Revolutionary Guide to QBasic

The book starts off with a lightning tour of the QBasic language and introduces the experienced BASIC user, not familiar with QBasic, to its fundamental concepts. We then move on through more advanced topics that every QBasic expert needs to be acquainted with, including popular data structures, multimedia programming, practical application design, file handling and system management.

When the introduction to the QBasic language is complete, we delve straight into how your programs interact with memory and data. After covering arrays and advanced system functions, we progress into the subject of accessing the power of machine code routines from within QBasic. We finish this topic with a complete example of how to access and control the mouse in QBasic.

We then move on to discuss complex data structures and examine some popular methods of searching them. Following a comparison of all the various sort algorithms, we continue on towards a comprehensive understanding of the file system and file management. This then serves as a gentle introduction to the world of program design, illustrated by methods in the programs.

The next section is devoted to programming multimedia in QBasic. Although not normally renowned for their multimedia content, we will show you how to get stunning results from even the simplest of programs. Running through bit-mapped graphics, 3D programming, ray casting, animation, quality audio and accessing the Sound Blaster, this is where you can bring your QBasic applications to life. A fine collection of fully explained programs demonstrate some of the fantastic effects QBasic can achieve, including the first ever Doom-like 3D environment engine for QBastic.

Finally we take a professional look at games development, modern interface programming and using QBasic in a business context. We will also present some in depth examinations of exciting, practical applications including a sprite creator, a spreadsheet, a pianola and a scrolling arcade game.

The complementary disk contains all the listed source code, along with a huge collection of additional top-quality QBasic programs which have been referenced throughout the book.

What's special about this book?

The variety and amount of experience that the authors bring to this book shines through, demonstrating how to develop QBasic programs of only the highest calibre. By focusing tightly on what Qbasic programmers really want to include, the book enters previously uncharted territory to bring truly advanced subjects to QBasic. Throughout the book you will be able to collate an invaluable library of routines, functions and sizzling code samples to enable all your future QBasic programs to meet exacting professional standards.

Contents

• Introduction
• The essentials of QBasic programming
• Controlling program flow
• Input, output and printing
• Understanding memory, data and machine code
• Manipulating data structures
• File management
• Program design
• Bit-mapped graphics and animation
• Advanced 2D graphics
• 3D graphics programming
• This is sound
• Game development
• Programming a user interface
• Using BASIC for business
• Afterword
• Appendix A: QBasic resource guide
• Appendix B: Disk reference
• Index