===========================================================================
 BBS: The Abacus * HST/DS * Potterville MI
Date: 02-11-93 (11:52)             Number: 97
From: MARK BUTLER                  Refer#: NONE
  To: RUSTY GORDON                  Recvd: NO  
Subj: EditLine  1/2                  Conf: (35) Quick Basi
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Once upon a time Rusty Gordon uttered these sage words to All:

 RG> ....how do I put a limit to the  number of characters the
 RG> user can enter as in the sample below:

 RG> Enter Feature Name 北北北北北北北.

 I don't know about short but this'll work...

==========================8< Cut Here 8<=============================
DEFINT A-Z
DECLARE SUB EditLine (a$, exitCode)
DECLARE FUNCTION ScanCode ()

    CLS
    LOCATE 12, 1
    PRINT "Enter a 9 character string: ";
    a$ = SPACE$(9)
    COLOR 0, 7
    CALL EditLine(a$, exitCode)
    COLOR 7, 0
    PRINT
    PRINT
    PRINT "a$ = "; a$
    PRINT "exitCode ="; exitCode

    '*** 'exitCode%' will help you to discren whether the user wants
    '*** go back up to the field above, or the field below the current,
    '*** or abort without change etc etc.

SUB EditLine (a$, exitCode) STATIC
    CONST FALSE = 0, TRUE = NOT FALSE
    CONST BACKSPACE = 8
    CONST CTRLLEFTARROW = -115
    CONST CTRLRIGHTARROW = -116
    CONST CTRLY = 25
    CONST CTRLQ = 17
    CONST DELETEKEY = -83
    CONST DOWNARROW = -80
    CONST ENDKEY = -79
    CONST ENTER = 13
    CONST ESCAPE = 27
    CONST HOME = -71
    CONST INSERTKEY = -82
    CONST LEFTARROW = -75
    CONST RIGHTARROW = -77
    CONST TABKEY = 9
    CONST UPARROW = -72

    row = CSRLIN
    col = POS(0)
    length = LEN(a$)
    ptr = 0
    insirt = TRUE
    quit = FALSE
    original$ = a$

    DO
        LOCATE row, col, 0
        PRINT a$;
        IF insirt THEN
            LOCATE row, col + ptr, 1, 6, 7
        ELSE
            LOCATE row, col + ptr, 1, 1, 7
        END IF

        kee = ScanCode
        SELECT CASE kee
            CASE INSERTKEY
                IF insirt THEN
                    insirt = FALSE
                ELSE
                    insirt = TRUE
                END IF
            CASE BACKSPACE
                IF ptr THEN
                    a$ = a$ + " "
                    a$ = LEFT$(a$, ptr - 1) + MID$(a$, ptr + 1)
                    ptr = ptr - 1
                END IF
            CASE DELETEKEY
                a$ = a$ + " "
                a$ = LEFT$(a$, ptr) + MID$(a$, ptr + 2)
            CASE UPARROW
                exitCode = 1
                quit = TRUE
            CASE DOWNARROW
                exitCode = -1
                quit = TRUE
            CASE LEFTARROW
                IF ptr THEN
                    ptr = ptr - 1
                END IF
            CASE RIGHTARROW
                IF ptr < length - 1 THEN
                    ptr = ptr + 1
==========================8< Cut Here 8<=============================

 >>> continued to the next message

--- timEd/B7 * This is your eggs on fried drugs..er..uh..aw forget it.
 * Origin:  Terminal Oasis, Portland OR  (1:105/330.5)
SEEN-BY: 1/211 11/2 4 13/13 101/1 108/89 109/25 110/69 114/5 123/19 124/1
SEEN-BY: 153/752 154/40 77 157/2 159/100 125 430 950 203/23 209/209 280/1
SEEN-BY: 390/1 396/1 15 397/2 2230/100 3603/20