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HP BASIC for OpenVMS
User Manual
Order Number:
AA--HY15F--TK
January 2005
This manual describes how to develop HP BASIC programs and use
HP BASIC features on HP OpenVMS Industry Standard 64 and HP OpenVMS
Alpha systems.
Revision/Update Information:
This revised manual supersedes the Compaq BASIC OpenVMS Alpha and
VAX Systems User Manual, Version 1.4.
Software Version:
HP BASIC Version 1.6
for OpenVMS Systems
Operating System and Version:
OpenVMS I64 Version 8.2 or higher
OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1 or higher
(with IEEE floating-point support)
OpenVMS Alpha Version 6.1 or higher
(without IEEE floating-point support)
Hewlett-Packard Company Palo Alto, California
© Copyright 2005 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Confidential computer software. Valid license from HP required for
possession, use or copying. Consistent with FAR 12.211 and 12.212,
Commercial Computer Software, Computer Software Documentation, and
Technical Data for Commercial Items are licensed to the U.S. Government
under vendor's standard commercial license.
The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.
The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the
express warranty statements accompanying such products and services.
Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional
warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or
omissions contained herein.
Intel and Itanium are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel
Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other
countries.
Printed in the US
ZK5424
Preface
This manual describes how to develop and use HP BASIC programs on
OpenVMS systems and describes BASIC language features.
Note
In this manual, the term OpenVMS refers to both OpenVMS I64 and OpenVMS
Alpha systems. If there are differences in the behavior of the
HP BASIC compiler on the two operating systems, those differences
are noted.
The term I64 BASIC refers to HP BASIC on OpenVMS I64 systems.
Alpha BASIC refers to HP BASIC on OpenVMS Alpha systems.
VAX BASIC refers to VAX BASIC on OpenVMS VAX systems.
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Intended Audience
This manual is intended for programmers who compile, link, and execute
HP BASIC programs on OpenVMS systems. Users should have a working
knowledge of BASIC or another high-level programming language, the
Digital Command Language (DCL), and DCL command procedures.
Document Structure
This manual contains the following chapters and appendixes:
Part 1 Developing HP BASIC Programs on OpenVMS Systems
- Chapter 1 provides a brief overview of HP BASIC.
- Chapter 2 describes how to develop programs at DCL command level
and how to generate a compiler listing.
- Chapter 3 describes how to use the OpenVMS Debugger to debug
HP BASIC programs.
Part 2 HP BASIC Programming Concepts
- Chapter 4 explains how to get started with HP BASIC.
- Chapter 5 explains simple input and output procedures.
- Chapter 6 shows how to use arrays.
- Chapter 7 explains data definitions.
- Chapter 8 explains how to create user-defined data structures
with the RECORD statement.
- Chapter 9 shows how to control the flow of program execution.
- Chapter 10 explains how to use functions.
- Chapter 11 explains how to handle strings.
- Chapter 12 describes structured programming techniques.
- Chapter 13 explains how to manage files.
- Chapter 14 describes how to format output with the PRINT USING
statement.
- Chapter 15 explains error-handling techniques.
- Chapter 16 shows how to use compiler directives.
- Chapter 17 describes how BASIC represents data.
Part 3 Using HP BASIC Features on OpenVMS Systems
- Chapter 18 describes additional I/O considerations on OpenVMS
systems.
- Chapter 19 describes OpenVMS System Services and Run-Time Library
routines.
- Chapter 20 describes the use of user-supplied libraries and
shareable images.
- Chapter 21 describes how to use CDD/Repository capabilities.
- Chapter 22 describes using standard Motif Bindings with BASIC.
Appendixes
- Appendix A lists compile-time error messages.
- Appendix B lists run-time error messages.
- Appendix C provides an overview of the optional productivity
tools.
Related Documents
For more information about language elements, syntax, and reference
information, see the HP BASIC for OpenVMS Reference Manual.
Reader's Comments
HP welcomes your comments on this manual. Please send comments to
either of the following addresses:
Internet
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openvmsdoc@hp.com
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Postal Mail
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Hewlett-Packard Company
OSSG Documentation Group, ZKO3-4/U08
110 Spit Brook Rd.
Nashua, NH 03062-2698
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Conventions
The following product names may appear in this manual:
- HP OpenVMS Industry Standard 64 for Integrity Servers
- OpenVMS I64
- I64
All three names---the longer form and the two abbreviated forms---refer
to the version of the OpenVMS operating system that runs on the
Intel® Itanium® architecture.
The following typographic conventions might be used in this manual:
Ctrl/
x
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A sequence such as Ctrl/
x indicates that you must hold down the key labeled Ctrl while
you press another key or a pointing device button.
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PF1
x
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A sequence such as PF1
x indicates that you must first press and release the key
labeled PF1 and then press and release another key or a pointing device
button.
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[Return]
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In examples, a key name enclosed in a box indicates that you press a
key on the keyboard. (In text, a key name is not enclosed in a box.)
In the HTML version of this document, this convention appears as
brackets, rather than a box.
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...
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A horizontal ellipsis in examples indicates one of the following
possibilities:
- Additional optional arguments in a statement have been omitted.
- The preceding item or items can be repeated one or more times.
- Additional parameters, values, or other information can be entered.
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.
.
.
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A vertical ellipsis indicates the omission of items from a code example
or command format; the items are omitted because they are not important
to the topic being discussed.
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( )
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In command format descriptions, parentheses indicate that you must
enclose choices in parentheses if you specify more than one.
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[ ]
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In command format descriptions, brackets indicate optional choices. You
can choose one or more items or no items. Do not type the brackets on
the command line. However, you must include the brackets in the syntax
for OpenVMS directory specifications and for a substring specification
in an assignment statement.
