4.

TextWindow Object

Page 1

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4. TextWindow Object

Chapter 1:
Introducing
Small Basic
Chapter 2:
Overview of
Small Basic
Programmin
g
Chapter 3:
Program
Object
Chapter 4:
TextWindow
Object
Chapter 5:
GraphicsWin
dow Object

4. TextWindow
Object
Preview

In this chapter, we look at the

Small Basic TextWindow object.
It is used to work with text input
and output.

TextWindow Object
The TextWindow is an object
where we can receive text input
and write text output. In Small
Basic, text windows are usually
used for simple programs with no
graphic elements. We used the
text window in the examples in
Chapter 3.
TextWindow Properties:
BackgroundColor
Gets or sets the background
color of the text to be output in
the text window.

This chapter is
adapted from the
book The Developers
Reference Guide To
Microsoft Small Basic
by Philip Conrod and
Lou Tylee.
To purchase this book
in its entirety, please
see the Computer
Science For Kids web
site.

CursorLeft
Gets or sets the cursor's column
position in the text window.
CursorTop
Gets or sets the cursor's row
position in the text window.
ForegroundColor
Gets or sets the foreground color
of the text to be output in the
text window.
Left
Gets or sets the left position of text window on your
computer screen.
Title
Gets or sets the title for the text window.
Top
Gets or sets the top position of text window on your
computer screen.
TextWindowMethods:

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Clear()
Clears the text window.
Hide()
Hides the text window.
Pause()
Waits for user input before returning.
PauseIfVisible()
Waits for user input only when the text window is open.
PauseWithoutMessage()
Waits for user input before returning (but there is no Press
Any Key message).
Read()
Reads a line of text from the text window. This method will
not return until the user presses Enter. Returns entered
text.
ReadKey()
Reads a key press from the text window. Returns the
pressed key.
ReadNumber()
Reads a number from the text window. This method will not
return until the user presses Enter. Returns entered
number.
Show()
Shows the text window.
Write(data)
Writes text or number (data) to the text window. Unlike
WriteLine, this will not append a new line character, which
means, anything written to the text window after this call
will be on the same line.
WriteLine(data)
Writes text or number (data) to the text window. A new line
character will be appended to the output, so that the next
time something is written to the text window, it will go in a
new line.

TextWindow Features
By default, the text window displays white text on a black
background:

The default window has 25 rows (CursorTop values from 0

to 24) and 80 columns (CursorLeft values from 0 to 79)
To change the background color for the entire window, set
the TextWindow.BackgroundColor property followed by a

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4. TextWindow Object

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Clear method. The ForegroundColor property sets the text

color.
The text window is located on your computer screen as
follows:

Example 4-1. TextWindow Properties

Write a program that writes blue text on a yellow
background. Write a line of text near the middle of the
window.
Small Basic Code:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

' Guide to Small Basic, Example 4-1

TextWindow.Title = "Example 4-1"
TextWindow.BackgroundColor = "Yellow"
TextWindow.ForegroundColor = "Blue"
TextWindow.Clear()
TextWindow.Left = 200
TextWindow.Top = 100
TextWindow.CursorLeft = 30
TextWindow.CursorTop = 10
TextWindow.WriteLine("This is Example 4-1")

Saved as Example 4-1 in Guide to Small Basic\Programs

\Chapter 4 folder.
This program illustrates use of all the properties of the
TextWindow object. The Title property is set as are
BackgroundColor and ForegroundColor. We use the
WriteLine method (preceded by CursorLeft and
CursorTop) to position the text in the window. Left and
Top position the window on your screen.
Save and Run the program to see the results:

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TextWindow Input
There are three methods used to get user input in the text
window. The Read method is used to obtain text
information. The <Enter> key is pressed to complete the
input. Similarly, the ReadNumber method is used to obtain
numeric information. With ReadNumber, non-numeric
keystrokes are ignored. Lastly, the ReadKey method
obtains individual keystrokes with no need to press
<Enter>.

