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! COMMODORE-64  PROGRAMMING   !
!                             ! 3/30/86
!    HINTS & TIPS             !
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Hello, Commodore programmers! This
file will show you some interesting
SYS, POKE and PRINT features that
will create some helpful (and neat)
stuff on your 64!

Ready? Okay, let's get to it!

POKE 808,225

The above command will disable the
RUN/STOP key and the LIST command.

POKE 808,237 re-enables them.
If it doesn't re-enable them, try

PRINT PEEK (808)

when you FIRST turn the power on.
The number you get is the one to be
POKEd into 808 to re-enable the
RUN/STOP key and LIST command after
  you disable them.

Next:

POKE 650,128


Makes characters repeat if that
key is held down.

Next:

PRINT PEEK (56321)

The above command tells you which
direction the joystick in Port 1
is being moved. The number you
get means the following:

254 - UP     253 - DOWN   

251 - LEFT   247 - RIGHT

250 - UP/LEFT  246 - UP/RIGHT

249 - DN/LEFT  245 - DN/RIGHT

239 - Fire button

For coding a certain sentence,

POKE 53272,N

   This ^ makes the characters on
the screen become strange and
mystic. There are 100 different
sets of these "weird" characters,
depending on what value you put for
N.

(N is any number from 0 to 99.)

 
POKE 53272,21 to get back to the 
normal letters (A B C D E F etc.)

instead of the strange designs.


Finally:

FOR T=55296 TO 56295:POKE T,N:NEXT T

The above command turns all of the 
characters on the screen whatever
color you want (Color = Value of N).

For the different color values to put
in place of N, see the top of page
139 in the Commodore 64 User's Guide
that comes with the computer.


I'm sure most of you know this, but for
a basibeginner that doesn't know
a whole lot yet, the command below
changes the screen (background) and
border colors to whatever color's
value you put for N (see the top of
page 139 in the C-64 User's Guide.)

Border: POKE 53280, N
Screen (Background): POKE 53281, N

(To change character (letter)  colors,
hold down the key marked CTRL and
press one of the number keys; they
PRINT statement, these colors will
appear as graphics characters. This
simply means that the letters and
numbers will turn that color when the
PRINT statement is encountered.)

Please, expert programmers, don't
laugh! At least 45% of the people
reading this don't know about the
information above, and you have to
admit it's helpful ro know.

Have fun with the tricks and tips!

    --** CHRIS **--

Chris Federico
70366,727