Here is the complete list of the controls, functions and reserved variables of the Basic V2 of the Commodore 64, with a simple explanation and an example of use.
This is a simple compendium to remember all commands, instructions and functions, when you already know how to use them! The basic V2 of the Commodore 64 has much less instructions than the Commodore 16, 116, Plus/4 Basic V3.5 and compared to Commodore 128 Basic V7.
| Instruction | Description | Type | |||||||
| ABS | Returns the absolute value of a number | Function, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT ABS(-5) | |||||||||
| AND | Returns true if both conditions are true | Operator, logical | |||||||
| A=5: B=10 IF A=5 AND B=10 THEN PRINT "OK" | |||||||||
| ASC | Returns the numerical value of a char | Function, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT ASC("A") | |||||||||
| ATN | Returns the arctangent of a number | Function, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT ATN(1) | |||||||||
| CHR$ | Returns the character corresponding to the number | Function, string | |||||||
| PRINT CHR$(65) | |||||||||
| CLOSE | Closes a file | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 OPEN 1,8,2,"FILE" 20 PRINT#1,"AMEDEO" 30 CLOSE 1 | |||||||||
| CLR | Delete variables arrays, data, … | Instruction/command | |||||||
| A=10 CLR PRINT A | |||||||||
| CMD | Changes the data output to other peripheral | Instruction/command | |||||||
| CMD 4 | |||||||||
| CONT | Resumes execution of a BASIC program | Command | |||||||
| 10 PRINT "1" 20 END 30 PRINT "2" RUN CONT | |||||||||
| COS | Returns the cosine of an angle (rad) | Function, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT COS(0) | |||||||||
| DATA | Stores constant information in the program code | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 DATA 5,10,15 20 READ A,B,C 30 PRINT A,B,C | |||||||||
| DEF FN | Defines a user-defined function | Instruction | |||||||
| 10 DEF FNS(X)=X*2 20 PRINT FNS(4) | |||||||||
| DIM | Allocates space in array memory for a new array | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 DIM A(5) 20 A(1)=42: A(2)=36 30 PRINT A(1) | |||||||||
| END | Ends the processing of the current program | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 PRINT "1" 20 END 30 PRINT "2" | |||||||||
| EXP | "e" with the power given by the argument | Function, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT EXP(1) | |||||||||
| FN | Executes a function defined by DEF FN | Function, numerical, special | |||||||
| |||||||||
| 10 DEF FNA(X)=X+1 20 PRINT FNA(5) | |||||||||
| FOR | Program loop start (FOR … TO … STEP … NEXT) | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 FOR I=1 TO 8 STEP 3 20 PRINT I 30 NEXT I | |||||||||
| FRE | Returns the number of unused bytes of BASIC RAM | Function, numerical, special | |||||||
| PRINT FRE(0) | |||||||||
| GET | Reads one or more chars from the keyboard | Instruction | |||||||
| 10 GET A$: IF A$="" GOTO 10 20 PRINT A$ | |||||||||
| GET# | Reads single characters from the specified device | Instruction/command, special | |||||||
| 10 OPEN 1,8,2,"FILE" 20 GET#1,A$ 30 PRINT A$ 40 CLOSE 1 | |||||||||
| GO TO | Jumps to a line number | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 GO TO 100 20 PRINT "1" 100 PRINT "2" | |||||||||
| GOSUB | Jumps to a subroutine … RETURN | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 GOSUB 100 20 END 100 PRINT "SUBROUTINE" 110 RETURN | |||||||||
| GOTO | Jumps to a line number | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 GOTO 100 20 PRINT "1" 100 PRINT "2" | |||||||||
| IF | Tests a condition IF … THEN or IF … GOTO | Instruction/command | |||||||
