Home » jBASE » Reference Guides (Table Layout) » jBASE BASIC Programmers Reference Guide

# jBASE BASIC Programmers Reference Guide

Tags: reference pick basic basic introduction beginners jbc

# jBASIC Language Overview

jBASIC, sometimes referred to as jBC is a BASIC style language modeled after PICK system. It is used mostly to build business applications that can utilize a multivalue database or a third party dbms depending on the configuration it is given.

# Benefits of jBASIC

jBASIC comes with a built in debugger.
Applications built using jBASIC are fast, without the overhead.
Calls can be made to OS functions and vice versa.
jBASIC is able to read/open operating system files and vice versa.
Since the source code is converted to pre-compiled 'C', jBASIC applications have more operating system resources available to them, making them very flexible.
File and record level locking capability.
Applications are portable between binary compatible environments, however moving applications to an alternative operating system requires that the application be recompiled on the target system. No modifications to the application source are required as any operating system specific modifications will have been implemented by jBASE in the run-time libraries.
SQL support is provided, making it possible to use jBASIC programs with a third party SQL database.

# Variables

Variable names begin with an alphabetic character, which can be followed by any combination of letters, digits, periods, dollar signs and underscores.

# File and Directory Organization

jBASIC is able to create files and directories that can be read by the operating system.

