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 BBS: The Abacus * HST/DS * Potterville MI
Date: 02-12-93 (10:18)             Number: 141
From: TOM BRADY                    Refer#: NONE
  To: RUSTY GORDON                  Recvd: NO  
Subj: Limiting The Length Of(1)      Conf: (35) Quick Basi
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 On 02-07-93 RUSTY GORDON wrote to ALL...

 RG> I understand how to limit the size of a string using
 RG> DIM variable$ as string * 15 etc... but how do I put a limit to the
 RG> number of characters the user can enter as in the sample below:
 RG>

 Below is some code I picked up recently, which I think will answer your
needs. I can't remember where I got it, probably this echo, and I apologize
for the creator's name being absent. It was posted apparently in response to a
question just like yours (see the first paragraph).

   -----------------------------CUT HERE---------------------------------

' In QBasic, how can you limit the amount that the cursor can travel in an
' INPUT statement? In other words, In an Input statement, how can I make the
' cursor not travel past a selected amount of spaces even if the user presses
' the space bar after the limit has been reached?
' I have noticed that if you keep the space bar pressed during an INPUT
' statement, it'll keep going forward and down the next line and the next
'  till about 3 or 4 lines. Then it'll stop.

' What you have to do is to not use INPUT but build yourself an input
' routine which takes each character as it is entered and appends it to
' the end of a string which it builds as characters are entered.  Then,
' you can (with each subsequent entry) check the length of the input
' string (the one you're building) and just not allow further input when
' the maximum field length has been met.

' Here's an input routine which was posted a while back by Margaret
' Romao.
'  The VAL function may be used to convert the variable Inp$ to a numeric
' value.  Sorry about the GOTO's.

DECLARE SUB Parser (Inp$, Prompt$, Row%, Col%, Length%, Fore%, Back%)

        ' A little sample code to show how to call the procedure
        SCREEN 9
        DEFINT A-Z
        COLOR 15, 1: CLS
        Parser Inp$, "Enter some text: ", 4, 4, 8, 15, 1
        LOCATE 6, 4: PRINT "You entered: "; Inp$

DEFSNG A-Z
SUB Parser (Inp$, Prompt$, Row%, Col%, Length%, Fore%, Back%)
    CPos% = LEN(Inp$)
    InpLength% = LEN(Inp$)
    COLOR Fore%, Back%
    LOCATE Row%, Col%, 1, 10, 11: PRINT Prompt$;
GN1:
    DO: InKy$ = INKEY$: LOOP UNTIL LEN(InKy$)
    IF LEN(InKy$) = 1 THEN
        SELECT CASE ASC(InKy$)
            CASE 32 TO 126    ' std. alphanumeric keys
                IF InpLength% < Length% THEN
                    temp1$ = LEFT$(Inp$, CPos%)
                    temp2$ = RIGHT$(Inp$, InpLength% - CPos%)
                    Inp$ = temp1$ + InKy$ + temp2$
                    InpLength% = InpLength% + 1
                    CPos% = CPos% + 1
                    LOCATE Row%, (Col% + LEN(Prompt$))
                    PRINT Inp$
                    LOCATE Row%, (Col% + LEN(Prompt$)) + CPos%
                    GOTO GN1
                END IF
            CASE 8     'Backspace key
                IF InpLength% > 0 AND CPos% > 0 THEN
                    temp1$ = LEFT$(Inp$, CPos% - 1)
                    temp2$ = RIGHT$(Inp$, InpLength% - CPos%)
                    Inp$ = temp1$ + temp2$
                    InpLength% = InpLength% - 1
                    CPos% = CPos% - 1
                    LOCATE Row%, (Col% + LEN(Prompt$))
                    PRINT Inp$ + CHR$(32)
                    LOCATE Row%, (Col% + LEN(Prompt$)) + CPos%
                END IF
            CASE 13    ' <C/R>
                GOTO GNE
            CASE ELSE
                SOUND 400, 13
                GOTO GN1
        END SELECT
    ELSE
        InKy$ = (RIGHT$(InKy$, 1))
        SELECT CASE ASC(InKy$)
            CASE 75    'right arrow
                IF CPos% > 0 THEN
                    CPos% = CPos% - 1
                    LOCATE Row%, (Col% + LEN(Prompt$)) + CPos%
                    GOTO GN1
     --==<<< Continued next message >>>==--

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