2 Apr
2025
2 Apr
'25
3:05 a.m.
So, I am working on another fun project on my trusty old TRS-80's.
I need the ability to do multi-line functions which TRS-80 BASIC
does not support. But in hopes of finding something where someone
added that capability in the distant past (there were lots of features
added by various people over time) I decided to just try a Google
Search. As we all know Google now begins results with an AI generated
answer to your question. This is what I got:
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In TRS-80 BASIC, you can create multi-line functions (subroutines)
using the DEF FN statement, allowing you to define a function that
can perform a specific task and be called from different parts of
your program.
Here's how it works:
DEF FN Statement:
You use the DEF FN statement to define a function, followed by the
function name (e.g., FNMyFunction), a set of parentheses for any
arguments, and then the code that the function will execute.
Example: 10 DEF FNC(X,Y) = X*X + Y*Y defines a function named FNC
that takes two arguments (X and Y) and returns the sum of their squares.
Function Call:
To use the function, you simply call it by its name, passing in the
necessary arguments.
Example: 20 PRINT FNC(3,4) would print the value returned by the FNC
function when called with arguments 3 and 4, which is 25.
Multi-line Functions:
You can extend the DEF FN statement to span multiple lines, allowing
for more complex logic within the function.
Example:
Code
10 DEF FNC(X,Y)
20 LET TEMP = X * X
30 LET TEMP = TEMP + Y * Y
40 DEF FN END
50 PRINT FNC(3,4)
This example defines a function that calculates the sum of squares
of two numbers, but the calculation is broken down into multiple
lines for readability.
Key Points:
Line Numbers:
TRS-80 BASIC relies on line numbers, so make sure to use them
appropriately when defining multi-line functions.
Function Name:
Function names must start with FN followed by a valid identifier
(e.g., FNC, FNMyFunction).
DEF FN END:
You need to use DEF FN END to mark the end of the function
definition, especially when using multi-line functions.
Scope:
Functions are defined within the scope of the program and are
accessible from anywhere in the program.
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Which is both wrong and totally absurd.
And I see things all the time about letting AI write your code for you.
Does anyone actually trust AI to write code?
bill