Commodore VIC-20 - CHAPTER 2 Operating the VIC 20; IMMEDIATE MODE

When using the screen (device # 3) as an input device, the
INPUT# statement can be used to read any whole line of text
from the screen. The last character of the line will be read as
a CHR$(13), as if the screen hit the RETURN key at the end
of the line!
However, there are times when it's not aiways practical to use
1NPUT#, and some precautions are in order. If a siring variable put
on the file has certain characters, using INPUT# could have
unexpected results. If you use CHRS(13), or a comma (,) or
semicolon {;) or colon {:), the VJC will think that this marks the end of
your variable. If you put quote marks (CHRS(34)) at the start and
end of your string when it is written, it will come back intact.
IN PUT # may also be used to 'llNPUT" data without the question
mark (?) prompt being displayed. This is very useful for a variety of
applications, for example if you want to set up a graphic chart and
let the operator INPUT data to the chart without question marks
being displayed.
EXAMPLE:
10 OPEN 1,0
20 PRINT "ENTER A NUMBER'1: INPUT#1, A
30 PRINT A "TIMES" 5 "EQUALS'1 A*5
OPEN
Format: Abbreviation: Screen Display:
OPEN file#, oftTfr-Tlp O lII
[device#T command^ string]
This statement OPENs a channel for input and/or output to a
device. This device can be part of the VIC, like the screen and
keyboard, or an accessory, like the tape recorder, printer, or disk
drive. When OPENing a channel to an externaE device, the VIC sets
up a buffer for the data, and only transmits and receives whofe
buffers at a time.
The file# can be any number from 1 to 255, and is the same
number that will be used in the INPUT#, GET#, and PRINT*
statements to work with this device. The device# specifies which
device, and is set within that device.
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