QuickBasic Cafe Forum

Hi
I need to make a quickbasic program in a computer which has windows xp, but I need to save my program in a floppy in order to run it in another computer in DOS mode.

How do I build my program in the xp machine? (I need the printer's port in my program)
How do I save it in a floppy?
How do I run it in the other machine in dos mode?

Thanks

Hi,

What version are you using?
If version$ = "QB4.5" then

All you have to do is write your program like normal.
Then in the run menu choose make Exe.Once the
executable is created you open up My computer and windows
explorer. Righ click on your exe file choose copy.
In my computer double click on your floppy drive then right click and choose paste.

After its done copying and the floppy is in the dos machine
Copy the program off the floppy by typing : copy A:\foo.exe(or whatever you called it)

c:\myDir\(whereever you want to put it)

then type : c:
then
cd c:\myDir
then

foo
(or whatever you called your program)

and presto it should have worked.

As of using the printer port you'll have to give me a couple more minutes on that.



Hope that helped!

Thanks for the info its very helpful.

I already know how to use the printers port

Thanks!

Hi,


Well I'm glad I helped

I'm glad I decided to refresh myself in QBasic.

It's really helping me with my C programming.

Because of your question I figured out a problem of my own

I have XP and I tried to run qb 4.5 and it wouldn't work.
It said something about a .PIF file or something. I also have qb 1.1 and that works. Can somebody help me?

A .PIF file is one that windows uses to hold settings and environment info for a dos program. They often are used to invoke the command line switches that you use or to adjust what screen mode it should use (full or window), what font, how the memory should be configred, and so forth. These Are usually automatically created for you, and so i think there should be an option to run anyway or some such thing.

ok for the floppy, make a dos boot disk, and copy qbasic and your file to the floppy. boot into the floppy and type in qbasic.exe, then run your program. but i dont know if access to ports is accepted in DOS. also, for xp, run it in compatibility mode.

The only .pif file I see in my QuickBASIC 4.5 directory is called MICROS~1.PIF. Try doing a search on your computer for it, it just might be in the wrong directory!

To Ghostman and other QuickBASIC gurus:

I have QuickBASIC 4.5 and am running Windows XP. I have not been able to run a large program that uses SCREEN 12. It comes up, shows the graphic result, and, after a very few seconds, minimizes! And, if I click on the minimized icon, it comes up again, runs, shows the graphic result and, after a few seconds...yes, it minimizes again. And on and on.

I thought it might be something in my program, but, I can run regular programs that don't include graphics, and they stop with the results on the screen, and I can use the F4 key to flip back and forth between the program code and the results screen. Anyway, I tried a VERY simple program: When I ran it, it showed the line, and..."after a few seconds"...it minimized! I tried changing SCREEN 12 from 0 to 13. Some were not recognized at all by QuickBASIC, but, most were. The program ran for a few seconds, and ended up minimized. Very consitent, I must say

I had given up, thinking that Windows XP simply doesn't support the SCREEN command anymore. But, after reading your posting here:D, I decided to ask this question:

What is the DEFINITIVE answer to the question:

If QuickBASIC can run programs in Windows XP that include the SCREEN command, please explain what one has to do, to make it so.

Go to properties of QBX.exe, click memory, set EMS to None, everything else to Auto and check uses HMA. You don't set compatibility to windows 95 or 98, and you can check the "close on exit" (optional), and then click OK. The system automatically creates the qbx.pif file that has the same attributes.

You can double click on either qbx.exe or qbx.pif and it will load any size file, which is a problem some of us have had. Does it work on your machine?

You must pray! If you want to save your files.
Or... you need to be a Super Hero and defeat the enemys.

Harry, I don't have qbx.exe (What is qbx.exe, anyway? Never heard of it before), only qb.exe, so, I tried your suggestion with qb.exe, did it all, tried the program I have been using that runs, shows the screen for a few seconds, then minimizes. Got the same result!

I did manage to run the program without trouble using ONLY the SCREEN command, but, as soon as I use a DRAW, a PAINT, a LINE or a CIRCLE command, I get the few seconds syndrome.

Any more ideas?

Ralph

Here is my latest research results on using QuickBASIC 4.5 with Windows XP:

I tried this simple program:

SCREEN 1

For each of SCREEN 1, SCREEN 2, SCREEN 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, the program runs and, after a few seconds, minimizes". So, if I use any of the graphics commands, such as LINE, CIRCLE, etc., the program runs, shows the first screen for a few seconds, then minimizes.

For SCREEN 3, 4, 5 and 6, I got the error message, "Illegal function call"

Sorry about the previous post, which says "Guest"! I had not signed in