Commodore Plus/4 User manual

User's Manual
WOHD
PROCESSING
SPREAD
SHEETS
EATA
MANAGEMENT
.
tr

USER'S "This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy. If it is
MANUAL not Pr°Per|y installed and used in strict accordance with the manu-
STATEMENT facturer's instructions, this equipment may interfere \\ Ih ■ idio and
television reception. This machine has been tested and found to com
ply with the limits for a Class B computing device in accordance with
the specifications in Subpart J of Part 15 of the FCC Rules, which are
designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference
in a residential installation. If you suspect interference, you can test
this equipment by turning it off and on. If you determine that there
is interference with radio or television reception, try one or more of
the following measures to correct it;
• reorient the receiving antenna
• move the computer away from the receiver
• change the relative positions of the computer equipment and
the receiver
• plug the computer into a different outlet so that the computer
and the receiver are on different branch circuits
If necessary, consult your Commodore dealer or an experienced radio/
television technician for additional suggestions. You may also wish to
consult the following booklet, which was prepared by the Federal
Communications Commission:
"How to Identify and Resolve Radio-TV Interference Problems."
This booklet is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C. 20402. Stock No. 004-000-00345-4;
You should use only the cables, accessories, and peripherals re
commended by Commodore for your Plus/4. All cables, including the
cables for the television hookup, serial port, video port, Datassette™
and joysticks, are specially shielded, in accordance with the regula
tions of the Federal Communications Commission. Failure to use
the appropriate accessories and cables will invalidate the FCC grant
of certification, and may cause harmful radio interference.
Copyright © 1984 by Commodore Electronics Limited
All rights reserved.
This manual contains copyrighted and proprietary information. No pan ol this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of Commodore Electronics Limited
Commodore BASIC v 3 5
Copynghi ■£■ 1984 by Commodore Electronics Limited,all rights reserved.
Copyright © 1977 by Microsoft, all rights reserved.

COMMODORE PLUS/4
USER MANUAL
-

TABLE OF INTRODUCTION 1 _
CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 Unpacking and Setting Up 7
-
CHAPTER 2 Using the Keyboard and Screen 22
CHAPTER 3 Using Software 33 —
CHAPTER 4 Getting Started 42
CHAPTER 5 Beginning BASIC 58
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Calculations 68 —'
CHAPTER 7 Using Graphics and Color 83 _
CHAPTER 8 Making Sound and Music 104
COMMODORE PLUS/4 ENCYCLOPEDIA n?
1 BASIC 3.5 Encyclopedia 115
Commands 1 u—
Statements 130
Functions 15b—
Variables and Operators 16^
2 BASIC 3.5 Abbreviations 169
3 Conversion Programs U%~^
4 Error Messages 17^
5 TEDMON 184
6 Screen Display Codes 193—
7 ASCII and CHRS Codes 196
8 Screen and Color Memory Maps 199
9 Memory Register Map 201—'
10 Deriving Mathematical Functions 203
11 Musical Note Table 204
12 Programs To Try 206 '

13 RS-232 Guidelines 209
14 Book List 215
INDEX 216
~
n
-
n

_

INTRODUCTION
H
~
You've made a wise purchase... the Plus/4 is the first home computer
ever designed especially for productivity applications. Of course, it's
still able to do all the other things a home computer can be used for.
This manual is designed to help you learn those "other things" your
Plus/4 can do. You'll learn how to:
• Set up your Plus/4
• Use the different functions of all the keys on the keyboard
• Access different types of Commodore Software
• Use the mathematical, graphics, sound and programming
capabilities of your Plus/4
The other manual included with your computer (T/ie Plus/4 Built-in
Integrated Software Manual) tells you how to use the wordprocessing.
electronic spreadsheet, database and graphics packages. If your
main interest is in these productivity applications, and you can't wait to
get started using them, we still recommend that you read through at
least chapter one of this manual ("Unpacking and Setting Up") before
reviewing the Built-in Software Manual.
n

