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ATTRIBUTES attr_list
|
attr_list contains a list of input attributes.
| Example 8-13 ATTRIBUTES Option |
|---|
name_attr$ = 'bold, blink'
line input 'Enter your name', attributes name_attr$: name$
print 'Hello '; name$
end
Enter your name? Susan
Hello Susan
|
The LENGTH option limits the number of characters that a user can enter. It causes Sheerpower to display underscore characters following the prompt. The number of underscore characters is the length.
LENGTH num_expr
|
num_expr is the number of characters the user can enter.
| Example 8-14 LENGTH Option |
|---|
input 'Enter your name', length 15: name$
input 'Enter a city', length 20: city$
print name$, city$
end
Enter your name? Betty__________
Enter a city? 'San Diego'_________
Betty San Diego
|
DEFAULT lets you provide defaults for INPUT statements. Sheerpower automatically formats the default appropriately. The user can press [Enter] to accept the default you provide.
DEFAULT str_expr
|
str_expr is a string expression that will be used as the default. When Sheerpower executes an INPUT statement with a default, it prints the default after the prompt.
| Example 8-15 DEFAULT option |
|---|
input 'Enter the state code', default 'CA': state$
print 'The state was: '; state$
end
Enter the state code? CA
The state was: CA
|
If the user does not want the default, they can simply type over the default text.
When performing an INPUT MENU, the DEFAULT option can be used to specify a default menu path. The default takes the format of:
#item1;#item2;...
|
#item1 is the number of the item on the first menu, #item2 is the number of the item on the second menu, and so on.
Upon the completion of a INPUT MENU statement, the concept _STRING contains the menu path taken by the user when selecting the menu item; i.e., #2;#3 means the 3rd item of the 2nd submenu. (For information on menus, see Section 8.18, MENU Option.)
| Example 8-16 _STRING System Function |
|---|
line1$ = '%width 12, %menubar,'
line2$ = 'file = {new, get_file, save, save_as},'
line3$ = 'edit = {cut, copy, paste},'
line4$ = 'paragraph = {font, alignment, spacing, tabs, headers, footers},'
line5$ = 'options = {ruler = {on, off}, side_bar = {on, off},'
line6$ = 'view = {enlarged, normal, small}},exit'
test_menu$ = line1$ + line2$ + line3$ + line4$ + line5$ + line6$
the_default$ = ''
do
input menu test_menu$, default the_default$: ans$
if _exit then exit do
message 'Menu path was', _string
the_default$ = _string
loop
end
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FILE | EDIT | PARAGRAPH | OPTIONS | EXIT |
+--------------------------------------------+---OPTIONS---+-------------------+
| RULER [>|
| SIDE_BAR +----VIEW-----+
| VIEW | ENLARGED |
+-----------| NORMAL |
| SMALL |
+-------------+
The menu path was: #4;#3;#2
|
The ERASE option clears the input line prior to accepting input. After input has been completed, the input line is cleared again.
| Example 8-17 ERASE Option |
|---|
print at 1,1:
input 'Please enter a name', at 3,1: name_1$
input 'Enter a 2nd name', at 4,1, erase: name_2$
print '1st name: '; name_1$
print '2nd name: '; name_2$
end
Please enter a name? James
1st name: James
2nd name: Tony
|
The VALID option validates user responses according to specified validation rules.
VALID str_expr
|
str_expr is the list of validation rules.
Refer to Section 6.6.6, VALID(text_str, rule_str) for information on all the validation rules.
| Example 8-18 VALID Option |
|---|
input 'Enter name', length 20: name$
input 'Enter age', length 5, valid 'integer': age$
print name$, age$
end
Enter name? Aaron_______________
Enter age? 32___
Aaron 32
|
The TIMEOUT option limits the time the user has to respond to the INPUT prompt. A time limit must be specified with the TIMEOUT option. If the user does not complete the INPUT statement within the specified time, an exception ("timeout on input at xx") is generated.
TIMEOUT num_expr
|
num_expr is a numeric expression that represents the number of seconds allowed for the response.
| Example 8-19 TIMEOUT Option |
|---|
input 'Name', timeout 4.5: name$
end
Name? Timeout on input at 10
|
TIMEOUT 30 gives the user approximately 30 seconds to enter a name. Fractions of a second can be indicated by including decimal digits. TIMEOUT 4.5 gives the user approximately 4.5 seconds to enter a name.
The AREA option does input from an area on the screen.
LINE INPUT AREA top, left, bottom, right: str_expr
|
| Top | Top row of the area on the screen |
| Left | Left column of the area |
| Bottom | Bottom row of the area |
| Right | Right column of the area |
| Example 8-20 AREA Option |
|---|
line input area 5, 10, 8, 60: text$
print at 10, 1: 'Rewrapped text'
wt$ = wrap$(text$, 1, 30)
print wt$
end
This is an example of wrapped text. The text is
wrapping.__________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Rewrapped text
This is an example of wrapped
text. The text is wrapping.
|
A BELL is outputted if user-entered text goes outside the area.
During a LINE INPUT AREA, the following features are available:
While you are entering text in an area, you can use the following commands:
| Text | To enter text, just type it |
| Arrow keys | To move around, press UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT |
| [CTRL/H] | Moves cursor to beginning of line |
| [CTRL/E] | Moves cursor to end of line |
| [esc] | Exit (abort) the input |
| [Help] | Exits from the input and sets the variable _HELP to true |
The "escape" [esc] keystroke has meaning if it is in the first position of the area (top left corner).
When a LINE INPUT AREA is completed, Sheerpower removes any trailing line feeds and spaces.
Because of line breaks, etc. it is possible to reach the field size limit before reaching the fill-in limit. A BELL is outputted when you have entered TOTAL characters that reach the field size (including line separators, etc.). |
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