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In command format descriptions, vertical bars separate choices within
brackets or braces. Within brackets, the choices are optional; within
braces, at least one choice is required. Do not type the vertical bars
on the command line.
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{ }
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In command format descriptions, braces indicate required choices; you
must choose at least one of the items listed. Do not type the braces on
the command line.
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bold type
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Bold type represents the introduction of a new term. It also represents
the name of an argument, an attribute, or a reason.
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italic type
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Italic type indicates important information, complete titles of
manuals, or variables. Variables include information that varies in
system output (Internal error
number), in command lines (/PRODUCER=
name), and in command parameters in text (where
dd represents the predefined code for the device type).
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UPPERCASE TYPE
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Uppercase type indicates a command, the name of a routine, the name of
a file, or the abbreviation for a system privilege.
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-
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A hyphen at the end of a command format description, command line, or
code line indicates that the command or statement continues on the
following line.
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numbers
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All numbers in text are assumed to be decimal unless otherwise noted.
Nondecimal radixes---binary, octal, or hexadecimal---are explicitly
indicated.
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Mnemonics and Other Terms Used in Syntax
Diagrams
angle
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Angle in radians or degrees
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array
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Array; syntax rules specify whether the bounds or dimensions can be
specified
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chnl
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I/O channel associated with a file
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chnl-exp
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Numeric expression that specifies a channel number
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com
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Specific to a COMMON block
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cond
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Conditional expression; indicates that an expression can be either
logical or relational
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cond-exp
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Conditional expression
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const
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Constant value
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data-type
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Data type keyword
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decimal-var
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Decimal variable
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decl-item
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Array, record, or variable
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def
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Specific to a DEF function
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delim
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Delimiter
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equiv-name
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File specification, device, or logical name to be assigned a logical
name
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err-num
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Run-time error number
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exp
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Expression
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ext-routine
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External function
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external-param
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External parameter
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file-spec
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File specification
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func
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Specific to a FUNCTION subprogram
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int
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Integer value
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int-const
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Integer constant
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int-exp
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Expression that represents an integer value
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int-var
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Variable that contains an integer value
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label
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Alphanumeric statement label
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lex
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Lexical; used to indicate a component of a compiler directive
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lex-exp
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Lexical expression
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lex-var
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Lexical variable
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line
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Statement line; may or may not be numbered
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line-num
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Statement line number
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lit
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Literal value, in quotation marks
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log-exp
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Logical expression
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log-name
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1- to 63-character logical name to be associated with
equiv-name
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macro-id
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User identifier following the rules for BASIC identifiers
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map
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Specific to a MAP statement
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matrix
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Two-dimensional array
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name
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Name or identifier; indicates the declaration of a name or the name of
a BASIC structure, such as a SUB subprogram
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num
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Numeric value
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num-lit
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Numeric literal
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param-list
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Parameter list, such as for a SUB subprogram
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pass-mech
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Valid BASIC passing mechanism
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prog-name
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Program name
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real
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Floating-point value
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real-exp
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Real expression
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real-var
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Real variable
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rec-exp
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Record expression; record number within a file
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rel-exp
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Relational expression
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relationship-type
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Oracle CDD/Repository protocol
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replacement-token
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Identifier, keyword, compiler directive, literal constant, or operator
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routine
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SUB subprogram or other callable procedure
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str
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Character string
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str-exp
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Expression that represents a character string
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str-lit
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String literal
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str-var
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Variable that contains a character string
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sub
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Specific to a SUB subprogram
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target
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Target point of a branch statement; either a line number or a label
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unq-str
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Unique string
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unsubs-var
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Unsubscripted variable, as opposed to an array element
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var
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Variable
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Part 1 Developing BASIC Programs on OpenVMS Systems
Part 1 provides an overview of BASIC and describes how to develop
and debug BASIC programs. It shows you how to get started on the
OpenVMS system and how to develop programs.
Chapter 1 Overview of HP BASIC
BASIC is a powerful structured programming language designed for novice
and application programmers alike.
BASIC was originally developed for students with little or no
programming experience. Since then, BASIC has become one of the most
widely used programming languages and is available on almost every
computer system.
The OpenVMS implementations of BASIC have evolved beyond the original
design but still support all of the traditional features of the
original language in addition to more recent programming techniques.
HP BASIC has become much more than a teaching tool and is used in a
wide variety of sophisticated applications.
1.1 Language Constructs Supported
HP BASIC supports the following language constructs:
- Code without line numbers (traditional line numbers are optional)
- Control structures, such as SELECT CASE
- Explicit variable declarations
- Capabilities for handling dynamic strings
- Adaptable file-handling capabilities for terminal-format files, and
the full range of RMS facilities
- Global and local run-time error handling with WHEN ERROR blocks
- Compile-time directives
- A variety of data types, including packed-decimal, user-defined
records, and VAX and IEEE floating-point data types.
- Extensive error checking with meaningful error messages
- Thirty-one character names for variables, labels, functions, and
subprograms
1.2 Advantages on OpenVMS
HP BASIC uses the OpenVMS operating system to its full advantage
and is integrated with many other HP products. In particular,
HP BASIC supports:
- The OpenVMS systems standard calling procedures
- Record definitions included from the OpenVMS Common Data Dictionary
- Code analysis with the Performance and Coverage Analyzer (PCA)
- Creation of code with the Language-Sensitive Editor (LSE)
- Extensive online language help
- Exchange of data with other systems using DECnet
HP BASIC supports features of other versions of BASIC, including
PDP-11 BASIC-PLUS-2. The /FLAG qualifier allows you to check whether
programs contain declining features that should be replaced with newer
ones.
When you write programs in HP BASIC, you develop programs at the
DCL command level. You write your source program with a text editor,
then compile, link, and run the program with commands to the OpenVMS
operating system.
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