WHAT'S
SPECIAL
ABOUT
THE
PLUS/4
64K RAM (60K available for BASIC programming)
Full Typewriter Style Keyboard
Optional Built-in Software
Screen Window Capability
HELP Key
8 Pre-programmed, Reprogrammable Function Keys
Four Separate Cursor Keys
Uses Most COMMODORE 64 and VIC-20 Peripherals
121 Colors (16 primary colors, 8 luminance levels)
Over 75 BASIC Commands
High Resolution Graphics Plotting
Split-Screen Text With High-Res Graphics
Graphic Character Set On Keyboard
Keyboard Color Controls
320 x 200 Pixel Screen Resolution
Reverse and Flashing Characters
2 Tone Sound Generators
Built-in Machine Language Monitor (17 commands)
CREATING
A COMPLETE
COMPUTER
SYSTEM
"i
Computer: Commodore PLUS/4

-
-
Display; Commodore 1702 or 1802/1803 Color Monitor
n

._
Storage: Commodore 1531 Datasselte (tape recorder) or Commodore
Disk Drive
Printer: Commodore Printer

-
H
n
n
Modem: Commodore
MODEM/300
Controller: Commodore PLUS/4 Joysticks

WHERE By now you've done enough reading and you want to get started.
jn Here's what we recommend you do now:
FROM • Send in your warranty card
HERE? • Subscribe to the Commodore magazines to get the latest informa
tion on your computer
Read this manual and try the exercises. Read the built-in software
manual and get used to the four integrated packages. Keep checking
in with the Commodore dealers in your area for new developments in
software, books and peripherals. Learn, program, file, write, calculate,
graph, play... enjoy your new Commodore Plus/4!

CHAPTER 1
UNPACKING
AND
SETTING
UP
• Unpacking your Commodore
• Getting to know the switches
• Setting up your Commodore
• Troubleshooting chart
•
Peripherals
Plus/4
and sockets
Plus/4

UNPACKING Now that yc
YOUR thls manual, the first
COMMODORE youhave
PLUS/4
7T ———=
containing your new Rus
t0
Your Commodore Plus/4
2. The power supply
s into the right side of —

3. The TV switchbox
This connects to the antenna jack on the back of your TV. You don't
need Ihe switchbox if you plan to connect your Plus/4 to a monitor.
4. The RF cable
This connects the TV switchbox to the RF output jack on the left
side of the Plus/4. You don't need this cable to connect your Plus/4
to a monitor.
5. The user manual
6. Other assorted literature
Warranty card
Commodore Magazines subscription card
7. The Plus/4 Built-in Integrated Software Manual
If you don't find all these items in the box. check with your dealer
immediately for replacements.
Before you connect anything, you should look over these drawings of
your computer. These drawings identify all the outlets so you can set
up your computer system quickly and easily.

_
GETTING
TO
KNOW
THE
SWITCHES
AND
SOCKETS
The Right
Side
of Your
PLUS/4
1
. r.
_
The On/Off Switch
Your Plus/4 should be turned OFF when you install or remove car
tridges or any peripheral device such as a printer or disk drive. There
is a red power light located below the keyboard on the left, so you
can be sure whether power is off.
2 The Reset Button
There are two ways to use the RESET button:
1. You can use the RESET button to reset your computer as if you'd
just turned it on. Just press the reset button once. Remember: when
you press the reset button, you lose any BASIC program currently
in memory."
2. If you want to reset your Pius/4 and keep your BASIC program,
hold down the RUN/STOP key and then press the RESET button. When
you do this, your Pius/4 goes to the built-in machine language monitor.
Type an X and press the RETURN key to get back to BASIC. Your pro
gram remains intact in the Plus/4 memory. Just type LIST to display the
program on your screen.
'When you press RESET, the Plus/4 automatically issues the NEW
command, which clears the screen. This can be reversed. See the
PluS'4 Programmer's Reference Guide tor information on UNNEWing
your program if you've pressed the reset button by accident.
_