Example 4-2. TextWindow Input

Write a program where the user first inputs a line of text
then a numeric value. Lastly, intercept keystrokes typed by
the user.
Small Basic Code:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

' Guide to Small Basic, Example 4-2

TextWindow.Title = "Example 4-2"
A = TextWindow.Read()
TextWindow.WriteLine(A)
B = TextWindow.ReadNumber()
TextWindow.WriteLine(B)
GetKeystroke:
C = TextWindow.ReadKey()
TextWindow.WriteLine(C)
Goto GetKeystroke

Saved as Example 4-2 in Guide to Small Basic\Programs

\Chapter 4 folder.
Save and Run the program. First, you see a flashing cursor
waiting for you to type a line of text, then press <Enter>:

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Type something in and press <Enter>. Heres what I see

now:

You see the line I input and the line written back out with
WriteLine. The program is now waiting for a numeric
input. Type such an input and press <Enter>. You will only
be able to type numeric characters (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
single decimal point, single negative sign to start input). Try
non-numeric characters they wont appear. Heres what I
have now (my input and its written value):

Now, the program is waiting for individual keystrokes. Type

some. Notice there is no need to press <Enter> after the
keystrokes. With each keystroke, the program will write out
what you typed:

To stop the program, click the X in the upper right corner of

the window.

TextWindow Output
There are two methods used to write information in the text
window. We have used the WriteLine method. It writes
the information to the window and appends a new line
character. Any subsequent output methods start on a new
line. WriteLine can also be used to write a blank line using:
TextWindow.WriteLine("")

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An alternate to WriteLine is the Write method. It writes

information to the window, but does not append a new line
character. Subsequent output methods start at the end of
the information written by the Write method. The Write
method is useful for providing prompts prior to a Read,
ReadNumber or ReadKey method.
Output using both WriteLine and Write can be positioned
anywhere in the text window by setting the CursorLeft and
CursorTop properties prior to using the output method. By
default, each output method uses a CursorLeft value of 0.
CursorTop is incremented by one with each WriteLine
method.

Example 4-3. Dice Rolling (TextWindow

Output)

Write a program that rolls a dice until an input number of

sixes is rolled (we showed this code when discussing While
loops in Chapter 2). Once the rolls are complete, write out
how many rolls it took to achieve the input value.
Small Basic Code:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.

' Guide to Small Basic, Example 4-3

TextWindow.Title = "Example 4-3"
TextWindow.BackgroundColor = "White"
TextWindow.ForegroundColor = "Black"
TextWindow.Clear()
GetNumberSixes:
TextWindow.Write("How many sixes must be rolled? ")
Number = TextWindow.ReadNumber()
Rolls = 0
Counter = 0
While (Counter < Number)
' Roll a simulated die
Rolls = Rolls + 1
If (Math.GetRandomNumber(6) = 6) Then
Counter = Counter + 1
EndIf
EndWhile
TextWindow.WriteLine
("It took " + Rolls + " rolls to get " + Number + " sixes.
")
19. TextWindow.WriteLine("")
20. Goto GetNumberSixes

Saved as Example 4-3 in Guide to Small Basic\Programs

\Chapter 4 folder.
Save and Run the program. The Write statement is used to
prompt the user for the needed input (notice no new line is
started the flashing cursor is to the right of the question
mark):

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I picked 10 and see that it took 53 rolls to achieve 10 sixes:

Theoretically, it should take 60 rolls (since each roll has a 1

in 6 chance of rolling a six). At this point, I can type in
another value. Try several values. Stop the program when
you are done.

Chapter Review
After completing this chapter, you should understand:
Use of the TextWindow object.
Setting TextWindow properties.
Difference between Read, ReadNumber and ReadKey
methods.
Difference between WriteLine and Write methods.
The TextWindow object can only accept and output text
information. Next, we look at the GraphicsWindow object
which allows graphical elements.
Next Chapter > >

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