# Commands/Statements


jBASIC COMMAND	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
@	function	Cursor and screen manipulation.
A
ABORT	statement	Program termination.
ABS	function	Returns absolute value.
ABSS	function	Returns absolute value of elements in a dynamic array
ADDS	function	Adds corresponding elements in two dynamic arrays.
ALPHA	function	Returns Boolean result for alphabetic check.
ANDS	function	Create a dynamic array of logical AND of corresponding elements from two arrays.
ASCII	function	EBCDIC to ASCII conversion function.
ASSIGNED	function	Returns Boolean result for variable assignment.
B
BITAND	function	Performs a bit-wise AND comparison of two integers.
BITCHANGE	function	Toggles the state of the specified bit.
BITCHECK	function	Returns the current value of the specified bit.
BITLOAD	function	Assigns values in the local bit table.
BITNOT	function	Returns the bit-wise negation of an integer specified by a numeric expression.
BITOR	function	Performs a bit-wise OR comparison of two integers.
BITRESET	function	Resets the value of the specified bit.
BITSET	function	Sets the value of the specified bit.
BITTEST	function	Tests the bit number of the integer specified by an expression.
BITXOR	function	Performs a bit-wise XOR comparison of two integers.
BREAK	statement	Break key manipulation. Loop Termination.
BREAK ON/OFF	statement	Used to turn the break key on of off in an application.
BYTELEN	function	Returns the length of the expression as the number of bytes rather than the number of characters.
C
CALL	statement	Transfer of program execution to an external subroutine.
CALLdotNET	statement	Call a .NET assembly
CALLJ	statement	Call a JAVA method
CALLONEXIT	function	specifies the name of a subroutine to call when the program terminates
CASE	statement	Conditional branching.
CATALOG	function	Used to create executables and shared libraries from the application source code.
CATS	function	Concatenates corresponding elements in two dynamic arrays.
CHAIN	statement	Transfer of process control.
CHANGE	statement	Sub-string replacement.
CHANGETIMESTAMP	function	Adjust existing time stamp to return new timestamp value.
CHAR	function	Returns the ASCII equivalent of a numeric expression.
CHARS	function	Returns the ASCII equivalents of the numeric expressions in a dynamic array.
CHDIR	function	Changes the current directory.
CHECKSUM	function	Returns numeric checksum for the supplied expression.
CLEAR	statement	Initializes all variables to zero.
CLEARCOMMON	statement	Initializes all unnamed common variables to a value of zero.
CLEARDATA	statement	Clears data that has been stacked by the DATA statement.
CLEARFILE	statement	Clears all the data from a file.
CLEARINPUT	statement	Clears the type-ahead buffer.
CLEARSELECT	statement	Clears active select lists.
CLOSE	statement	Closes a previously opened file.
CLOSESEQ	statement	Closes a previously opened sequential file.
COLLECTDATA	statement	Retrieves data passed from the PASSDATA clause of an EXECUTE statement
COL1/COL2	function	Determine Character positions before or after a located field.
COMMON	statement	Declares a list of variables and matrices that can be shared among programs.
COMPARE	function	Compares two strings.
CONTINUE	statement	Used to skip code in a loop.
CONVERT	function	Converts a character string to another.
CONVERT	statement	Converts a character string to another.
COS	function	Returns the cosine of an angle.
COUNT	function	Returns the number of times that one string occurs in another.
COUNTS	function	Counts the number of times a sub-string is repeated in each element of a dynamic array.
CREATE	statement	Creates a record in a jBASE directory file or creates a UNIX/DOS file.
CRT	statement	Outputs data to the terminal.
D
DATA	statement	Stores data for stacked input.
DATE	function	Returns the date in internal form.
DCOUNT	function	Counts the number of elements in a string separated by a specified delimiter.
DEBUG	statement	Passes control to the jBC debugger.
DECATALOG and DELETE-CATALOG	function	Remove the run-time versions of cataloged jBASE BASIC programs.
DECRYPT	function	Decodes an encrypted string.
DEFC	statement	Declares an external C function to the jBC compiler.
DEFCE	statement	Calls an external C program that does not require use of jBASE library macro's and functions.
DEFFUN	statement	Declares an external jBC function to the jBC compiler.
DEL	statement	Removes a specified element from a dynamic array.
DELETE	statement	Deletes a record from a file.
DELETELIST	statement	Deletes a stored list.
DELETESEQ	statement	Deletes a sequential file.
DELETEU	statement	Deletes a record without releasing update locks.
DIMENSION(DIM)	statement	Declares fixed length arrays to the compiler.
DISPLAY	statement	Synonym of CRT.
DIR	function	Returns information about a file.
DIVS	function	Divides corresponding elements in two dynamic arrays.
DIV	function	Calculates the value of the quotient after division of the dividend by the divisor.
DOWNCASE/ UPPERCASE	function	Converts all uppercase characters in an expression to lowercase.
DROUND	function	Performs double-precision rounding on a value.
DTX	function	Returns the hexadecimal representation of a decimal expression.
DYNTOXML	function	Converts a dynamic array to XML.
E
EBCDIC	function	Converts a string value from ASCII to EBCDIC.
ECHO	statement	Turns on or off the echoing of characters typed at the keyboard.
ENCRYPT	function	Encrypts strings.
ENTER	statement	Unconditionally passes control to another executable program.
