I was reading through some of the topics on MaxCoderz in the General TI Discussion, and I found a post by Kerm that referred to a TI-Basic Book:


I was wondering if the TI-Basic Book ever got started, or if there is anything created for the TI-Basic Book? If you go to the URL in Kerm's post, it doesn't lead to a wiki, so I take it that the project was dropped. I was also wondering if you actually wanted to create and publish a TI-Basic Book, hence the wiki name?

Yes indeed. I have large swaths of possible material here and there, but the project did indeed get indefinitely postponed.

That sounds like it could have been an awesome project. I don't think I've seen or heard of anybody from the TI community publishing a TI-related book before. What things would you put in your TI-Basic Book?

Just about everything that would fit. A tutorial, of course, on everything; reference tables, optimization guides, etc. The thing I hadn't decided was whether or not it should be on just 83/+/84+ BASIC or that+89, or all of them.

You really were thinking big -- not just the 83/84+/SE, but all of the TI calculators I think it would actually be possible to write a book on TI-Basic, if you just concentrated on the 83/84+/SE series. There's already lots of that information out there, while there isn't much 89/92/V200 information written.

The old TI manuals had a full list of BASIC commands and their explanations...that could be considered a pseudo-tutorial of sorts (or maybe just a reference manual...)

I taught myself BASIC out of the manual from my 83+, so it definitely works as a tutorial (the calc was bought in '99).

I taught myself without the manual, in 1998.

I taught my self from the lousy 84 manual, but only some. So yes, I learned most of what I learned either from calc84maniac or by myself.

There are plenty of good 83+ guides, but almost no guides for the 89 series (basic, not asm). Still, writing a book that includes everything is definitely a good idea, and I would love to help if you want.

My manual is from 2005, if that says anything

<off topic>How come you can't download most of the games or look at their screen shots on the site? I always get error page not found, or something like that.

Also, how come sometimes when you attempt to send a zip file to your calculator, the zip file won't open, but other times, it will? I can't use Kerm's version of SimCity for that reason</offtopic>

Can we get a detailed outline of what "everything" is because that's a pretty abstract concept? I heard Kerm say that and now b-flat.

Everything about TI-Basic on the 83/84 (or maybe others) that you can imagine. You don't want them to list out all the categories for real, now do you? I"m sure you can figure out what "everything" about TI-Basic would involve

I am probably missing something, but here goes a try

Introduction

Creating a program (first time)
Using variables
Getting input from the user
--Prompt
--Input
--Types of input
Giving output to the user
--Disp
--Output(
--Text(
Conditional Statements
--Booleans
--If
--If/Then
--If/Then/Else
Labels and Goto Statements
--Lbl
--Goto
--Menus
--creating subroutines
--problems with lbl/goto
Looping
--While
--Repeat
--For
--Nested Loops
Using the Graph Screen
--setting functions
--graphing equations (y=)
--Pics/GDBs
--Custom Drawing
----Circle
----Line
----Pt stuff
----pxl stuff
----Shading
Plots
--what they are
--Plot Sprites
Strings
--sub
--instring
ADVANCED STUFF

Note that I have to get ready for bed now, but I hope you get the general idea. This should be a sketchy outline.

I was going to write a tortuial anyway, but if I help with the book, I won't have to!

I will be able to post a more complete version later, but for now, I have to go (already said that, but whatever).

Oh, that would only be the first few chapters. Later chapters would include:
>> graphics techniques
>> optimization techniques
>> game theory
>> BASIC and ASM libs; procedural programming
>> statistics techniques, for math and games
etc

Burr's tutorial has most of that except for:

Subroutines
graphing equations to a certain extent
sprite techniques and other graphics techniques
most of what Kerm said
a couple more advances ideas that I can't think of right now

It would just take adding that and getting even more contribution from the community. Then turning it into book form.

i would be happy to host at least one copy of the book, and in fact would like to, and i will if possible help

You make it sound like the book is already written for you to host on your site Before even discussing the TI-Basic book, a good portion of the content needs to be written and then it needs to go through the editing process.

i know, that was the "and i will if possible help" i and wiki's are expandible, and so we could compile all that we allready have, and write it there, and then people could register and do peer review, that way that is easly done, and cheaply done.

I could help. I am perty good in Ti-Basic

But you're 'perty' bad at English (Oh, and its "pretty" not "perty")

Kinda like my tutorial + Dan's tutorial + the 1337 guide + a lot more. The problem with doing it as a community is how to share revenues. Who knows, maybe I'll make one secretly and you'll all be wondering one day where this mysterious bestseller on the market by <my real name> came from.