BASIC Stamp FAQ

STAMP FAQS PROGRAMMING INFORMATION
Last Revised On: 7/21/00 Page: 15
How do I print out my PBASIC programs?
The BASIC Stamp DOS editors do not have a print option built-in, however, the source file created by the editor is
simply a DOS text file. This means it can be printed with the standard PRINT or TYPE commands as in:
PRINT source.bas
-or-
TYPE source.bas > LPT1
where source.bas is the name of your PBASIC program. The Windows software features built-in printing support.
Can I read-out, or upload, the PBASIC program which is already stored in the BASIC
Stamp?
No. For security reasons, this feature was not made available. It is possible to read the tokenized form of the
PBASIC code out of the BASIC Stamp’s EEPROM, but there is no easy way to “reassemble” it into usable
source code.
Since the BASIC Stamp II, IIe and IIsx use the serial port for programming, can I use a
simple terminal program to download my PBASIC code?
No. The download process requires a very fast, bi-directional communication between the BASIC Stamp and PC
to program and verify the contents of the BASIC Stamp’s memory.
Will a program and circuitry designed for the BASIC Stamp I work with the BASIC
Stamp II, IIe or IIsx?
Yes, however, some changes, usually in the PBASIC code only, will have to be made for it to run properly or to
take advantage of some of the new features of the BASIC Stamp II, IIe or IIsx. For help in performing these
modifications or for insight into how the PBASIC1 language differs from PBASIC2, review Appendix C in the
BASIC Stamp Manual.
Can I program the BASIC Stamp II, IIe or IIsx with the BASIC Stamp I editor
(stamp.exe)?
No. The BASIC Stamp II, IIe and IIsx requires the BASIC Stamp II, IIe and IIsx editor (stamp2.exe,
stamp2e.exe or stamp2sx.exe in DOS, stampw.exe in Windows) due to the enhancements in the PBASIC2
language and the serial, rather than parallel, programming interface. Similarly, you cannot program the BASIC
Stamp I with the BASIC Stamp II, IIe or IIsx editors.
How do I make my PBASIC program start over or continue running forever?
All BASIC programs will simply end if one or more of their executable paths don’t lead them to a continuous loop.
In the simplest case, a program can be made to continue endlessly by adding a label (a unique name followed by a
colon ‘:’) to the start of code and adding a GOTO statement at the end of code directing logical execution back to
that label. Without this, the BASIC Stamp will run the program only once and then will remain unresponsive until
the power is cycled or a reset condition is created.