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    QuickBasic was written a long time ago for computers much older than the one you are using right now, and for computers that didn't have Windows on them, since it wasn't invented yet. Because of this, installing QuickBasic is very simple. This tutorial will show you how to install QuickBasic and get it running, then explain how to use each of the menu items.

    Please note that QBasic and QuickBasic are actually not the same, though they can both run the same programs. QuickBasic has included in it a special component that can compile programs, which means create a file that can run on its own outside the QuickBasic interpreter (editor). QuickBasic also has a few extra troubleshooting features in it too. Since QBasic does not have all the features of QuickBasic, this tutorial will show you how to install and use the QuickBasic 4.5 editor, since QBasic is even simpler to operate.

    First you need to obtain a copy of QuickBasic 4.5. Since it is not even sold anymore, you will need to download a copy for yourself, which you can do from the Compilers page. Extract QB45.ZIP to the folder where you want QuickBasic to be run from. You should have the following file listing in your folder:

   BC.EXE
   LIB.EXE
   LINK.EXE
   QB.EXE
   QB.BI
   QB4UTIL.BI
   QB.INI
   QB45ADVR.HLP
   QB45ENER.HLP
   QB45QCK.HLP
   BCOM45.LIB
   BQLB45.LIB
   QB.LIB
   QB_EDR.LIB
   QB4UTIL.LIB
   QB45ADVR.LIB
   QB.QLB

    If you are using Windows, create a shortcut for 'QB.EXE' and place it on your desktop or in your Programs menu. That's it, you have installed QuickBasic. The next sections show how to navigate the QuickBasic environment and customize QB for your convenience.

    When you start QuickBasic, you will see a text cursor blinking in the main window. This is where you can type in lines of code for a program. Before starting to write code, the following bit explains how to use the QuickBasic menu system.

    The main thing that you have to remember when using the editor is that it functions almost exactly like modern day word processors, except sometimes mouse-support isn't there. The key to accessing the menu system is the Alt key and the arrow keys. When you press then release the Alt key, the File menu is highlighted. If you press the down arrow key, the File menu opens and you can see the options to choose from. The left and right arrow keys move you between the menus across the top of the screen. Pressing Enter executes the highlighted menu item. With a few seconds of practice, you can see that any menu item can be selected with a simple Alt and arrow key presses. Pressing Alt again or Esc returns you to the editor window.

    Now that you can navigate the menu system in the most basic way, here are a few tips. Press and hold the ALT key and look at the menu items. The first letter of each item highlights. This means that if you press one of those letters while holding Alt, the corresponding menu will open. It's a handy little shortcut. Also, some of the items within the menus have hotkey labels beside them. For example, in the Run menu, Shift + F5 will Run the program. Instead of having to go through the menu system, just pressing Shift + F5 will run your program.

    If you have ever used a word processor before, you will have no trouble using the editor. It's very simple. You type in your commands, use the arrow keys, home, end, etc. to move around. Note much mroe to say about that. If you ahve noticed the smaller window at the bottom of the screen titled "Immediate", don't worry about that for a while.

    Technically, the installation performed above will allow QuickBasic to function, but operations such as the help menus, and compiling, and capabilities like using libraries/include files will not function properly without further setup.

    Open the Options menu (Alt + O). Select "Set Paths..." and take a look at the dialog box that comes up. Remember all the files that you had to extract from the download file? This is where you have to indicate to QuickBasic where those files are located, known as the Path. To the left of each field it shows the extensions that it needs to find at the path that you enter.

    Let's assume for a moment that you installed QuickBasic in "C:\Program Files\QB\" and all the files are there. QuickBasic uses the 8.3 file naming system, which means "Program Files" isn't a legal name for a directory. Into the first 3 fields you would type in "C:\progra~1\qb\", using Tab to switch between the fields. The last field is asking for the filename of the help file, which is "qb45qck.hlp", and usually is already there by default.

    If you have sorted the files into other directories, you need to set the paths for those file types in the Set Paths dialog box. Once that is finished, QuickBasic is ready to go!

  &nsbp I could take along time to explain what each menu item does, but it would really be a waste of time, since there is a much better way. The F1 key is universally known as HELP! Highlight any item in the QuickBasic menu system, and press F1. A information box pops up and explains what the highlighted item is for. (I had to explain how to Set Paths before, since the help will not function unless QB knows where to find the help file.)

    That's all for this tutorial. There is much more to learn about the QuickBasic environment, so keep reading the other tutorials to see everything that QuickBasic can do for you.

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