Contents |
Effect
Sets display mode, sprite size, keyboard click, cassette speed, printer type and interlace mode.
Syntax
SCREEN <DisplayMode>,<SpriteSize>,<Keyclick>,<BaudRate>,<PrinterType>,<InterlaceMode>
Note: Each parameter is optional except the last specified. Do not put a comma after this parameter.
Parameters
<DisplayMode>
| SCREEN | Type | Screen resolution | Colors per block | Max colors at screen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Text, characters of 6 x 8 | 40 x 24 characters | 2 | |
| 1 | Text, characters of 8 x 8 | 32 x 24 characters | 2 per 8 characters | 16 |
| 2 | Graphic, blocks of 8 x 8 | 32 x 8 blocks x 3 | 2 for each 8 x 1 line of block | 16 |
| 3 | Graphic, bitmap | 64 × 48 pixels | 16 |
These screen mode are also present on MSX2 or newer with a color palette of 512 by color in extra.
SCREEN 1 is a text screen, but the charset can be filled with game graphics and sprites can also be used.
| SCREEN | Type | Screen resolution | Colors per block | Max colors at screen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 (WIDTH>40) | Text, characters of 6 x 8 | 80 x 24 characters | 2+2 of 512 RGB | |
| 4 | Graphic, blocks of 8 x 8 | 32 x 8 blocks x 3 | 2 for each 8 x 1 line of block | 16 of 512 RGB |
| 5 | Graphic, Bitmap | 256 x 212 pixel | 16 of 512 RGB | |
| 6 | Graphic, Bitmap | 512 x 212 pixel | 4 of 512 RGB | |
| 7 | Graphic, Bitmap | 512 x 212 pixel | 16 of 512 RGB | |
| 8 | Graphic, Bitmap | 256 x 212 pixel | 256 |
MSX2 and MSX2+ modes have better sprite possibilities compared to MSX1 modes. On MSX2 and higher you can change between 40x24 and 80x24 SCREEN 0 mode by using WIDTH-command.
SCREEN 9: Text mode using a graphic screen - Available only on Korean MSX2 computers and consoles, but version 4 of Hangul BASIC developed by Korean MSX fan Plaire extends SCREEN 9 to non-Korean MSX2, MSX2+ and MSX turbo R machines, and its working is the same as in the Korean MSX2 consoles.
| SCREEN | Type | Screen resolution | Colors per block | Max colors at screen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 (WIDTH<41) | Text, characters of 6 x 16 | 40 x 24 characters | 2 per character | 16 of 512 RGB |
| 9 (WIDTH>40) | Text, characters of 6 x 16 | 80 x 24 characters | 2 per character | 4 of 512 RGB |
The mode 9 (WIDTH<41) is used on Zemmix consoles only, not on computers. SCREEN 5 mode is used for this mode instead of SCREEN 6 used on computers, no matter the width parameter.
| SCREEN | Type | Screen resolution | Colors per block | Max colors at screen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Graphic, bitmap | 256 x 212 | 16 RGB (or YJK) | 16 of 512 RGB (+ 12499) |
| 11 | Graphic, blocks of 4 x 1 | 64 x 212 blocks | 4 YJK (or bitmap) | 12499 (+ 16 of 512 RGB) |
| 12 | Graphic, blocks of 4 x 1 | 64 x 212 blocks | 4 YJK | 19268 |
SCREEN10 and 11 are in fact the same mixed RGB/YJK mode with the difference that the graphic instructions from BASIC/BIOS operate
- in SCREEN10 as in SCREEN5
- in SCREEN11 with direct VRAM values similar to SCREEN8 but in YJK mode.
Screen is not cleared when SCREEN10/11 is used to switch from one mode to another. When mode is changed from SCREEN12, the YJK colors are automatically reduced from 19268 colors to 12499 colors.
KANJI screens: Besides SCREEN 0 to 8, 10 to 12, the Japanese MSX2+ and MSX turbo R computers have 4 Kanji text modes, that can be activated with CALL KANJI.
