The comma is used to TAB the cursor after a PRINT statement’s text to tab append another printed value.
Usage
INPUT “Name, age and sex(M or F): “, nm$, age%, sex$
- Commas in PRINT statements TAB space values up to 15 column places with column 57 being the maximum per row.
- A comma following the prompt text in an INPUT statement does not display a question mark. A Semicolon or no prompt does.
- Commas are also used between INPUT statement variables when more than one input is required.
- LINE INPUT can use a comma or semicolon after the prompt text. Neither will display a question mark.
- Commas are used as argument separators in many kinds of QBasic statements and SUB or FUNCTION parameter lists.
- WRITE statements use commas to separate values printed to the screen or sent to a file without tab spacing them.
- Literal numerical values entered into program code, DATA, files or user INPUT cannot contain comma separators!
Example(s)
Comparing TAB to comma tab spacing.
PRINT TAB(15); "T"
PRINT , "T"
Comparing PRINT and WRITE statement displays.
value1 = 23567: value2 = 45678: value3 = 354126
COLOR 14: LOCATE 2, 1: PRINT value1, value2, value3
COLOR 12: LOCATE 4, 1: WRITE value1, value2, value3
23567 45678 354126
23567,45678,354126
Note: WRITE does not space any values. The commas separate the numerical values without the normal PRINT spacing.