EQUATE	statement	Declares a symbol equivalent to a literal, variable or simple expression.
EQS	function	Tests if elements of one dynamic array are equal to the elements of another dynamic array.
EREPLACE	function	Replace sub-string in an expression with another sub-string.
EXECUTE	statement	Allows execution of other programs and commands.
EXIT	statement	Halts the execution of a program.
EXP	function	Returns the mathematical constant e to the specified power.
EXTRACT	function	Archaic method of extracting elements from a dynamic array.
F
FADD	function	Performs addition on two floating point numbers.
FDIV	function	Performs division on two floating point numbers.
FIELD	function	Returns one or more delimited fields from a string.
FIELDS	function	Returns a dynamic array of delimited fields from a dynamic array of strings.
FILEINFO	function	Returns information on a specified file variable
FILELOCK	statement	Attempts to lock an entire file for exclusive use by this program.
FIND	statement	Finds the location of a specified string within a dynamic array.
FINDSTR	statement	Finds the location of a specified string within a dynamic array.
FMT	function	Formats a string to a specified pattern.
FMTS	function	Formats the elements of a dynamic array for output.
FMUL	function	Performs multiplication on two floating point numbers.
FOLD	function	Re-delimits a specified string with attribute marks.
FOOTING	statement	Defines a footing to be included at the bottom of an output page.
FORMLIST	statement	Creates an active select list from a dynamic array.
FOR	statement	Defines the start of a fixed increment loop construct.
FOR iterator	statement	The FOR iterator (available in jBASE 5.7.7 and later) is a generalised iterator to simplify and unify looping constructs.
FSUB	function	Performs subtraction on two floating point numbers.
FUNCTION	statement	Declares a user-defined function.
G
GES	function	Compares corresponding elements in two dynamic arrays.
GET	statement	Gets input from an opened serial device.
GETCWD	function	Returns the name of the current working directory.
GETENV	function	Determines the value of the specified environment variable.
GETLIST	statement	Retrieves a previously stored list.
GETX	statement	Reads a block of data directly from a device.
GOSUB	statement	Causes execution of a local subroutine.
GOTO	statement	Causes program execution to jump to the code at a specified label.
GROUP	function	Returns one or more delimited fields from a string.
GROUPSTORE	statement	Replaces one group of characters in a string with another group of characters.
H
HEADING	statement	Defines a heading to be included at the top of an output page.
HEADINGE AND HEADINGN	statement	Defines a heading to be included at the top of an output page and ejects the page.
HUSH	statement	Turns on or off the echoing of characters typed at the keyboard.
I
ICONV	function	Converts data in external format to internal format.
ICONVS	function	Converts elements of a dynamic array to internal format.
IF	statement	Allows conditional execution of statements.
IFS	function	returns a dynamic array whose elements are chosen individually from one of two arrays based on the contents of a third array.
IN	statement	Gets raw data from the input device.
INCLUDE / $INCLUDE / INSERT / $INSERT	statement	Include/insert code from other files
INDEX	function	Returns the position of a character or characters within another string.
INDICES	function	Returns the index(es) on a file variable.
INMAT	function	Returns the number of dimensioned array elements.
INPUT	statement	Gets data from the input device.
INPUTCLEAR	statement	Clears the type-ahead buffer.
INPUTNULL	statement	Allows null input to be seen by the INPUT statement.
INS	statement	Allows the insertion of elements into a dynamic array.
INSERT	function	Allows the insertion of elements into a dynamic array.
INT	function	Truncates a numeric value to the nearest integer.
IOCTL	function	Returns file information.
ISALPHA	function	Checks that an expression consists entirely of alphabetic characters.
ISALNUM	function	Checks that an expression consists entirely of alphanumeric characters.
ISCNTRL	function	Checks that an expression consists entirely of control characters.
ISDIGIT	function	Checks that an expression consists entirely of numeric characters.
ISLOWER	function	Checks that the expression consists of entirely lower case characters.
ISPRINT	function	Checks that an expression consists entirely of printable characters.
ISSPACE	function	Checks that an expression consists entirely of space type characters.
ISUPPER	function	Checks that an expression consists entirely of upper case characters.
ITYPE	function	Returns the value resulting from the evaluation of an I-type expression in a jBASE file dictionary.
J
JBASECOREDUMP	function	Dumps a portion of the application to an external file for later analysis.
JBASETHREADCreate	command	Starts a thread.
JBASETHREADStatus	command	Shows the status of all running threads.
JQLCOMPILE	statement	Compiles a jQL statement.
JQLEXECUTE	statement	Executes a compiled jQL statement
JQLFETCH	statement	Fetches the next result in a compiled jQL statement.
JQLGETPROPERTY	statement	Gets the property of a compiled jQL statement.
JQLPUTPROPERTY	statement	Sets a property in a compiled jQL statement.
K
KEYIN	function	Reads a single character from the input buffer and returns it.
L
LATIN1	function	Converts a UTF-8 byte sequence to it's Binary or Latin equivalent.
LEFT	function	Extracts the first n characters from a string.
LEN	function	Returns the character length of an expression.
