PET Printer TAB Solution

My computer system consists of a 2001 series BASIC 4 PET, MX100 printer, and 2130 disk drive. Most of my software was obtained from magazines, especially COMPUTE!. By extracting portions of many programs, I developed the programs I needed to keep track of rental property, income tax, and other business applications.

One problem I have is with tabulation. Tab works fine on the CRT, but poorly on the printer. However, I find my printer will tab properly if I include the line A$ = CHR$(141) in the program and insert the variable, in this case A$, before the TAB statement.

When the variable is used, the printer tabs from the beginning of the line, and without the variable the printer tabs from the last cursor position.

Ernest R. Walker

5 REM SAMPLE PROGRAM                      :rem 243
10 OPEN130,4:CMD130                        :rem 41
20 A$=CHR$(141)                           :rem 236
30 REM LINE WITH VARIABLE A$               :rem 86
40 PRINTTAB(10) "COMMODORE";A$TAB(20) "PET";
   A$TAB(24) "COMPUTER"                  :rem 155
50 PRINT                                  :rem 242
60 REM LINE WITHOUT VARIABLE A$            :rem 81
70 PRINTTAB(10) "COMMODORE";TAB(20) "PET";T
   AB(24) "COMPUTER"                      :rem 212
80 PRINT#130:CLOSE130                     :rem 240