Spectrum Computing

Hi
I have searched the web and this forum, but can’t find anything on creating larger text in basic, how do I do it?
Thank you

There is no automatic function to do this. If you need bigger text you'd have to code something that generates it ... and unless you do that in assembler it'll probably be too slow.

That explains why I can’t find any tutorials in creating larger text

Consider using Andy Pennell's Print Utilities:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/8 ... _Utilities

Lostboys wrote: ↑Sun Feb 13, 2022 8:48 am That explains why I can’t find any tutorials in creating larger text

There are plenty of utilities for fonts of all shapes and sizes in BASIC. If you search the archive for Genre = "Utility: Fonts/UDGs" you'll see a bewilderment of choice! Here are a few from that list:

Small fonts:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1 ... e_Printing (but you need to download it from this compilation - side B)

Fonts big and small:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1 ... m/Bigprint (but you need to download it from this compilation) - side A.

For proportional fonts:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/2 ... ectrum/FZX

equinox wrote: ↑Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:17 am Consider using Andy Pennell's Print Utilities:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/8 ... _Utilities

Thank for this, I will get the tape.

Horizons "Thro The Wall" uses a machine code utility to do it. But otherwise, in BASIC, you can't.

The machine code utility looks like it takes a string P$ and some POKEd values, and then calls a routine.

CSIZE 0,0 for regular text, CSIZE 2,0 for double-width, CSIZE 2,1 for double-height as well... oh, wait, no, that's the QL. And the SAM Coupé had something similar.

But never fear! 40 Best Machine Code Routines for the ZX Spectrum has "Screen Magnify and Copy" on page 77. It's slow, given that it's machine code, but I've used it to useful effect in the Spectrum conversion of Big Clive's Supergayrainbow Exploding USB Power Supply Game to generate the round titles.

hikoki wrote: ↑Sun Feb 13, 2022 1:05 pm

Code: Select all

10 FOR F=64 TO 71: POKE 23681,F: LPRINT "NICE EFFECT": NEXT F
20 FOR F=72 TO 79: POKE 23681,F: LPRINT "  OF THE  ": NEXT F
30 FOR F=80 TO 87: POKE 23681,F: LPRINT "PRINTERBUFFER": NEXT F
40 REM https://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/discussion/comment/9747/#Comment_9747

Thank you for these snippets

Thank you, I will have a look.

TMD2003 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 13, 2022 1:51 pm CSIZE 0,0 for regular text, CSIZE 2,0 for double-width, CSIZE 2,1 for double-height as well... oh, wait, no, that's the QL. And the SAM Coupé had something similar.

But never fear! 40 Best Machine Code Routines for the ZX Spectrum has "Screen Magnify and Copy" on page 77. It's slow, given that it's machine code, but I've used it to useful effect in the Spectrum conversion of Big Clive's Supergayrainbow Exploding USB Power Supply Game to generate the round titles.

Thank you I will have a look.

I had all the routines typed in and saved, and have probably lost them on a hard disc that went a bit mad (and was only partially recovered). I really should get round to typing them in again.

Any routine in that book that says "it's not relocatable" - it is if you have an assembler, the book assumed that anyone using these routines was typing them in as a string of numbers. "Not relocatable" will include a CALL or (less likely) a JP in there somewhere.

TMD2003 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 13, 2022 1:51 pmCSIZE 0,0 for regular text, CSIZE 2,0 for double-width, CSIZE 2,1 for double-height as well... oh, wait, no, that's the QL. And the SAM Coupé had something similar.

SpecBAS also allows fractional zooms with the SCALE command, which can be embedded in PRINT statements the same way INK can;

10 PRINT SCALE 3,3;"HELLO"

for example. Assuming you want to do your Sinclair BASIC on a PC that is.

ZXDunny wrote: ↑Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:30 pm

TMD2003 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 13, 2022 1:51 pmCSIZE 0,0 for regular text, CSIZE 2,0 for double-width, CSIZE 2,1 for double-height as well... oh, wait, no, that's the QL. And the SAM Coupé had something similar.

SpecBAS also allows fractional zooms with the SCALE command, which can be embedded in PRINT statements the same way INK can;

10 PRINT SCALE 3,3;"HELLO"

for example. Assuming you want to do your Sinclair BASIC on a PC that is.

No this is on my spectrum.