LENS	function	Returns a dynamic array of the number of bytes in each element of a dynamic array.
LENDP	function	Returns the display length of and expression.
LES	function	Determines whether elements of one dynamic array are less than or equal to the corresponding element in another dynamic array.
LN	function	Returns the value of the natural logarithm of a supplied expression.
LOCALDATE	function	Returns an internal date using the specified Timestamp and TimeZone combination.
LOCALTIME	function	Returns and internal time using the specified Timestamp and TimeZone combination.
LOCATE	statement	Finds the position of an element in a specified dimension of a dynamic array.
LOCK	statement	Sets an execution lock.
LOOP	statement	Defines the start of a loop construct.
LOWER	function	Lowers delimiters in a string to their next lowest value.
M
MAKETIMESTAMP	function	Generates a Timestamp using internal date, time and timezone.
MAXIMUM	function	Returns the highest numerical value in a dynamic array.
MAT	statement	Array element assignment.
MATBUILD	statement	Creates a dynamic array from a dimensioned array.
MATCHES	function	Allows pattern matching to be applied to an expression.
MATCHFIELD	function	Checks a string against a match pattern.
MATPARSE	statement	Assigns the elements of a dynamic array to a dimensioned array.
MATREAD	statement	Reads a record and maps the elements into a dimensioned array.
MATREADU	statement	Reads and locks a record and maps the elements into a dimensioned array.
MATWRITE	statement	Transfers the contents of a dimensioned array to a specified record on disc.
MATWRITEU	statement	Transfers the contents of a dimensioned array to a specified record on disc and preserves locks.
MINIMUM	function	Returns the lowest numerical value in a dynamic array.
MOD	function	Returns the arithmetic modulo of two numeric expressions.
MODS	function	Creates a dynamic array from the remainder of the division of the elements in two dynamic arrays.
MSLEEP	statement	Pauses program execution for a specified number of milliseconds.
MULS	function	Divides corresponding elements in two dynamic arrays.
N
NEG	function	Returns the negative value of a numerical expression.
NEGS	function	Returns the negative values for the elements of a dynamic array.
NES	function	Determines whether the elements of one dynamic array are equal to the corresponding elements in another dynamic array.
NOBUF	statement	Turns off buffering for a file opened for sequential processing.
NOT	function	Inverts the Boolean value of an expression.
NOTS	function	Returns a dynamic array of the logical complement of the elements of a dynamic array.
NULL	statement	Does nothing.
NUM	function	Returns Boolean true if the supplied value is numeric.
NUMS	function	Determines whether the elements of a dynamic array are numeric.
O
OCONV	function	Converts data in internal format to external format.
OCONVS	function	Converts the elements of a dynamic array to external format.
ONGOTO/ONGOSUB	statements	Transfers program execution to a label based upon a calculation.
OPEN	statement	Opens a file or device to a descriptor variable.
OPENDEV	statement	Opens a file or device for sequential reading and/or writing.
OPENINDEX	statement	Opens a specific index definition for a file.
OPENPATH	statement	Opens a file given an absolute or relative path.
OPENSEQ	statement	Opens a file for sequential reading and/or writing.
OPENSER	statement	Opens a device for serial IO.
ORS	function	Creates a dynamic array of the logical OR of the corresponding elements of two dynamic arrays.
OSBREAD	statement	Reads an OS file from a file opened.
OSBWRITE	statement	Writes an OS file to an file opened.
OSCLOSE	statement	Closes a previously opened OS file.
OSDELETE	statement	Deletes an OS file.
OSOPEN	statement	Opens an OS file for processing.
OSREAD	statement	Reads an OS file.
OSWRITE	statement	Writes an OS file.
OUT	statement	Sends raw characters to the current output device.
P
PAGE	statement	Causes the current output device to page.
PAUSE	statement	Allows processing to be suspended until an external event occurs.
PERFORM	statement	Allows execution of other programs and commands.
PRECISION	statement	Defines the number of digits of precision to be subsequently used.
PRINT	statement	Sends data to the current output device.
PRINTER	statement	Controls the destination of output from the PRINT statement.
PRINTERR	statement	Prints standard jBASE error messages.
PROCREAD	statement	Retrieves data passed from a jCL program to a jBC program.
PROCWRITE	statement	Passes data back to the primary input buffer of a calling jCL program.
PROGRAM	statement	Documents source code.
PROMPT	statement	Defines the prompt characters used by INPUT.
PUTENV	function	Sets environment variables for the current process.
PWR	function	Raises a number to a specified power.
Q
QUOTE/DQUOTE/SQUOTE	function	Encloses a value in quotation marks.
R
RAISE	function	Raises delimiters in a string to their next highest value.
RANDOMIZE	statement	Initializes the random number generator (RND)
READ	statement	Reads a record from an opened file into a variable.
READBLK	statement	Reads a block of data from a sequential file.
READL	statement	Reads a record and takes a read-only shared record lock.
READLIST	statement	Retrieves a previously stored list.
READNEXT	statement	Retrieves the next element in a list variable.
READNEXT KEY	statement	Retrieves the next index key in a list variable.
READPREV	statement	Moves backward through an index.
READSEQ	statement	Reads data from a file opened for sequential access.
