ... . .. .. ... 20
CHAPTER 4
DIGITAL STOPWATCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 23
SECTION II
Educational Programs
CHAPTER 5
MEMORY CHALLENGER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
CHAPTER 6
VISUAL PERCEPTION TEST .... . ................................... 30
CHAPTER 7
THE DUNGEON OF HTAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 34
CHAPTER 8
LANGUAGE FLASH CARDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 47
CHAPTER 9
THE WORD BOARD . ...... . ..... . .. . . . .... .......... ....... . .. . . . 61
CHAPTER 10
SPELLING TEST. . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
CHAPTER 11
THE READING PACER .. . . ... ... . . . . .. ... .. .. .... . ............ . . .. 73
CHAPTER 12
MATH 4 .... ..... .. .. .. . ...... ............... .. .. .. . .... ....... 75
CHAPTER 13
THE SUN ... . . . . . . ....... . ..... . ... . . .. .... . . ... . .... . .. .... ... 79
CHAPTER 14
CONSTELLATION 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
SECTION III
Business and Investment
CHAPTER 15
IRA PLANNING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 93
CHAPTER 16
THE HOUSE BUYING GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 96
CHAPTER 17
BOND ANALYSIS 101
CHAPTER 18
AMORTIZATION SCHEDl,JLE 103
CHAPTER 19
DEPRECIATION SCHEDULE 107
CHAPTER 20
ACRS DEPRECIATION SCHEDULE ... .. ..... .. ..... . .... . .... .. ... . . 109
CHAPTER 21
BAR CHART OF SALES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 112
SECTION IV
Home Applications
CHAPTER 22
RECIPE AMOUNT CALCULATOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 117