| |||||||||
| 10 A=5 20 IF A=2 THEN PRINT "2!!!" 30 IF A=5 THEN PRINT "A = 5!!!" | |||||||||
| INPUT | Reads data from the keyboard | Instruction | |||||||
| 10 INPUT "WHAT IS YOUR NAME";A$ 20 PRINT A$ | |||||||||
| INPUT# | Reads data from a file stored on peripheral device | Instruction | |||||||
| 10 OPEN 1,8,2,"FILE" 20 INPUT#1,A$ 30 PRINT A$ 40 CLOSE 1 | |||||||||
| INT | Rounds a number | Function, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT INT(5.7) | |||||||||
| LEFT$ | Left chars of a string | Function, string | |||||||
| 10 A$="AMEDEO" 20 PRINT LEFT$(A$,3) | |||||||||
| LEN | Returns the number of characters in a string | Function, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT LEN("TEST") | |||||||||
| LET | Assigns values in a variable | Instruction/command | |||||||
| LET A=10 PRINT A | |||||||||
| LIST | Displays the BASIC program in memory | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 PRINT "HELLO" 20 GOTO 10 LIST | |||||||||
| LOAD | Loads a program | Instruction/command | |||||||
| LOAD"PROGRAM",8 | |||||||||
| LOG | Natural logarithm with the basis e | Function, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT LOG(10) | |||||||||
| MID$ | Inner chars of a string | Function, string | |||||||
| 10 A$="HELLO" 20 PRINT MID$(A$,2,3) | |||||||||
| NEW | Clears RAM and program | Instruction/command | |||||||
| NEW | |||||||||
| NEXT | Program loop end (FOR … TO … STEP … NEXT) | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 FOR I=1 TO 5 20 PRINT I 30 NEXT I | |||||||||
| NOT | Reverses true to false | Operator, logical | |||||||
| PRINT NOT 0 | |||||||||
| ON | Contruct ON … GOTO, ON … GOSUB | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 X=2 20 ON X GOTO 100,200,300 30 END 100 PRINT "1": END 200 PRINT "2": END 300 PRINT "3": END | |||||||||
| OPEN | Opens a file or a channel | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 OPEN 1,8,2,"FILE" 20 PRINT#1,"AMEDEO" 30 CLOSE 1 | |||||||||
| OR | Returns true if one or both conditions are true | Operator, logical | |||||||
| A=0: B=10 IF A=5 OR B=10 THEN PRINT "OK" | |||||||||
| PEEK | Returns the memory content | Function, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT PEEK(53280) | |||||||||
| POKE | Changes the content of any memory address | Instruction/command | |||||||
| POKE 53280,0 | |||||||||
| POS | Determines the actual position of the cursor | Function, numerical, special | |||||||
| PRINT " ";POS(0) | |||||||||
| Prints data to the current output device | Instruction/command | ||||||||
| PRINT "AMEDEO" | |||||||||
| PRINT# | Stores data in a file | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 OPEN 1,8,2,"FILE" 20 PRINT#1,"AMEDEO" 30 CLOSE 1 | |||||||||
| READ | Reads constant values from DATA | Instruction | |||||||
| 10 DATA 42, 100, 232 20 READ A 30 PRINT A | |||||||||
| REM | Comments | Instruction/command | |||||||
| REM THIS IS A COMMENT | |||||||||
| RESTORE | Clears the pointer of the next data value | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 DATA 5,10,15 20 READ A,B 30 PRINT A,B 40 RESTORE 50 READ A,B 60 PRINT A,B | |||||||||
| RETURN | Finishes a subroutine: GOSUB … RETURN | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 GOSUB 100 20 PRINT "1" 30 END 100 PRINT "2" 110 RETURN | |||||||||
| RIGHT$ | Right chars of a string | Function, string | |||||||
| 10 A$="HELLO" 20 PRINT RIGHT$(A$,2) | |||||||||
| RND | Generates a random floating point number | Function, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT RND(1) | |||||||||
| RUN | Starts a program | Instruction/command | |||||||
| RUN | |||||||||
