My BASIC code of ethics

I started programming on my Commodore VIC-20, then moved up to the C64 & Apple ][, all the while programming in BASIC.

All of these versions of BASIC are based off of the Microsoft BASIC that came before. BASIC has been called a “bowl of spaghetti” programming language, because of how unstructured it is. Back in the day I wrote sloppy code; putting multiple commands on a line until it wrapped, using a ? instead of print, goto statements all over the place & not a REMark in sight.

Now, after 40+ years of doing NO programming & want to start again, with a clean slate. I’m still going to use my Apple][ BASIC, but I’m going to do it better. I want anyone who has one of my programs to understand it & be able to modify it easily.

Here is my pledge.

• don’t put multiple commands on one line except for IF/THEN, vars or REMarks
• use full variable names for clarity (UN is the same as UNknown)
• use GOTO/GOSUB statements for IF/THEN loops
• don’t cram items together: e.g. x=(c+(v*5)/3 -vs- x= (c+ (v*5) /3
• use plenty of REMarks (see remarks below)
• use subroutines, not a bunch of GOTOs
• NEVER have a goto or gosub point to a REMark
• always use a REMark statement on a gosub/goto, so you know where it is going
• put a clear variable list at the bottom in REMark statements
• all REMark statements should be able to be deleted without affecting the program

Line numbering rules

• step by 5 or 10
• lines 1 – 49 are for REMarks giving info about the program

• lines 50 – 1,999 are for the main program code (That is 389 lines available, by 5’s)
• lines 2,000 – 19,999 are for the program subroutines (3,599 lines available, by 5’s)
• lines 20,000 – 25,000 is the variable list/instruction REMarks (1,000) lines available, by 5’s)

REMark statement rules

major program segments

• rem
• rem *** [start line]-[last line] description ***
• rem

used to denote the main parts of the program

secondary segments

• rem
• rem ** description **

used for various sub-parts of the major program segments

jump segments

• rem * description *
  • a description of where the program is going
  • to be put at the end of a goto/gosub statement
  • e.g. gosub 1000 : rem * set up variables *

instructional items

• rem — description
  • gives information about a particular part of the program
  • can be put at the end of a statement

extra space for code

• rem /////[start line]-[last line] open

variable list rules

• start the list with the header
• 19996 end
• 19997 rem ***********************************
• 19998 rem *** 20,000-25,000 variable list ***
• 19999 rem ***********************************
• then group your variables by type if needed
• rem *** variable type ***
• rem variables
• rem more variables…

• use 1 variable per line
• write out the entire variable name with the first two letters capitalized
• separate the different group types with a space
• the last group should show the “internal” variables used