DATA: Your Code's Treasure Chest
Tired of hardcoding values directly into your programs? Want a more organized way to store data? Look no further than the DATA command! This trusty command lets you create a treasure chest of values within your code, ready to be accessed whenever you need them. Think of it as your program's built-in storage locker!
Syntax
DATA <value1>, <value2>, ... , <valueN>
Where:
- <value1>, <value2>, ..., <valueN>: A comma-separated list of values you want to store. These can be numbers, strings, or even expressions.
Applications
The DATA command is incredibly versatile and can be used for:
- Storing lists or tables: Create lists of names, scores, items, or any other data you need to access in your program.
- Creating custom character sets: Define pixel data for unique characters or graphics.
- Initializing variables or arrays: Fill your data structures with starting values in a clean and organized way.
Code Examples
1. Simple Value Storage:
10 DATA 10, 20, "Hello", 42
20 READ A, B, C$, D
30 PRINT A, B, C$, D :rem Output: 10 20 Hello 42
This example demonstrates how to store values in a DATA statement and then read them into variables using the READ command.
2. Creating a High Score List:
10 DATA "Alice", 15000, "Bob", 12500, "Charlie", 9800
20 FOR I=1 TO 3
30 READ N$, S
40 PRINT N$, S
50 NEXT I
Here, DATA is used to store a list of names and scores, which are then printed to the screen using a loop.
DATA in the Wild: The Level Design Toolkit
Imagine you're creating a side-scrolling adventure game for the Commodore 64. You could use DATA statements to store the layout of each level, defining the positions of platforms, enemies, and treasures, giving you a simple way to design and modify your game world.
Don't clutter your code with scattered values! With the DATA command, you can organize your data, making your programs more readable, maintainable, and fun to write. It's like having a secret stash of information hidden within your code, ready to be unlocked whenever you need it. So embrace the power of DATA and watch your programs thrive!
