Qbasic Versions

Patz2009 · Post by **Patz2009** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:00 pm

I am currently searching for every QBasic version I can find. So far, I have 1.1, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 4.5, and 7.1. Some are even in french and german. If anyone else can help me find these, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
PATZ

Dr_Davenstein · Post by **Dr_Davenstein** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 6:48 am

Heh, you didn't put zero. I don't have any version installed on this machine. Only FreeBasic.

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 2:35 am

Go to The QBasic Forum
http://www.network54.com/Forum/13959
and click on "subforums, links, etc."

Or go directly there via
http://www.qbasic.alturl.com

Then click on "Links and Downloads"

There you have it. And MORE.

Enjoy QBasic programming

Mac

Dr_Davenstein · Post by **Dr_Davenstein** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 6:24 am

Thanks, but I'm done with it. I'll always help new people out, if I can, but I'm really enjoying this new-fangled compiler.

If you want to know how many I used to have... Well pretty much every version I could get my hands on. I always liked 4.5 the best though.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 5:16 pm

I only have 1.1. Sad, isn't it?

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 12:08 am

Destructo2000:
Read Mac's post, just two above yours. He shows links where you can get QuickBASIC 4.5, the most popular version.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:01 pm

I would, except that i'd have to download it on this computer, where it doesn't work, and put it on my other computer, where it does work. Yet i can't seem to fit it on a floppy.

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 12:36 am

Destructo2000:
The files that I have for QuickBASIC 4.5, I have on one 1.44 KB floppy, and they only occupy 1.33 KB, as you can see in my list, below.

When you download QuickBASIC 4.5, it will be on a zip file. Download it to your hard drive, then, unzip it there. Finally, look at all the unzipped files, and their total size. I would then use QB from my hard drive, with its large storage capacity and its fast loading and unloading capability.

If, for some reason (perhaps you use Windows XP, Home Edition, like me), you need to transport them to another computer with an operating system that is compatible with QuickBASIC, but that doesn't have Internet access, you should be able to copy as large a number of files, either on one floppy (mine fits on one floppy), or on various, then port them to your other computer.

Please let us know if the above has solved your problem.

These are my QuickBASIC 4.5 files, as I got them from my original five 5 1/4" disks, which I still have. Note that all these files are not necessary for running many programs, so, a smaller subset would work. In fact, only QB.exe and QB.ini are sufficient to run many of my small programs. :

There are 21 files in this QB directory,
with a total size of 1.33MB
BC.EXE 96 KB
BCOM45.LIB 216 KB
BQLB45.LIB 25 KB
BRUN45.EXE 76 KB
BRUN45.LIB 25 KB
DESC.SDI 1 KB
LIB.EXE 35 KB
LINK.EXE 68 KB
MOUSE.COM 15 KB
MOUSE.INI 1 KB
QB4UTIL.BI 10 KB
QB4UTIL.LIB 2 KB
QB45ADVR.HLP 323 KB
QB45ENER.HLP 48 KB
QB45QCK.HLP 79 KB
QB.BI 2 KB
QB.EXE 273 KB
QB.INI 1 KB
QB.LIB 3 KB
QB.QLB 6 KB
QB_EDR.LIB 73 KB

ranjo · Post by **ranjo** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 6:01 pm

qbasic 4.5 is very good...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 12:40 am

Very disconcerting that the original poster, Patz2009, has not posted again to tell us, 1. That he has found the help here great, and, 2. that he now has all the versions available. Or, possibly, that he is looking for more?

pebe · Post by **pebe** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 9:41 pm

Ralph wrote:......If, for some reason (perhaps you use Windows XP, Home Edition, like me), you need to transport them to another computer with an operating system that is compatible with QuickBASIC, but that doesn't have Internet access, you should be able to copy as large a number of files, either on one floppy (mine fits on one floppy), or on various, then port them to your other computer......

I run Ver 4.5 on Windows XP Home with no problems. But it needs a FAT partition to run in.

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 10:36 pm

Pebe wrote:

I run Ver 4.5 on Windows XP Home with no problems. But it needs a FAT partition to run in.

Wow, this may be just what I and many others have been looking for! Would you be so kind as to detail just what you are talking about, and, possibly, tell us "how to do it", step by step?

pebe · Post by **pebe** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 6:16 pm

Ralph wrote:Pebe wrote:
I run Ver 4.5 on Windows XP Home with no problems. But it needs a FAT partition to run in.
Wow, this may be just what I and many others have been looking for! Would you be so kind as to detail just what you are talking about, and, possibly, tell us "how to do it", step by step?