READT	statement	Reads tape devices.
READU	statement	Reads a record from an opened file into a variable respecting locks.
READV	statement	Reads a field from a record in an opened file into a variable.
READVL	statement	Reads a field from the record.
READVU	statement	Reads a field from a record in an opened file into a variable respecting locks.
READXML	statement	Reads a record from a file and transforms to XML format.
RECORDLOCKED	function	Returns the status of a record lock.
REGEXP	function	Pattern matching with regular expressions.
RELEASE	statement	Releases record locks.
REM	function	Synonym of MOD.
REMOVE	function	Successively extracts delimited strings from a dynamic array.
REPLACE	function	Assign dynamic arrays via a function.
RETURN	statement	Transfers execution to the caller of a subroutine/function or to a specific label in a program.
REWIND	statement	Issues a rewind command to the attached device.
RIGHT	function	Extracts the last n characters from a string.
RND	function	It generates a random number.
RQM	statement	Pauses execution.
RTNDATA	statement	Return specific data to the RTNDATA clause of another program's EXECUTE.
S
SADD	function	Performs string addition.
SDIV	function	Performs string division.
SEEK	statement	Moves a file pointer.
SELECT	statement	Creates a select list of elements in a specified variable.
SEND	statement	Sends output to a device.
SENDX	statement	Sends a block of data directly to the device.
SENTENCE	function	Returns the command used to invoke a program and the arguments it was given.
SEQ	function	Returns the numeric ASCII value of a character.
SEQS	function	Converts a dynamic array of ASCII characters to their numeric string equivalents.
SIN	function	Returns the sine of an angle.
SLEEP	statement	Pauses program execution for a specified number of seconds or until a specified time.
SMUL	function	Performs string multiplication.
SORT	function	Sorts a dynamic array.
SOUNDEX	function	Converts strings to their phonetic equivalents.
SPACE	function	Generates strings of spaces.
SPACES	function	Generates a dynamic array with elements comprising of blank spaces.
SPLICE	function	Creates a dynamic array from the element by element concatenation of two dynamic arrays.
SPOOLER	function	Returns spooler information.
SQRT	function	Returns the square root of a number.
SSELECT	statement	Creates a select list
SSUB	function	Performs string subtraction.
STATUS	function	Determines cause of a file open failure.
STATUS	statement	Determine status of open file.
STOP	function	Program termination.
STR	function	Performs string duplication.
STRS	function	Generates a dynamic array containing the specified number of repetitions of each element of a dynamic array
SUBROUTINE	statement	Declares an external subroutine.
SUBS	function	Subtracts corresponding elements in two dynamic arrays.
SUBSTRINGS	function	Returns sub-strings of elements from a dynamic array.
SUM	function	Sums elements of a dynamic array.
SYSTEM	function	Returns system information.
SWAP	function	Sub-string replacement.
T
TAN	function	Returns the tangent of an angle.
TIME	function	Returns the current system time.
TIMEDATE	function	Returns the current time and date.
TIMEDIFF	function	Returns the interval between two timestamps as a dynamic array.
TIMEOUT	function	Terminates a READBLK or READSEQ statement.
TIMESTAMP	function	Returns a UTC timestamp as decimal seconds.
TRANS	function	Retrieves a field from a file.
TRANSABORT	statement	Aborts and reverses the current transaction.
TRANSQUERY	function	Used to determine if currently in a transaction.
TRANSTART	statement	Marks the beginning of a transaction.
TRANSEND	statement	Marks the end of a successfully completed transaction.
TRIM	function	Removes characters from a string.
TRIMB	function	Removes trailing blanks.
TRIMBS	function	Removes trailing spaces and tabs from elements of a dynamic array.
TRIMF	function	Removes leading blanks.
TRIMFS	function	Removes leading spaces and tabs from elements of a dynamic array.
U
UNASSIGNED	function	Returns Boolean result for variable assignment.
UNIQUEKEY	function	Returns a unique 16-byte character key.
UNLOCK	statement	Releases a previously locked execution lock.
UPCASE	function	Converts all lowercase characters in an expression to uppercase.
UTF8	function	Converts a latin1 or binary string into the UTF-8 equivalent byte sequence.
W
WAKE	statement	Wakes a suspended process which has executed a pause statement.
WEOF	statement	Writes an end of file mark on an attached tape device.
WEOFSEQ	statement	Writes end of file mark on a file opened for sequential access.
WRITE	statement	Writes a record to a previously opened file.
WRITEBLK	statement	Writes a block of data to a file opened for sequential processing.
WRITELIST	statement	Writes a list to the stored list file.
WRITESEQ	statement	Writes data to a file opened for sequential access.
WRITESEQF	statement	Writes new lines to a file opened for sequential processing.
WRITET	statement	Writes data to a tape device.
WRITEU	statement	Writes a record to a previously opened file preserving locks.
WRITEV	statement	Writes a record field to a previously opened file.
WRITEVU	statement	Writes a record field to a previously opened file preserving locks.
WRITEXML	function	Writes an XML record to a hashed file.
X
XLATE	function	Retrieves a field from a file.
XMLTODYN	function	Converts XML to a dynamic array.
XMLTOXML	function	Transforms XML using an XSL
XTD	function	Returns the decimal representation of a hexadecimal expression.

Back to Reference Guides