Introduction

Introduction to MoreThanBasic

MoreThanBasic is a high-level programming language that runs within the Comet operating environment. As implied by its name, MoreThanBasic (MTB) offers much more than other versions of BASIC, including:

powerful input/output statements
record locking and file locking capabilities
numeric values up to 16 digits, with up to 15 decimal place accuracy
screen formatting commands for block input/output
advanced subroutine and subprogram features
uncomplicated commands for trapping and handling runtime exceptions
a full complement of string and numeric functions
alphanumeric statement labels
conditional compliation of source code sections
direct access to low-level operating system functions

The MTB programmer has a wide choice of available interfaces, including:

character-based applications, for both local and remote users
graphical applications (with Windows controls and dialogs), for both local and remote users
web-based applications, for intranet and Internet users
Internet protocol applications, such as SMTP e-mail

The type of interface you choose depends on the type of application you are writing and the requirements of the user. MTB provides the programming tools to meet all of the needs listed above.

MTB was designed with efficiency in mind, and was therefore designed as a compiler language. A good portion of the object code created by the MTB compiler results in calls to Comet's dynamically shared runtime library. This means extremely small, more efficient object code. This also means that Comet's advanced file management and formatting capabilities are available to all MTB programs.

MTB source programs are divided into three sections:

Data Division
Statements in this division define the data variables to be used in the program, including specifications for data type, size, and other attributes. One exceptional feature is MTB's ability to declare data as "common" to be used in multiple program overlays.
I/O Format Division
The division includes statements, control codes, and data definitions for all input/output formatting. There are numerous controls for video screen formatting, featuring block input of multiple data fields and local editing of data. Likewise, there are many control codes for printers and other I/O devices.
Procedure Division
The Procedure Division includes statements using familiar BASIC syntax in most cases, plus a myriad of additional statements designed just for Comet application purposes.