Flags in TI Basic


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Flags in TI Basic



Back in the days of the very early programmable TI calculators the programming
language included a number of flags which could be set or cleared, and then
tested later by the program in order to find out what decision was made by the
user.

To illustrate...

Suppose the user is asked to make a menu choice between two options, and
suppose that later in the program, much later, it is necessary to know what
choice was made.  Ordinarily a flag would be set at the time the choice was
made.  This flag could later be tested to find out what that choice was.

To this writer, flags are an absolutely essential item in a calculator
programming language.  Even today, Hewlet Packard still provides flags in their
programmable calculaters, and yet, I note they have not been provided in the
TI-85/86.
How did the developers of the TI-85/86 intend this situation to be handled
without flags?

It was suggested by another reader of this group that I could utilize a
variable as a flag, and it is quite true - I can and do.
Using a variable however, uses precious memory and leaves a variable in
existance after the program has finished running.  I could delete it (in the
TI-86), but that in itself uses even more memory.   Every byte counts when one
is maxed out on memory.

Please note that I am not asking how it COULD be handled; I am asking what the
developers of the TI-85/86 INTENDED.

A small sample program would be much appreciated.
A few words from a TI-85/86 developement team member would also be much
appreciated.

Paul Goddard,
palizer@aol.com


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