H
The
Left
Side
Of
Your
PLUS/4
~~
n
The socket and the switch on the left side of the Plus/4 are both used
for TV connections. Neither is used if you're connecting your Plus/4 to
a monitor.
3 The RF Jack
This is where you plug in one end of the RF cable (the thin black
cable). You can plug either end into this jack and the other end into the
TVswitchbox.
4 The High/Low Switch
This
switch controls which channel is used for Plus/4 video output. Set
the H/L switch to L for output on channel 3. Set the H/L switch to H for
video on channel 4.
You can use either channel 3 or 4 on your TV to display the video pic
ture from your computer. If you have a channel 3 TV station in your
area, select channel 4, and vice versa. Experiment to see which setting
gives you the best picture.
The
Back
of
Your
Computer
m
H
■i

The sockets on the back of your computer connect a variety of
accessories to your Plus'4. Each connector is different. Be sure
you plug each accessory into the correct socket.
The Power Socket
The end of Ihe power supply cable fits here. Plug the other end
into a standard wall socket for three-prong plugs.
5 The Serial Bus
You can plug a disk drive or a printer into this socket. If you want to
plug in both, first plug the disk drive into this opening, then plug the —
printer cable into the back of the disk drive.
7 The Cassette Port
The Commodore 1531 Datassette tape recorder plugs in here.
8 The RS-232 Port
Accessories such as a modem or an RS-232 adapter plug in here.
An RS-232 adapter makes it possible to hook up accessories not ac
commodated by standard Commodore equipment ports.
9 The Memory Expansion Port
Plus 4 software cartridges and the Plus/4 SFS-481 disk drive plug in
here. Before you install or remove cartridges, make sure your Plus/4
is OFF.
10 Joy 1 and Joy 2 : The Game Ports
You can plug joysticks into these sockets. The Plus/4 uses specially
designed joysticks available from your Commodore dealer.
11 The Video Socket
This is where you plug in the cable that connects a monitor to your
Plus/4. Although this socket is an 8-pin connector, you can use a 5-pin
cable in this socket as well. Commodore color monitors come with an
8-pin cable for use with the Plus/4.

TING • To set UP y°ur P'us''4' y°u'" need at leasl tw0 wa" P'ugs. one for your
yp Plus/4 and one for your TV or monitor.
YOUR • If you're installing a disk drive and a printer, you'll need additional
PLUS/4 wall plugs.
• Your Plus'4 should be placed a comfortable distance from your TV.
• Make sure that your computer is OFF before you start the setup.
Check that the POWER LIGHT on the front left is not lit.
If you are connecting the Plus'4 to a television set. you'll need a
small screwdriver to attach the TV switchbox. The way you connect
the switchbox depends on what type of antenna connection your TV
set has
IMPORTANT: If your antenna is connected to your TV by a single
round-ended cable {the 75-ohm co-ax type), you will need either
the 300 ohm to 75 ohm adapter, which came with your TV, or you
must get a replacement 75 ohm to 75 ohm switchbox. The adapter
is a small plastic part with a co-ax connector on one side and two
screws on the other If you do not have one, you can buy one at
most electronics stores. Once you attach the adapter to the co-ax
connector on your set. you can follow the rest of these instruc
tions. A 75-ohm switchbox allows you to hook the antenna lead
into the switchbox, which is connected to the TV, so that you only
have to move the switch on the switchbox to watch TV.
You need only connect the switchbox once. When you want to use your
computer, just move the switch to the COMPUTER position. When you
want to watch TV, move the switch to TV. The switchbox will not
interfere with your TV reception.
13

STEP 1 Disconnect the antenna from your TV: use a screwdriver to
loosen the screws on the TV Remove the two antenna leads
STEP 2 Connect the TV swilchbox lo Ihe TV where Ihe anienna leads
were attach the leads on the box to Ihe antenna inpul on
your TV
STEP 3 Connect the antenna to Ihe swilchbox attach the leads from
the antenna to the screws on the side of the switchbox.
Connect
to Antenna
input (300 ohm]
n Rear of TV
RF Cable
Power Supply
li you have the round coax type anienna connection on your TV
sf EP 1 Disconnect the antenna from your TV unscrew the antenna
wire You can disconnect it by hand
STEP 2 Connect the swilchbox to your TV hand fasten it onto Ihe
antenna inpul post on (he back of your TV
STEP 3 (For the 75-ohm switchbox) Connect ihe anienna lo the
switchbox. hand-lurnmg the antenna cable into the
switchbox.
__
u