By default, without using of SET SCREEN on MSX2 and higher, the MSX-BASIC screen after booting is displayed in SCREEN 1 on Korean and Arabic MSX machines, Daewoo CPC-300, Perfect MSX-2, Korean MSX2 consoles, Brazilian MSX2+ Ciel machines and all Japanese machines, in SCREEN 0 on all other machines.
<SpriteSize>
- 0: Sprite size is 8 by 8 pixels (default value)
- 1: Sprite size is 8 by 8 pixels, magnified to 16 by 16 pixels
- 2: Sprite size is 16 by 16 pixels
- 3: Sprite size is 16 by 16 pixels, magnified to 32 by 32 pixels
<Keyclick>
- 0: Keyclick off
- 1: Keyclick on (default value)
<BaudRate>
- 1: Cassette writing speed is 1200 baud (default value)
- 2: Cassette writing speed is 2400 baud
This parameter is ignored on MSX turbo R.
<PrinterType>
- 0: MSX printer (default value)
- 1: No MSX printer
When Arabic BASIC is enabled, this parameter is extended as follows:
- 0: Standard MSX printer (default value)
- 1: Arabic MSX printer
- 2: Arabic non-MSX printer
- 3: Other printer (or for hard copy without any modification)
These 4 options are also available with the CALL OPTIONS instruction on Sakhr MSX2 computers.
<InterlaceMode>
- 0: Off (default value for SCREEN 0 to 8, 10 to 12)
- 1: On, displays odd & even pages (default value for SCREEN 9)
- 2: Off, displays odd / even page alternating
- 3: On, displays odd / even page alternating
This parameter requires a MSX2 or higher machine (don't use it on MSX1, it will lead to a 'Syntax error' message). Modes 2 and 3 are only possible when uneven pagenumbers are used (see SET PAGE).
Examples
5 ' Example for MSX1 10 SCREEN 0: PRINT"You are in SCREEN 0 - Press a key" 20 A$=INKEY$ 30 IF A$="" THEN 20 40 ' Baud and printertype are not changed 50 SCREEN 2,3,0 60 OPEN"GRP:"AS 1:PRINT #1,"You are in SCREEN 2 - Press a key" 70 A$=INKEY$ 80 IF A$="" THEN 70 90 ' Back to default values in SCREEN 0 100 SCREEN 0,0,1
5 ' Example for MSX2 and higher 10 SCREEN 0: PRINT"You are in SCREEN 0 - Press a key" 20 A$=INKEY$ 30 IF A$="" THEN 20 40 ' Baud and printertype are not changed 50 SCREEN 2,3,0,,,1 60 OPEN"GRP:"AS 1:PRINT #1,"You are in SCREEN 2 - Press a key" 70 A$=INKEY$ 80 IF A$="" THEN 70 90 ' Back to default values in SCREEN 0 100 SCREEN 0,0,1,,,0
How to change the default values
With exception for the spritesize, all parameters of SCREEN that will be used each time that you boot the computer are stored in the Real Time Clock (RTC) with the SET SCREEN command on the MSX2, MSX2+ and MSX turbo R machines.
The parameters related to the displaymode are generally limited to screen 0 or screen 1, as these screens are used for the BASIC screen after booting, it implies that the 'alternating even/uneven' parameter is not saved in the RTC.
On the mentioned machines, you can change the default values by using first SCREEN, then SET SCREEN to save the new parameters in the RTC.
If you use SET SCREEN when you are on SCREEN 9, the computer will display the MSX-BASIC screen after booting in SCREEN 9 instead of SCREEN 0 or 1; some parameters of the other screens, especially SCREEN 0 and SCREEN 1, will also be modified.
Related to
BASE(), CALL KANJI, CALL OPTIONS, COLOR, CSAVE, LPRINT, LLIST, SET PAGE, SET SCREEN, WIDTH
Compatibility
MSX-BASIC 1.0 or higher