Ok. Here's a step-by-step
1. WinXP uses the newer NTFS formatting which DOS does not recognise, so you need to make a DOS (FAT) partition on your HD with a program like 'Partition Magic'. The partition will be seen by Windows as a new drive (probably E or F).
2. Put your QB programs in that partition.

3. Go into 'Windows Explorer' and click on 'My Computer'.
4. You will see your new drive. Click on the drive to open it out. You will see your programs.
5. Minimise the Explorer window so you can see the desktop underneath it.
6. Go to the QB prog you want to run (QB.EXE?). Right click on it and drag to the desktop.
7. Click on 'Make a Shortcut'. An icon will appear. Close the Explorer window.

8. Right click on the icon and select the 'Program' tab. Change the Run box to 'Maximised'.
9. Select the 'Screen' tab. Change to 'Full Screen'.
10. Select the 'compatibility' tab and
11. Check the box 'Run this program in compatibility mode for'
12. Select Windows 2000 from list.
13. Check box – Run in 640x480 screen resolution
14. Click on 'Apply'.

You're now ready. Left click the icon and you will be in QB editor, but it will be 50 lines deep instead of 25 lines in DOS.

When you run a text-based QB program (.bas or compiled .exe) it may be squashed into the top half of the screen. You can get full screen by putting the command WIDTH 80, 25 at the beginning of your program. For .exe programs you'll need to recompile. I don't know about programs in graphics mode - I've never used that mode.

I have a USB printer that doesn't know about ASCII codes (most don't nowadays). That's a double whammy for QB! But I found the perfect answer in the shareware program 'DOSPRN'. It will print from any of my old DOS based programs to my printer - graphics as well!

I hope I've included everything, but if not, come back.

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 7:50 pm

Pebe:

Thank you very much for your patience and good will inputting together all the steps that you recommended. As soon as I can get a copy of Partition Magic, which a friend of mine has promised "to look for it", I will do the partitioning you describe. Thank you, again!

But, I have a doubt. You wrote:

1. WinXP uses the newer NTFS formatting which DOS does not recognise...

This raises some questions in my mind:

Using Windows XP, I can run QuickBASIC (a "DOS" program) fine. I can then run the uncompiled version of any QuickBASIC program that I open from a file (say, CIRCLES.BAS), or that I write in the QuickBASIC editor. No problem in running these programs, AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT CONTAIN GRAPHICS. Text-based programs run as always. And, all of this is plain DOS.

Further, even the graphics programs run, and they show the screen full of graphics (which, to me, means that XP understood the graphics commands and executed them). The problem is that, then, the program freezes (with Service Pack 1), or else it minimizes after a few seconds (with Service Pack 2).

So, I can imagine that some of the memory addresses previously used by DOS are now used by XP SP 1, and, still others, by XP SP 2. And, that this can make any DOS program have unpredictable problems, due to confilcts with XP in relation to these memory addresses. That explanation sets my mind at ease.

But, as soon as sombody writes something that might just possibly upset my current explanation on DOS, XP and QuickBAXIC, I start asking questions, just hoping that I am wrong, and that there may be a way to run these graphics programs directly in XP.

Any good, clear, and detailed constructive comments will be highly welcome.

pebe · Post by **pebe** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 9:29 pm

Ralph:

I may not be able to help much - I'm not too familiar with what goes on in the computer. I run XP Home edition, but I don't think there is a service pack installed. I won't bore you with a long story but I originally had Win 98SE that crashed many times for no known reason. Finally, I took it to a dealer for a main board upgrade and a Win XP installation. That stopped it crashing again.

About a month later I went online to check for upgrades and got nowhere. So back to the dealer - but he'd done a moonlight flit! However, it's all working so I'm loath to shell out more cash to another dealer to get the job done properly so I can get upgrades.

I have today run two programs. First, TORUS.BAS originally came with the QB disk. It uses graphics and various screens. Second, a program I did myself about 15 years ago that calculated sail panels for model sailing boats uses Screen 9. Both programs ran OK. To see if there was any difference from how they ran originally, I booted into DOS 6.22.from a CD. The results looked the same.

It may be, as you say, that the service packs have some adverse effect (BTW, how could I tell if one is fitted to my computer?).

If it's of any interest, I run an old commercial DOS program for making PCBs and that runs fine in XP. But another one that uses a TSR won't run - which is why I made up the DOS 6.22 CD. So there are obviously features in DOS that Win XP cannot emulate.

I'm sorry I can't be more helpful.

How many versions of QBasic do you have?

Find BASICA and QBasic 1.0 here