| SAVE | Saves a program | Instruction/command | |||||||
| SAVE"PROGRAM",8 | |||||||||
| SGN | Returns the sign of a number (-1, 0, 1) | Function, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT SGN(-5) | |||||||||
| SIN | Returns the sine of an angle (rad) | Function, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT SIN(0) | |||||||||
| SPC( | Sets a number of spaces | Function, PRINT (Carry = 0!) | |||||||
| PRINT SPC(5);"HELLO" | |||||||||
| SQR | Calculates square root of a number | Function, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT SQR(9) | |||||||||
| ST | Gets I/O status byte | Reserved variable | |||||||
| PRINT ST | |||||||||
| STEP | Program loop increment/decrement (FOR … TO … STEP … NEXT) | Instruction/command, special | |||||||
| 10 FOR I=1 TO 8 STEP 3 20 PRINT I 30 NEXT I | |||||||||
| STOP | Breaks a program | Instruction/command | |||||||
| STOP | |||||||||
| STR$ | Converts numerical values or variables into a string | Function, string | |||||||
| PRINT STR$(123) | |||||||||
| SYS | Calls an assembly language subroutine | Instruction/command | |||||||
| SYS 64738 | |||||||||
| TAB( | Sets the cursor column | Function, PRINT (Carry = 1!) | |||||||
| PRINT TAB(10);"HELLO" | |||||||||
| TAN | Returns the tangent for a given angle (rad) | Function, numerical | |||||||
|
| |||||||||
| PRINT TAN(1) | |||||||||
| THEN | Tests a condition IF … THEN | Instruction/command, special | |||||||
| 10 A$="H" 20 IF A$="H" THEN PRINT "OK!" 30 IF A$<>"H" THEN PRINT "NO!" | |||||||||
| TI | Gets the system time (seconds/60) | Reserved variable | |||||||
| PRINT TI | |||||||||
| TI$ | Gets or Sets the system time (HHMMSS) | Reserved variable | |||||||
| PRINT TI$ | |||||||||
| TO | Program loop target (FOR … TO … STEP … NEXT) | Instruction/command, special | |||||||
| 10 FOR I=1 TO 5 20 PRINT I 30 NEXT | |||||||||
| USR | Calls an assembly language subroutine with argument | Function, numerical/string | |||||||
| 10 POKE 785,254: POKE 786,186 20 PRINT USR(85): REM DIVIDE BY 10 | |||||||||
| VAL | Returns the numerical value of a string | Function, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT VAL("123") | |||||||||
| VERIFY | Verifies a saved program | Instruction/command | |||||||
| VERIFY"PROGRAM",8 | |||||||||
| WAIT | Waits for a memory location to assume specific values | Instruction/command | |||||||
| 10 POKE 198,0 20 WAIT 198,1 30 PRINT "KEY PRESSED" | |||||||||
| + | Sum | Operator, numerical/string | |||||||
| PRINT 5+3 | |||||||||
| - | Subtraction | Operator, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT 5-3 | |||||||||
| * | Multiplication | Operator, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT 5*3 | |||||||||
| / | Division | Operator, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT 6/3 | |||||||||
| ^ | Exponent | Operator, numerical | |||||||
| PRINT 2^3 | |||||||||
| > | Greater | Operator, logical | |||||||
| IF A>5 THEN PRINT "GREATER" | |||||||||
| = | Equal | Operator, logical | |||||||
| IF A=5 THEN PRINT "EQUAL" | |||||||||
| < | Less | Operator, logical | |||||||
| IF A<5 THEN PRINT "LESS" | |||||||||
| π (pi) | 3.1415926… | Function, numerical, special | |||||||
| PRINT "PRINT " + CHR$(222) π MUST BE GENERATED BY CHR$(222) | |||||||||
On the website www.valoroso.it and on the ValorosoIT YouTube channel, I am publishing several episodes to learn how to program in Basic, with the Commodore 64, Commodore 128, Gwbasic, Quickbasic, QB64, Atari, etc ...
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ValorosoIT
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Where is STATUS (short ST) command?
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