34 lines
2.1 KiB
Plaintext
34 lines
2.1 KiB
Plaintext
{{language|Microsoft Small Basic
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|strength=strong
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|safety=safe
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|compat=nominative
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|checking=dynamic
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|LCT=yes}}
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'''Microsoft Small Basic''' (not to be confused with [[SmallBASIC]]) is a [[:Category:BASIC|BASIC]] compiler for the [[.Net Framework]], largely aimed at absolute beginners. It is an extremely simplified variant of the BASIC language, and can be thought of as a sort of "[[QuickBASIC#QBasic|QBasic]].Net". In fact, its creator has called it a modern-day QBasic. But it is a language and not an implementation because it has its own syntax.
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Three examples:
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* the For loop has no Next statement
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For i=1 To 10
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...
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EndFor
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* arrays are neither declared nor allocated. No Dim or ReDim statements.
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* arrays are associative and have a C syntax, tab(i,j)=k is coded:
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tab[i][j]=k
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Small Basic lacks some things that are found in most other modern languages -- such as functions (although subroutines are supported) and the ability to call external libraries -- but this lack is promoted as deliberate simplification, to avoid confusing beginners with unnecessary complexity.
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On the other hand, the language has some functionality built in that is not seen in any other language. For example, the <code>Desktop</code> and <code>Flickr</code> objects provide (limited) access to the [[wp:Windows shell#Desktop|Windows desktop]] and [[wp:Flickr|Flickr]], respectively. As an interesting side note, this allows for some interestingly short programs, such as this one-liner which sets the Windows wallpaper to a random Flickr image:
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Desktop.SetWallPaper(Flickr.GetRandomPicture())
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Small Basic also uses some ideas from other languages, most notably [[:Category:Logo|Logo's]] [[wp:Turtle graphics|Turtle graphics]].
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Note that although this is a compiler, the only way to actually compile programs is by running them from the IDE.
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==See also==
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*[http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/devlabs/cc950524.aspx Small Basic homepage]
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*[[wp:Microsoft Small Basic|Small Basic on Wikipedia]]
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*[http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/hh304480.aspx Small Basic Getting Started Guide]
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[[Category:Web Application]] |